mgreber's Full Review: Chuck Palahniuk - Survivor: A Novel
Chuck Palahniuk's Survivor: a novel is a wholly original if not entirely satisfying piece of fiction. Like his debut novel Fight Club, he writes in a jabbing, eclectic prose, replete with bizarre characters and a shocking plot twist.
The protagonist here is Tender Branson. In the opening chapter, he informs us that he is rich, flying solo in his soon to be crashing airplane. The story, then, is essentially a long suicide note.
Branson grew up in a cult, one that was raided by the government and made many headlines. Without giving away much of the plot, which has some rather bizarre elements and twists, Palahniuk uses Branson's story as a vehicle to write some particularly jarring satire against the current world. Witness -- within Survivor, there is a best selling novel The Book of Very Common Prayer he writes of, containing short prayers for such critical things as The Prayer To Remove Mildew Stains, The Prayer To Silence Car Alarms, The Prayer To Locate A Lost Contact Lens. You just know this could exist. There are numerous jabs and punches towards celebrity, and all that comes with it, and the vapidness from which it is created. The non-celebrity rich are also targets -- as a consultant/servant to a rich couple, Branson literally has to spoon-feed them with information in order for them to survive. It's satire, so it's over the top, but it generally works. Palahniuk proved in his first novel he could write bitterly humorous prose, and he continues that trend here.
In the end, however, the novel doesn't feel that satisfying. It's not the ending itself, but rather the overall feel of the novel. For one, the other main character is named Fertility Hollis, a psychic girlfriend of Tender's. While there is at least a reasonable explanation for Tender's name, Fertility's name is unnecessary and overly cute. Additionally, her character is not developed nearly enough although it has great potential.
There's a few side stories here and there, and most are interesting enough to justify their existence. Perhaps it is due to the narrative, but the loping style of prose gets tiresome. The book is written as if dictated by Tender, who talks in a dreamy, still-brainwashed manner. Because Tender Branson's cult preached labor and rote behavior, he recites numerous methods of how to perform chores throughout the book. To quote:
To get the shine off a suit, dampen the cloth with a weak mixture of water and ammonia, then iron with a damp pressing cloth.
The secret for making perfect boeuf Bourguignon is to add some orange peel.
To remove cherry stains, rub them with a ripe tomato and wash as usual.
You get the idea. It's a style that Palahniuak either intentionally or unknowingly borrows from Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho, which scattered it's satirical story with numerous references to fashion items, style suggestions and detailed analyses of pop music. It's not quite as overdone as in American Psycho, nor is it countered with as shocking or graphic a story as that novel. But it has the same effect in that it distances the reader from truly knowing the narrator. Perhaps in both cases that is the point -- a valid argument can be made for that in each case. However, if that is the point...it's not a good one. In order for me to truly enjoy a book, I have to relate to or at least understand the main character, to sympathize in some way with his or her emotions and feelings. That doesn't happen here, and becomes the books ultimate shortfall.
It's an interesting read to be sure. The story is original, the characters relatively unique as well if undeveloped, and the pace of the book is relatively quick. It's a sophomore slump for Palahniuak, but not a plunge.
Not since Vonnegut s Mother Night and Kosinski s Being There has there been as dark and telling a satire on the wages of fame and the bedrock lunacy o...More at Buy.com
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