Chuck Palahniuk - Lullaby: A Novel

Pros: Hilariously dark comedy, no sacred cow is safe - shaved poss and armpit hair
Cons: Humor often so well hidden by bitterness that it can't find it's way

Culling out the free range rude

This is one of my favorite quotes from Hannibal, which really goes a long way toward describing Chuck Palahniuk’s latest novel. For those unfamiliar with Chuck and his writing he is the author of...

Pros: Darkly humorous, socially derisive, made me both sick and happy at the same time.
Cons: More of the same from Palahniuk.

Palahniuk, of course, was made famous by penning the book Fight Club. We all know Fight Club, after all, the movie version has singled-handedly provided an otherwise boring Y-generation with a loathing prophet, and his words of divine...

Pros: Takes a great idea and runs with it, complex narrative.
Cons: The story threads don't really come together until near the end.

Suppose any person who bothers you, any person you think, even for a minute, "I wish they were dead", actually died? Somewhere in your subconscious, you recite a short rhyme, like an annoying song or obnoxious ad jingle, rang through your head, and then...

Pros: A throughly entertaining read, very comical at times.
Cons: Some scenes are just too painful to read.

It’s the happiest day of your life, you’ve got the perfect knot in your tie, your child is quietly sleeping and wife is so beautiful. Of course this isn’t the best day of your life simply because you killed your family the night before, but...

Pros: Frame style of writing, interactions between characters, suspense.
Cons: Might be a bit too ludicrous of a concept for some.

Chuck Palahniuk is an interesting sort of guy. His loose writing style allows for that extra spark of imagination from the reader that takes the story down the ol’ Choose Your Own Adventure route at times. On the other hand, his plot lines are ...

Pros: Great writing, original story, scary in some parts
Cons: Very short

Lullaby is another great novel from Chuck Palahniuk, one of my favorite authors. His previous novels are Fight Club, Invisible Monsters, Survivor, and Choke – all great twisted tales. This novel is probably his most mature work I’ve read, offering a ...

Pros: Chuck Palahniuk and his biting but always humorous insights
Cons: None

Simultaneously a novel and a manifesto about the media, power, and modern day living, Lullaby is another great book from Chuck Palahniuk, in the spirit of Invisible Monsters or Choke.

Lullaby is very well-written, and the story...

Pros: 1) Interesting underlying message
Cons: 1) Everything else

I've read a total of five Chuck Palahniuk novels: Fight Club (which if you've seen the movie, you've essentially read the book - don't buy it for extra explanation or insight), Lullaby, Invisible Monsters, Choke and Haunted. Without question, this is ...

Pros: Makes you think
Unique story
Cons: Too short!

Carl Streator is a reporter for a local newspaper in his town when a bunch of sudden infant death syndrome cases break out. After going to many of the scenes, he realizes that the same book is at each one. The book contains an African culling spell. A ...

Pros: Quick read but not a short book.
Cons: Too quick of a read, I wanted even more.

I should start by mentioning that I do not generally like fiction. A friend of mine bought Lullaby for me after reading it himself. I was blown away.

Palahniuk's writing style is so unique and captivating. The way he crafts sentences and phrases is enthralling.

I don't want to give away the plot because, for me, that's a big part of the enjoyment, finding out what the story is. I didn't even read the synopsis on the inside cover.

It's no surprise that one of Palahniuk's (or, as i like to call him, Mr. Unpronouncable) books has been made a movie (Fight Club). His imagination and storytelling voice are really amazing.

I'm in the middle of reading another book of his, 'Choke' right now and it's proving to be just as entertaining.

Palahniuk is one of the most brilliant and creative modern writers.