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丿乇 丿賳賷丕賷蹖 賰賴 賯爻賲 亘蹖鈥屫ж必藏� 丕爻鬲貙 噩丕賷蹖 賰賴 鬲毓賴丿 賴賷趩 賲毓賳丕賷蹖 賳丿丕乇丿貙 噩丕賷蹖 賰賴 賯賵賱 賲蹖鈥屫囐嗀� 亘乇丕蹖 丕賷賳 賰賴 丌賳 乇丕 亘卮賰賳賳丿貙 亘丿 賳賷爻鬲 丕诏乇 賰賱賲丕鬲 丿賵亘丕乇賴 賯丿乇鬲 乇丕 亘賴 丿爻鬲 亘诏賷乇賳丿. 丿乇 丿賳賷丕賷蹖 賰賴 賴賲賴 賳睾賲賴鈥屰� 丿乇賵诏乇 乇丕 亘丿丕賳賳丿貙 賴賲賴 噩丕 爻乇賵氐丿丕賴丕 禺丕賲賵卮 賲蹖鈥屫促堎嗀�. 賲孬賱 丿賵乇丕賳 噩賳诏貙 賳诏賴亘丕賳鈥屬囏� 诏卮鬲 賲蹖鈥屫操嗁嗀� 丕賲丕 亘賴 噩丕蹖 丕賷賳 賰賴 亘賴 丿賳亘丕賱 賳賵乇 亘诏乇丿賳丿貙 丿賳亘丕賱 爻乇賵氐丿丕 賲蹖鈥屭必嗀� 賵 亘賴 賲乇丿賲 賲蹖鈥屭堎娰嗀� 丿賴丕賳鈥屫簇з� 乇丕 亘亘賳丿賳丿. 丌賳 胤賵乇 賰賴 丿賵賱鬲鈥屬囏� 亘賴 丿賳亘丕賱 丌賱賵丿诏蹖 賴賵丕 賵 丌亘 賲蹖鈥屭必嗀� 賴賲賷賳 丿賵賱鬲鈥屬囏� 賴乇 氐丿丕賷蹖 亘丕賱丕鬲乇 丕夭 倬趩鈥屬沮� 乇丕 囟亘胤 賲蹖鈥屬冑嗁嗀� 賵 亘毓丿貙 氐丕丨亘卮 乇丕 丿爻鬲诏賷乇 賲蹖鈥屬冑嗁嗀�. 賴賱賷賰賵倬鬲乇賴丕貙 賴賱賷賰賵倬鬲乇賴丕蹖 賵賷跇賴鈥屰� 亘蹖鈥屫地� 丕賱亘鬲賴貙 賴賲丕賳鈥屫焚堌� 賰賴 丨丕賱丕 亘賴 丿賳亘丕賱 賲丕乇賷噩賵丕賳丕 賲蹖鈥屭必嗀� 亘賴 丿賳亘丕賱 爻乇賵氐丿丕 禺賵丕賴賳丿 诏卮鬲. 賲乇丿賲 亘丕 賰賮卮鈥屬囏й� 賱丕爻鬲賷賰蹖 乇賵蹖 賳賵賰 倬丕 乇丕賴 賲蹖鈥屫辟堎嗀�. 禺亘乇趩賷賳鈥屬囏� 丕夭 賴乇 爻賵乇丕禺 丿乇蹖 诏賵卮 賲蹖鈥屫з娯池嗀�. 丿賳賷丕蹖 禺胤乇賳丕賰 賵丨卮鬲賳丕賰蹖 賲蹖鈥屫簇� 賵賱蹖 丨丿丕賯賱 賲蹖鈥屫堌з嗀池娯� 亘丕 倬賳噩乇賴鈥屰� 亘丕夭 亘禺賵丕亘賷丿. 丿賳賷丕賷蹖 賲蹖鈥屫簇� 賰賴 賴乇 賰賱賲賴 丕乇夭卮蹖 賲毓丕丿賱 賴夭丕乇 毓賰爻 丿丕卮鬲.
232 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
1498 people are currently reading
38847 people want to read
About the author
Chuck Palahniuk
251听books131k听followersWritten in stolen moments under truck chassis and on park benches to a soundtrack of The Downward Spiral and Pablo Honey, Fight Club came into existence. The adaptation of Fight Club was a flop at the box office, but achieved cult status on DVD. The film鈥檚 popularity drove sales of the novel. Chuck put out two novels in 1999, Survivor and Invisible Monsters. Choke, published in 2001, became Chuck鈥檚 first New York Times bestseller. Chuck鈥檚 work has always been infused with personal experience, and his next novel, Lullaby, was no exception. Chuck credits writing Lullaby with helping him cope with the tragic death of his father. Diary and the non-fiction guide to Portland, Fugitives and Refugees, were released in 2003. While on the road in support of Diary, Chuck began reading a short story entitled 'Guts,' which would eventually become part of the novel Haunted.
In the years that followed, he continued to write, publishing the bestselling Rant, Snuff, Pygmy, Tell-All, a 'remix' of Invisible Monsters, Damned, and most recently, Doomed.
Chuck also enjoys giving back to his fans, and teaching the art of storytelling has been an important part of that. In 2004, Chuck began submitting essays to ChuckPalahniuk.net on the craft of writing. These were 'How To' pieces, straight out of Chuck's personal bag of tricks, based on the tenants of minimalism he learned from Tom Spanbauer. Every month, a 鈥淗omework Assignment鈥� would accompany the lesson, so Workshop members could apply what they had learned. (all 36 of these essays can currently be found on The Cult's sister-site, LitReactor.com).
Then, in 2009, Chuck increased his involvement by committing to read and review a selection of fan-written stories each month. The best stories are currently set to be published in Burnt Tongues, a forthcoming anthology, with an introduction written by Chuck himself.
His next novel, Beautiful You, is due out in October 2014.
In the years that followed, he continued to write, publishing the bestselling Rant, Snuff, Pygmy, Tell-All, a 'remix' of Invisible Monsters, Damned, and most recently, Doomed.
Chuck also enjoys giving back to his fans, and teaching the art of storytelling has been an important part of that. In 2004, Chuck began submitting essays to ChuckPalahniuk.net on the craft of writing. These were 'How To' pieces, straight out of Chuck's personal bag of tricks, based on the tenants of minimalism he learned from Tom Spanbauer. Every month, a 鈥淗omework Assignment鈥� would accompany the lesson, so Workshop members could apply what they had learned. (all 36 of these essays can currently be found on The Cult's sister-site, LitReactor.com).
Then, in 2009, Chuck increased his involvement by committing to read and review a selection of fan-written stories each month. The best stories are currently set to be published in Burnt Tongues, a forthcoming anthology, with an introduction written by Chuck himself.
His next novel, Beautiful You, is due out in October 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,752 reviews
August 6, 2007
Oh Chuck Palahniuk, why do the kids love you? Years and years and years have passed while I have worked in a bookstore and every single year is the same, some kind of cool hipster guy or girl will come in and ask for anything by Chuck Palahniuk, bestowing praises upon his writing. Okay, I get it. The hipsters love him. Brad Pitt was in a movie based on a Palahnuik book, which was about crazy wacky anarchy, which the young hipsters love.
So, I finally sat myself down and cracked open this lovely bird of a book.
I wanted to like it. I really did. I wanted to be part of that faction... the I love Chuck Palahnuik, I smoke Camels, I roll the cuffs of my jeans and wear studded belts, but only on occasion, cause really I wear AE gear, but not AE gear bought from an actual AE store, but from a thrift shop, where it costs roughly the same amount of money if I were to buy it new, but I didn't, someone else, a stranger in fact, wore this shirt before me, thus I am cooler than you cause I bought this shirt at a thrift shop, and I have a tattoo... maybe I have two... you'll never know cause I'm mysterious, and I play the guitar, but not really, I can only play three cords, but really that's enough to make it seem like I know what I'm doing, have you ever read Vonnegut?
I didn't like this book. I didn't hate it. I just didn't like it. A poem (lullaby) that has the ability to kill people when read aloud? I thought those were called Mattie Stepanek poems. ZING!
Sorry Mattie fans. I know the kid got dealt a bad card(s), but seriously? Have you read his stuff?
So, I finally sat myself down and cracked open this lovely bird of a book.
I wanted to like it. I really did. I wanted to be part of that faction... the I love Chuck Palahnuik, I smoke Camels, I roll the cuffs of my jeans and wear studded belts, but only on occasion, cause really I wear AE gear, but not AE gear bought from an actual AE store, but from a thrift shop, where it costs roughly the same amount of money if I were to buy it new, but I didn't, someone else, a stranger in fact, wore this shirt before me, thus I am cooler than you cause I bought this shirt at a thrift shop, and I have a tattoo... maybe I have two... you'll never know cause I'm mysterious, and I play the guitar, but not really, I can only play three cords, but really that's enough to make it seem like I know what I'm doing, have you ever read Vonnegut?
I didn't like this book. I didn't hate it. I just didn't like it. A poem (lullaby) that has the ability to kill people when read aloud? I thought those were called Mattie Stepanek poems. ZING!
Sorry Mattie fans. I know the kid got dealt a bad card(s), but seriously? Have you read his stuff?
August 25, 2024
A culling song... a lullaby that is sung at someone and they die! Investigating Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, middle aged and a loner, reporter Carl Streator uncovers something he just can't rationalise... a connection between a number of the baby deaths and a book of poems! Palahniuk goes hell for leather in a short 260 pages leaving very few triggers untriggered with this dark, and extremely darkly comedic comedy of errors as an ever widening but very small group of people become aware of the lullaby, and all seem to have their own agendas.
A book about power, about how men deal with women in power, about the rashness of youth, but most of all about an highly original and entertaining piece of modern horror, about the worse monsters there are... humans! 9 out of 12. firm Four Star read.
2019 and 2004 read
A book about power, about how men deal with women in power, about the rashness of youth, but most of all about an highly original and entertaining piece of modern horror, about the worse monsters there are... humans! 9 out of 12. firm Four Star read.
2019 and 2004 read
May 8, 2017
4.5 STARS
Not since the guy who writes error messages for Microsoft have I seen anyone who can piss off his critics more. It seems like you either 鈥榞et鈥� his writing or you don鈥檛.
Personally, I鈥檝e only read five of his novels so far, but (with the exception of Rant, perhaps) I thought they were all great.
Here鈥檚 the thing:
His books aren鈥檛 very long, which means he uses his words sparingly and to maximum effect. His sense of humor is dark and shocking, something I can appreciate. He always comes up with something that鈥檚 so far out there that I would have never thought of it 鈥� it doesn鈥檛 have to be the main plot, but you will find something in there that goes beyond what you perceive as normal human behaviour. And he always manages to make you feel, be it happy, sad, disgusted, whatever!
As a writer, he ticks all the right boxes 鈥� isn鈥檛 the most important thing to evoke emotion from your readers?
If you are easily shocked, stay far away from this man鈥檚 books. For those who likes to creep closer to the edge, enjoy the ride.
Not since the guy who writes error messages for Microsoft have I seen anyone who can piss off his critics more. It seems like you either 鈥榞et鈥� his writing or you don鈥檛.
Personally, I鈥檝e only read five of his novels so far, but (with the exception of Rant, perhaps) I thought they were all great.
Here鈥檚 the thing:
His books aren鈥檛 very long, which means he uses his words sparingly and to maximum effect. His sense of humor is dark and shocking, something I can appreciate. He always comes up with something that鈥檚 so far out there that I would have never thought of it 鈥� it doesn鈥檛 have to be the main plot, but you will find something in there that goes beyond what you perceive as normal human behaviour. And he always manages to make you feel, be it happy, sad, disgusted, whatever!
As a writer, he ticks all the right boxes 鈥� isn鈥檛 the most important thing to evoke emotion from your readers?
If you are easily shocked, stay far away from this man鈥檚 books. For those who likes to creep closer to the edge, enjoy the ride.
March 19, 2025
This was the first time I'd read a Palahniuk novel. It will probably be the only time too. The experience was something like grinding my body up against a human sized cheese-grater. Painful as hell. Just terrible. Hated all the characters - and I've never known a plot to go off the rails as much as this one - I mean - sweet Jesus! - it all got pretty darn stupid, and wasn't; as some others suggest, funny at all. I understand it's suppose to be a satire directed towards a media-saturated society, but I didn't see it that way. Others might. I didn't. I'd read a few Douglas Coupland novels before this: who is not the greatest of writers, and even the worst of them felt really good in comparison. In Lullaby there is an ancient Zulu culling song: that is now a short poem, and it causes anyone who listens to it to die.
If only it would kill the very book that it features in.
July 28, 2022
Can鈥檛 beat a bit of old school Chuck! I thought I had read most of his stuff but realised I haven鈥檛 read two novels, this being one of them.
I loved being back inside his twisted world and ideas.
I loved being back inside his twisted world and ideas.
May 10, 2012
To most people a lullaby is a soothing song meant to help coax a child to sleep, but in Chuck Palahniuk鈥檚 hands it becomes a death spell that can kill anyone. Of course, that鈥檚 not twisted enough for Chuckie P. so he had to throw in some witchcraft, necrophilia and dead babies to really make it a party.
Carl Streator is a newspaper reporter working on a feature about infant crib deaths, and he has his own tragic experience in that area. When Streator sees a book containing an African chant at several homes where the baby died, he does more digging and discovers that it鈥榮 a culling song that can be used to kill just by thinking it. Since Carl has a few anger problems, this leads to a lot of deaths of people who annoy him as he tries to get control.
Streator seeks help from Helen Hoover Boyle a realtor who specializes in flipping haunted houses and who also knows the culling song. He convinces her that they should take a road trip to destroy all the copies of the book, but her secretary Mona, a witch wannabe, and her animal rights activist and all around asshole of a boyfriend Oyster end up coming along for the ride. Mona also convinces them that the culling song probably came from a powerful spell book they should try to locate.
The culling song is a nifty hook for the story and Streator鈥檚 tendency to off anyone who鈥檚 pissing him off provides some dark hilarity. My biggest problem with this one is that Streator is a complete moron. He instantly realizes the chaos that would occur if anyone else figured out the culling song and how to use it, but then he promptly blabs about it to Mona and a disgusting EMT with a penchant for corpse sex. He often can't control himself with the culling song and kills people for offenses like having their TV鈥檚 too loud or bumping into him on the street, yet somehow he manages not to whack the ultra-annoying Oyster.
Then he invites Oyster and Mona on the road to destroy the book. So you鈥檙e trying to destroy a dangerous spell that can kill people and you bring along a guy who spends every waking moment telling you all the crimes people have committed against animals. Guess how well that turns out?
Carl Streator is a newspaper reporter working on a feature about infant crib deaths, and he has his own tragic experience in that area. When Streator sees a book containing an African chant at several homes where the baby died, he does more digging and discovers that it鈥榮 a culling song that can be used to kill just by thinking it. Since Carl has a few anger problems, this leads to a lot of deaths of people who annoy him as he tries to get control.
Streator seeks help from Helen Hoover Boyle a realtor who specializes in flipping haunted houses and who also knows the culling song. He convinces her that they should take a road trip to destroy all the copies of the book, but her secretary Mona, a witch wannabe, and her animal rights activist and all around asshole of a boyfriend Oyster end up coming along for the ride. Mona also convinces them that the culling song probably came from a powerful spell book they should try to locate.
The culling song is a nifty hook for the story and Streator鈥檚 tendency to off anyone who鈥檚 pissing him off provides some dark hilarity. My biggest problem with this one is that Streator is a complete moron. He instantly realizes the chaos that would occur if anyone else figured out the culling song and how to use it, but then he promptly blabs about it to Mona and a disgusting EMT with a penchant for corpse sex. He often can't control himself with the culling song and kills people for offenses like having their TV鈥檚 too loud or bumping into him on the street, yet somehow he manages not to whack the ultra-annoying Oyster.
Then he invites Oyster and Mona on the road to destroy the book. So you鈥檙e trying to destroy a dangerous spell that can kill people and you bring along a guy who spends every waking moment telling you all the crimes people have committed against animals. Guess how well that turns out?
August 7, 2007
Chuck has never been a very good writer. He comes up with interesting ideas, uses them as a vehicle for a shitty novel, then I read it, and am disappointed every time. I have since stopped reading his books but my girlfriend says they still suck.
December 28, 2015
Eudora Welty once said something to the effect that Southern gothic works because people in the South can still recognize grotesque.
Chuck Palahniuk may be the vanguard of the post-modern gothic literary group as he can definitely recognize what is grotesque in our culture. 鈥淪ticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me鈥� is an old saying that Palahniuk dissects and violates with an impish joy usually only seen in 8th grade biology.
Centered around the unfortunate discovery of an old African culling song that can kill when read (or thought) Palahniuk creates a loose allegory that examines how our saturation with noise and our hyper addiction to media has created a blunted, spiritually lethal society. Like reading Christopher Moore I cringe when I read Palahniuk鈥檚 work, feeling guilty for laughing, but buried amidst the bizarre scenarios and the locker room humor are social and cultural insights that are worth the effort.
This is more like than , but as entertaining as either in its own weird Kafkaesque way and demonstrating a common misanthropic thread that may connect all of his work.
Chuck Palahniuk may be the vanguard of the post-modern gothic literary group as he can definitely recognize what is grotesque in our culture. 鈥淪ticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me鈥� is an old saying that Palahniuk dissects and violates with an impish joy usually only seen in 8th grade biology.
Centered around the unfortunate discovery of an old African culling song that can kill when read (or thought) Palahniuk creates a loose allegory that examines how our saturation with noise and our hyper addiction to media has created a blunted, spiritually lethal society. Like reading Christopher Moore I cringe when I read Palahniuk鈥檚 work, feeling guilty for laughing, but buried amidst the bizarre scenarios and the locker room humor are social and cultural insights that are worth the effort.
This is more like than , but as entertaining as either in its own weird Kafkaesque way and demonstrating a common misanthropic thread that may connect all of his work.
September 3, 2024
I don鈥檛 write reviews.
鈥淥ld George Orwell got it backward. Big brother isn鈥檛 watching. He鈥檚 singing and dancing. He鈥檚 pulling rabbits out of a hat. Big Brother鈥檚 busy holding your attention every moment you鈥檙e awake. He鈥檚 making sure you鈥檙e always distracted. He鈥檚 making sure you鈥檙e fully absorbed. He鈥檚 making sure your imagination withers, until it鈥檚 as useful as your appendix. He鈥檚 making sure your attention is always filled. And this being fed, it鈥檚 worse than being watched. With the world always filling you, no one has to worry about what鈥檚 in your mind. With everyone鈥檚 imagination atrophied, no one will ever be a threat to the world.鈥�
Ok, I get it, and there鈥檚 some truth in there. Except some things鈥�. It IS indeed watching. And it鈥檚 distracting you and destroying your ability for independent thought. It鈥檚 killing your imagination hence, killing your purpose, your ability to look inside for happiness. Shredding your attention span so you can鈥檛 converse normally anymore. Unless the topic is you. A world of people trained from birth to be self-absorbed narcissists, eternal consumers, thoughts blotted out by the constant barrage of visual and auditory stimuli. Oh and you鈥檙e still being watched. Tracked. Your life in a series of data points.
Let鈥檚 play the quiet game and listen to ourselves. Listen to the voice inside that we drown out with tv and purchases and second-guessing. Then double that and share the quiet game with a friend. Make a bond. Dream a dream. Create for once instead of always destroying.
In this story, decisions are made, both good and bad. I want to believe the two main characters can shake off that outside noise and be people again. Hopefully, they鈥檒l be people together, no matter what.
Plus: magic, spells, fancy furniture, jewels, killing, assassinations (yes, these are different than the killing), love, loss, vegan potlucks, naked covens, strange hobbies and cryogenics.
Book 5 - The Year of Chuck
鈥淥ld George Orwell got it backward. Big brother isn鈥檛 watching. He鈥檚 singing and dancing. He鈥檚 pulling rabbits out of a hat. Big Brother鈥檚 busy holding your attention every moment you鈥檙e awake. He鈥檚 making sure you鈥檙e always distracted. He鈥檚 making sure you鈥檙e fully absorbed. He鈥檚 making sure your imagination withers, until it鈥檚 as useful as your appendix. He鈥檚 making sure your attention is always filled. And this being fed, it鈥檚 worse than being watched. With the world always filling you, no one has to worry about what鈥檚 in your mind. With everyone鈥檚 imagination atrophied, no one will ever be a threat to the world.鈥�
Ok, I get it, and there鈥檚 some truth in there. Except some things鈥�. It IS indeed watching. And it鈥檚 distracting you and destroying your ability for independent thought. It鈥檚 killing your imagination hence, killing your purpose, your ability to look inside for happiness. Shredding your attention span so you can鈥檛 converse normally anymore. Unless the topic is you. A world of people trained from birth to be self-absorbed narcissists, eternal consumers, thoughts blotted out by the constant barrage of visual and auditory stimuli. Oh and you鈥檙e still being watched. Tracked. Your life in a series of data points.
Let鈥檚 play the quiet game and listen to ourselves. Listen to the voice inside that we drown out with tv and purchases and second-guessing. Then double that and share the quiet game with a friend. Make a bond. Dream a dream. Create for once instead of always destroying.
In this story, decisions are made, both good and bad. I want to believe the two main characters can shake off that outside noise and be people again. Hopefully, they鈥檒l be people together, no matter what.
Plus: magic, spells, fancy furniture, jewels, killing, assassinations (yes, these are different than the killing), love, loss, vegan potlucks, naked covens, strange hobbies and cryogenics.
Book 5 - The Year of Chuck
August 16, 2007
When you pick up a Chuck Palahniuk book you know that you are going to plunge ever-so-briefly into a raging torrent of absurdity, horror so whimsical that you laugh even as you cringe, and insightful looks at contemporary living. It seems a cheap shot to call his work formulaic, but once you've read through 6 or 7 of his books, the pattern emerges and you have a vague idea of what to expect.
It was Lullaby that finally brought this realization home to me. You have the protagonist, a man who seems like the picture of upstanding normality at first glance but who is eventually revealed to have a dark secret hidden in his past. You have the more experienced secondary character who helps to drive the story forward by slowly revealing some answers to the mystery. Then you have the comical minor characters, the latter-day Rosencratz and Guildenstern (or the R2D2 and C3PO if you want to take it that far) if you will, who play an important roll in the advancement of events but who also provide the brilliant moments of macabre hilarity. At some point they will all go on a roadtrip and Palahniuk will ruminate on the state of human existence at the turn of the 21st Century.
And so it goes for Lullaby. Features reporter Carl Streator is assigned to report on crib death for a mid-size Portland newspaper. As he visits site after site of these tragic deaths, he notices the constant appearance of a book of children's poems all laying open to Page 27. It appears that prior to dying the infants had all been read this particular poem. Being the thorough investigative reporter that he is, Streator traces crib deaths in his area back over 20 years until he comes across Helen Hoover Boyle, a Realtor who specializes in selling (and reselling and reselling again) haunted houses to unsuspecting clients, who may know the reason why this particular poem seems to kill. It's not long before Streator, Helen, her assistant Mona (known as Mulberry in the Wiccan circles in which she travels) and Mona's boyfriend Oyster embark on a roadtrip across the country to track down every copy of this culling poem to protect the sleeping infants of the world from inadvertent death.
Like I said it's formulaic, but this just makes it easier to focus on the odd details that Palahniuk likes to toss into the mix. Oyster's long narrations about the history of invasive foreign plants and how this can be used as a means to understand the cannibalistic psyche of modern man, an EMT who learns the culling poem so that he can kill fashion models and then have sex with their dead bodies, the twisted history of antique furniture- they all add together to form a novel that, while not spectacular, definitely envelops you and reminds you why it is that Palahniuk stands out as one of the best contemporary authors of today.
It was Lullaby that finally brought this realization home to me. You have the protagonist, a man who seems like the picture of upstanding normality at first glance but who is eventually revealed to have a dark secret hidden in his past. You have the more experienced secondary character who helps to drive the story forward by slowly revealing some answers to the mystery. Then you have the comical minor characters, the latter-day Rosencratz and Guildenstern (or the R2D2 and C3PO if you want to take it that far) if you will, who play an important roll in the advancement of events but who also provide the brilliant moments of macabre hilarity. At some point they will all go on a roadtrip and Palahniuk will ruminate on the state of human existence at the turn of the 21st Century.
And so it goes for Lullaby. Features reporter Carl Streator is assigned to report on crib death for a mid-size Portland newspaper. As he visits site after site of these tragic deaths, he notices the constant appearance of a book of children's poems all laying open to Page 27. It appears that prior to dying the infants had all been read this particular poem. Being the thorough investigative reporter that he is, Streator traces crib deaths in his area back over 20 years until he comes across Helen Hoover Boyle, a Realtor who specializes in selling (and reselling and reselling again) haunted houses to unsuspecting clients, who may know the reason why this particular poem seems to kill. It's not long before Streator, Helen, her assistant Mona (known as Mulberry in the Wiccan circles in which she travels) and Mona's boyfriend Oyster embark on a roadtrip across the country to track down every copy of this culling poem to protect the sleeping infants of the world from inadvertent death.
Like I said it's formulaic, but this just makes it easier to focus on the odd details that Palahniuk likes to toss into the mix. Oyster's long narrations about the history of invasive foreign plants and how this can be used as a means to understand the cannibalistic psyche of modern man, an EMT who learns the culling poem so that he can kill fashion models and then have sex with their dead bodies, the twisted history of antique furniture- they all add together to form a novel that, while not spectacular, definitely envelops you and reminds you why it is that Palahniuk stands out as one of the best contemporary authors of today.
June 18, 2015
鈥淎fter long enough, everyone in the world will be your enemy.鈥�
鈥� Chuck Palahniuk, Lullaby
Chuck Palahniuk can sometimes be casually dismissed as an oversold shock author who appeals to a certain type of hipster reader who buys his books (and now comics) with a slavish devotion usually reserved for members of an asteroid cult. Sometimes that view rings true. Occasionally, Palahniuk will deliver a book or an idea that is more of a gimp monster or lame demon of mediocrity than an explosive novel of ideas. 'Lullaby' is not one of those hobbled novels. And to be fair to Palahniuk, he has now birthed enough solid fiction to deserve much of his cult status. He isn't a Nabokov, a McCarthy or a Roth, but he has developed a solid style and voice that is both recognizable and strong.
'Lullaby' is framed around two protagonists (Carl and Helen) and their "adopted" children (Mona and Oyster). This neo-elementary family are searching for all copies of a culling song found in an anthology of children's poetry and the original book of shadows. This ends up being a road novel where each of the four characters are in search of a different world, a different magic, a different end.
There were times in this novel where Palahniuk's rants against consumerism, pollution, invasive species, noise, etc., all seem in danger of consuming the narrative, but Palahniuk's sharp nimble seems to dance through the anger with the same ease as Carl and Helen dance past the dead.
鈥� Chuck Palahniuk, Lullaby
Chuck Palahniuk can sometimes be casually dismissed as an oversold shock author who appeals to a certain type of hipster reader who buys his books (and now comics) with a slavish devotion usually reserved for members of an asteroid cult. Sometimes that view rings true. Occasionally, Palahniuk will deliver a book or an idea that is more of a gimp monster or lame demon of mediocrity than an explosive novel of ideas. 'Lullaby' is not one of those hobbled novels. And to be fair to Palahniuk, he has now birthed enough solid fiction to deserve much of his cult status. He isn't a Nabokov, a McCarthy or a Roth, but he has developed a solid style and voice that is both recognizable and strong.
'Lullaby' is framed around two protagonists (Carl and Helen) and their "adopted" children (Mona and Oyster). This neo-elementary family are searching for all copies of a culling song found in an anthology of children's poetry and the original book of shadows. This ends up being a road novel where each of the four characters are in search of a different world, a different magic, a different end.
There were times in this novel where Palahniuk's rants against consumerism, pollution, invasive species, noise, etc., all seem in danger of consuming the narrative, but Palahniuk's sharp nimble seems to dance through the anger with the same ease as Carl and Helen dance past the dead.
May 15, 2013
Brilliant. That's the word, the only word, that came to mind as I started reading Palahniuk's Lullaby. I struggled to keep reading, as I was too impressed with the prose. As a writer, reading Palahniuk made me feel like a dancing monkey in comparison.听
By the time I hit the halfway mark, I struggled to keep reading for an altogether different reason. It had become too fragmented, repetitive, and just plain boring.听
At the beginning, this passage stopped me. Full stop. Absolute. No going further out of awe:
"Helen, she's wearing a white suit and shoes, but not Snow White. It's more the white of downhill skiing in Banff with a private car and driver on call, fourteen pieces of matched luggage, and a suite at the Hotel Lake Louise."
By the time I had reached page 116, about halfway through, I've read about twenty passages stylistically the same.听
This color. But not color like this, more like this extended metaphor.听
Dull.听
First time, brilliant. First few times, brilliant.听
Twentieth, dull.听
Okay. I might be exaggerating with the twenty mark. I didn't count, but it's repetitive enough to make it annoying. Unlike his other "choruses," like "I know this because Tyler knows this" or "these noise-aholics, these peace-aphobics" (and all the variations on that theme) or the counting to remain calm, it doesn't tie anything together. It doesn't do a thing past a look-at-how-well-I-can-write. Over and over, which defeats its own purpose. It's like those movie scenes so overdone they're obviously this-is-my-Oscar-winning-performance-scene.听
Again with the ads Oyster, one of the many despicable characters in this novel, takes out to blackmail corporations. Really. Really. Old. I get it. I don't have to be beaten over the head with it.
**spoilers** 听-- 听**trigger warnings**听
Then, on page 177 (Ch 29), after I skipped dozens of pages of the same-ol', same-ol' repetition, where no new character development is revealed nor is the plot projected forward, I came to the part where Streater remembers orally and vaginally raping his dead wife. Of course, he only thought she was unconscious, so it was just rape, not necrophilia. "It's not rape if they're dead."
This is where I stopped reading.
Not sure which was more disturbing, the fact that Streater calls it "the best he had" since before his child was born or that he didn't even bother to check on her after he got off with her unconscious, unresponsive form.听
I'm utterly disgusted by Palahniuk, and I'm not sure I'll be reading anymore. Darkness is one thing. Disturbing is one thing, and I like things very dark, but something about this is beyond revolting. Thankfully, the protagonist and everyone, really, are all horrific people, so at least the rape isn't brushed off as something acceptable. That's the only thing that might get me to try another book.
This is the first Palahniuk book in which I'd gotten this far. I'm partially into Fight Club at the moment, the second time I've tried to read it. The first I found difficult to keep going for the same reason at the beginning: blown away by the prose. That, coupled with the movie playing in my head, made it hard for me to read. I'm trying again, and I hope to get through it this time.听
Two stars, only because of the brilliant prose. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
By the time I hit the halfway mark, I struggled to keep reading for an altogether different reason. It had become too fragmented, repetitive, and just plain boring.听
At the beginning, this passage stopped me. Full stop. Absolute. No going further out of awe:
"Helen, she's wearing a white suit and shoes, but not Snow White. It's more the white of downhill skiing in Banff with a private car and driver on call, fourteen pieces of matched luggage, and a suite at the Hotel Lake Louise."
By the time I had reached page 116, about halfway through, I've read about twenty passages stylistically the same.听
This color. But not color like this, more like this extended metaphor.听
Dull.听
First time, brilliant. First few times, brilliant.听
Twentieth, dull.听
Okay. I might be exaggerating with the twenty mark. I didn't count, but it's repetitive enough to make it annoying. Unlike his other "choruses," like "I know this because Tyler knows this" or "these noise-aholics, these peace-aphobics" (and all the variations on that theme) or the counting to remain calm, it doesn't tie anything together. It doesn't do a thing past a look-at-how-well-I-can-write. Over and over, which defeats its own purpose. It's like those movie scenes so overdone they're obviously this-is-my-Oscar-winning-performance-scene.听
Again with the ads Oyster, one of the many despicable characters in this novel, takes out to blackmail corporations. Really. Really. Old. I get it. I don't have to be beaten over the head with it.
**spoilers** 听-- 听**trigger warnings**听
Then, on page 177 (Ch 29), after I skipped dozens of pages of the same-ol', same-ol' repetition, where no new character development is revealed nor is the plot projected forward, I came to the part where Streater remembers orally and vaginally raping his dead wife. Of course, he only thought she was unconscious, so it was just rape, not necrophilia. "It's not rape if they're dead."
This is where I stopped reading.
Not sure which was more disturbing, the fact that Streater calls it "the best he had" since before his child was born or that he didn't even bother to check on her after he got off with her unconscious, unresponsive form.听
I'm utterly disgusted by Palahniuk, and I'm not sure I'll be reading anymore. Darkness is one thing. Disturbing is one thing, and I like things very dark, but something about this is beyond revolting. Thankfully, the protagonist and everyone, really, are all horrific people, so at least the rape isn't brushed off as something acceptable. That's the only thing that might get me to try another book.
This is the first Palahniuk book in which I'd gotten this far. I'm partially into Fight Club at the moment, the second time I've tried to read it. The first I found difficult to keep going for the same reason at the beginning: blown away by the prose. That, coupled with the movie playing in my head, made it hard for me to read. I'm trying again, and I hope to get through it this time.听
Two stars, only because of the brilliant prose. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
August 23, 2015
Chuck took me on an interesting ride with Lullaby. It鈥檚 about a culling poem that will kill people when they hear it. But that鈥檚 a very simple way of explaining this book, there鈥檚 a lot more to it. It has several themes but it seems to be mostly about how people are never in total control of themselves. We are all possessed by something. I liked the way he talked about people that have problems with excess (ie. Drinking, eating, gambling, etc鈥�) are actually being possessed by ghosts of people who couldn鈥檛 get enough of those things while they were still alive. It does seem like that. Some people can have all sorts of control of their life but yet in certain areas, have no control.
There is great deal of humor throughout and I found myself laughing out loud several times. He has a twisted sense of humor that resonates well my twisted sense of humor.
Much like Choke and Beautiful You, this book features a character who has a scheme of making money that is dark and twisted. She sell鈥檚 houses that are haunted and then gets the owners to keep quiet so she can sell it again within six months. It鈥檚 great stuff. I see the pattern in his books now which Fight Club hammered home with such solid force. Chuck writes about a modern world where people are dysphoric and depressed and they want what they think is there鈥檚. Stepping on someone else鈥檚 toes is ok if the end justifies the means. Our world of ultra-consumerism has created a society of people going me me me with no end in sight and Chuck paints this picture exceptionally well.
There is great deal of humor throughout and I found myself laughing out loud several times. He has a twisted sense of humor that resonates well my twisted sense of humor.
Much like Choke and Beautiful You, this book features a character who has a scheme of making money that is dark and twisted. She sell鈥檚 houses that are haunted and then gets the owners to keep quiet so she can sell it again within six months. It鈥檚 great stuff. I see the pattern in his books now which Fight Club hammered home with such solid force. Chuck writes about a modern world where people are dysphoric and depressed and they want what they think is there鈥檚. Stepping on someone else鈥檚 toes is ok if the end justifies the means. Our world of ultra-consumerism has created a society of people going me me me with no end in sight and Chuck paints this picture exceptionally well.
January 13, 2023
鈽嗏槅鈽� e mezza stellina abbondante
"Avete riscontrato problemi di insonnia,
perdita di appetito e calo della vista
dopo aver letto ninna nanna
听听听听听听听听 di Chuck Palahniuk?
Se desiderate prendere parte
ad un'azione legale collettiva,
contattate il seguente numero.... "
Ho letto che Palahniuk ha scritto questo libro dopo l'assassinio di suo padre....ragazzi, qua pure la vita reale di Chuckino mio pare uscita dalla sua penna.
Non sono solita documentarmi sulla vita privata degli scrittori, non chiedetemi perch茅...non lo so nemmeno io, forse sono poco curiosa da quel punto di vista.
Fatto sta che nel 1999 uccidono il pap脿 di Chuck in un modo assurdo (stesso padre che ha alle spalle una storia assurda di suo) e Palahniuk per esorcizzare la scomparsa del padre si mette a scrivere questo puro delirio. Delirio dalla prima all'ultima riga. Un viaggio allucinante e allucinogeno tra case infestate,rituali wicca, ninne nanne, necrofili, persone che stramazzano al suole senza motivo apparente e viaggi on the road.
Tra un trip e l'altro Chuck ci butta dentro, come sempre, temi di riflessione. Dall'iquinamento acustico, al sovarppopolamento della terra, all'allevamento intensivo. Ha quel suo modo di esagerare, di superare il limite che听 alla fine ti cattura. Non dare per oro colato le sue parole, ma impara a riflettere su ci貌 che dice.
"Non ha importanza quanto si vuole bene a una persona. Alla fine quello che conta davvero 猫 ottenere ci貌 che si vuole.
E forse non finiamo all'inferno per quello che facciamo. Forse finiamo all'inferno per quello che non facciamo."
Alla fine ero partita con un'altra idea per recensire Ninna Nanna ma, come spesso mi succede, ho completamente cambiato strada.....c'era un UNIpossum che fingeva di essere morto sulla via ed ho preferito svoltare allo svincolo prima.
"Avete riscontrato problemi di insonnia,
perdita di appetito e calo della vista
dopo aver letto ninna nanna
听听听听听听听听 di Chuck Palahniuk?
Se desiderate prendere parte
ad un'azione legale collettiva,
contattate il seguente numero.... "
Ho letto che Palahniuk ha scritto questo libro dopo l'assassinio di suo padre....ragazzi, qua pure la vita reale di Chuckino mio pare uscita dalla sua penna.
Non sono solita documentarmi sulla vita privata degli scrittori, non chiedetemi perch茅...non lo so nemmeno io, forse sono poco curiosa da quel punto di vista.
Fatto sta che nel 1999 uccidono il pap脿 di Chuck in un modo assurdo (stesso padre che ha alle spalle una storia assurda di suo) e Palahniuk per esorcizzare la scomparsa del padre si mette a scrivere questo puro delirio. Delirio dalla prima all'ultima riga. Un viaggio allucinante e allucinogeno tra case infestate,rituali wicca, ninne nanne, necrofili, persone che stramazzano al suole senza motivo apparente e viaggi on the road.
Tra un trip e l'altro Chuck ci butta dentro, come sempre, temi di riflessione. Dall'iquinamento acustico, al sovarppopolamento della terra, all'allevamento intensivo. Ha quel suo modo di esagerare, di superare il limite che听 alla fine ti cattura. Non dare per oro colato le sue parole, ma impara a riflettere su ci貌 che dice.
"Non ha importanza quanto si vuole bene a una persona. Alla fine quello che conta davvero 猫 ottenere ci貌 che si vuole.
E forse non finiamo all'inferno per quello che facciamo. Forse finiamo all'inferno per quello che non facciamo."
Alla fine ero partita con un'altra idea per recensire Ninna Nanna ma, come spesso mi succede, ho completamente cambiato strada.....c'era un UNIpossum che fingeva di essere morto sulla via ed ho preferito svoltare allo svincolo prima.
July 30, 2007
The war of who can crank their radio louder than their neighbor. Avoiding the big picture by looking at things too closely. Big Brother filling your head with marketing noise 24-7 so you he doesn't have to worry about what your thoughts cause he created them. Control. Unlikely families. Journalism. These are the tried-and-true themes that Palahniuk has worked before in other forms in other books and they all come together nicely with Chuck's dead pan, sarcastic sense of humor. The premise of the book is a little hokey but Chuck's writing is so good you forget that magic doesn't exist and fall in love with the ridiculousness of the situation and you generally don't stop laughing long enough to think twice. It might seem to drag a little past the middle but hang with the characters till he gets all the loose ends wrapped up. It's pretty well worth it.
October 30, 2017
螖蔚谓 胃蠀渭维渭伪喂 魏伪喂 蟺慰位位维 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰. 螛蠀渭维渭伪喂 蠈渭蠅蟼 蠈蟿喂 伪) 未蔚谓 蔚委蠂伪 蔚谓胃慰蠀蟽喂伪蟽蟿蔚委 魏伪喂 尾) 苇魏伪谓伪 蟺慰位蠉 魏伪喂蟻蠈 谓伪 蟿慰 蟿蔚位蔚喂蠋蟽蠅 维蟻伪 raiting 2,5
December 19, 2017
"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can hurt like hell."
Another great satirical/horror by Mr Chuck... 'Warning, if you have read this book and suffer bleeding hemorrhoids caused by sudden outbursts of laughter you may be eligible to participate in a class action law suit'.
A childrens poem that has been quietly causing the death of infants, children, and their parents, turns out to be an ancient African culling song. A magical remedy that was originally intended to put the weak and infirm out of their misery. The protagonists of the story, Carl and Helen who inadvertently put their own loved ones to sleep... permanently... go on a mission to find all the books containing the story and destroy them before they can do any more damage. And since they have memorized the culling song themselves, their bigger battle has become, not killing everyone who annoys them along the way.
I think Lullaby has become one of my favorite Palahniuk books. Chuck is an acquired taste, but if you enjoy his work then this will be right up your kitchen.
November 18, 2019
丕賱丕禺 丕賱兀賰亘乇 賱丕 賷乇丕賯亘賳丕 廿賳賴 賷乇賯氐 賵賷睾賳賷貙 丕賳賴 賷禺乇噩 丕賱兀乇丕賳亘 賲賳 賯亘毓鬲賴
丕賱兀禺 丕賱兀賰亘乇 賲卮睾賵賱 亘噩匕亘 丕賳鬲亘丕賴賰 賮賷 賰賱 賱丨馗丞 鬲亘賯賷 賲爻鬲賷賯馗丕貙 賷毓賲賱 毓賱賶 兀賳 鬲賰賵賳 賲賱賴賷丕 毓賱賶 丕賱丿賵丕賲貙 賷鬲兀賰丿 賲賳 丕賳賴賲丕賰賰 鬲賲丕賲丕.... 廿賳 賴丿賮賴 兀賳 賷匕亘賱 禺賷丕賱賰 廿賱賷 兀賳 賷氐賷乇 賰夭丕卅丿鬲賰 丕賱丿賵丿賷丞 廿賳賴 賷爻毓賷 廿賱賷 卮睾賱賰 胤賵丕賱 丕賱賵賯鬲
賮廿匕丕 馗賱 丕賴鬲賲丕賲賰 賲賳氐乇賮丕 賵賲卮睾賵賱丕 廿賱賶 賲丕 賷乇睾亘賴 丕賱兀禺 丕賱兀賰亘乇 賮廿賳 賴匕丕 丕爻賵亍 賲賳 丕賳 賷乇丕賯亘賰... 毓賳丿賲丕 賷爻鬲睾乇賯賰 丕賱毓丕賱賲 鬲賲丕賲丕 賮賱丕 丕丨丿 爻賷賯賱賯 賲賲丕 賷毓鬲賲賱 賮賷 毓賯賱賰
賲毓 囟賲賵乇 丕賱禺賷丕賱 賱丿賷 丕賱噩賲賷毓 賮賱賳 賷賲孬賱 兀丨丿賳丕 鬲賴丿賷丿丕賸 賱賱毓丕賱賲
賮賷 賯氐丞 禺賷丕賱賷丞 賷賰鬲亘 鬲卮丕賰 亘賵賱丕賳賷賰 賯氐丞 毓賳 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賵丕賱賲賵鬲 賵毓亘孬賷丞 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賵賴賱 賷賵噩丿 賱賳丕 丕乇丕丿丞 丨乇丞 丕賲丕 兀丨丿 賷賯乇乇 賱賳丕... 賵胤亘毓丕 鬲賰賱賲 毓賳 丕賱丕毓賱丕賲 賵鬲兀孬賷乇賴 毓賱賷 丕賱卮乇丕亍 賵丕賱丕爻鬲賴賱丕賰 賮丿賴 亘賷鬲賰賱賲 毓賳賴 賲賳 丕賵賱 乇賵丕賷丞 賱賴
賴賱 賳賲賱賰 廿乇丕丿丞 丨乇丞 丕賲 丕賳 丕賱廿毓賱丕賲 賵孬賯丕賮鬲賳丕 賷鬲丨賰賲丕賳 賮賷賳丕貙 賮賷 乇睾亘鬲賳丕 賮賷 兀賮毓丕賱賳丕 賲賳匕 賱丨馗丞 丕賱賲賷賱丕丿
亘兀賲丕賳丞 賴賱 丕乇賷丿 丨賯丌 賲賳夭賱丕賸 賰亘賷乇丕賸 賵爻賷丕乇丞 爻乇賷毓丞 賵丕賱賮 丨爻賳丕亍責 賴賱 兀乇賷丿 賴匕賴 丕賱兀卮賷丕亍 丨賯丕.. 丕賲 兀賳賳賷 賮賯胤 賲丿乇亘 毓賱賷 丕賳 兀乇賷丿賴丕貙 賴賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱兀卮賷丕亍 锟斤拷賮囟賱 丨賯丕 賲賳 丕賱兀卮賷丕亍 丕賱鬲賷 丕賲賱賰賴丕 亘丕賱賮毓賱 丕賲 兀賳賳賷 賲丿乇亘 毓賱賷 丕賱卮毓賵乇 丕賱丿丕卅賲 亘毓丿賲 丕賱乇囟丕 毓賳 賲丕 賱丿賷
胤亘毓丕 賲丕 丕賳鬲賯丿賴 賮賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 亘毓囟 丕賱鬲胤丕賵賱 賮賷 丕賱丿賷賳 賵兀賷囟丕 亘毓囟 丕賱鬲胤賵賷賱 賱賵賱丕 賰丿丕 賰丕賳鬲 鬲爻鬲丨賯 丕賱禺賲爻 賳噩賵賲 賰丕賲賱丞
丕賱兀禺 丕賱兀賰亘乇 賲卮睾賵賱 亘噩匕亘 丕賳鬲亘丕賴賰 賮賷 賰賱 賱丨馗丞 鬲亘賯賷 賲爻鬲賷賯馗丕貙 賷毓賲賱 毓賱賶 兀賳 鬲賰賵賳 賲賱賴賷丕 毓賱賶 丕賱丿賵丕賲貙 賷鬲兀賰丿 賲賳 丕賳賴賲丕賰賰 鬲賲丕賲丕.... 廿賳 賴丿賮賴 兀賳 賷匕亘賱 禺賷丕賱賰 廿賱賷 兀賳 賷氐賷乇 賰夭丕卅丿鬲賰 丕賱丿賵丿賷丞 廿賳賴 賷爻毓賷 廿賱賷 卮睾賱賰 胤賵丕賱 丕賱賵賯鬲
賮廿匕丕 馗賱 丕賴鬲賲丕賲賰 賲賳氐乇賮丕 賵賲卮睾賵賱丕 廿賱賶 賲丕 賷乇睾亘賴 丕賱兀禺 丕賱兀賰亘乇 賮廿賳 賴匕丕 丕爻賵亍 賲賳 丕賳 賷乇丕賯亘賰... 毓賳丿賲丕 賷爻鬲睾乇賯賰 丕賱毓丕賱賲 鬲賲丕賲丕 賮賱丕 丕丨丿 爻賷賯賱賯 賲賲丕 賷毓鬲賲賱 賮賷 毓賯賱賰
賲毓 囟賲賵乇 丕賱禺賷丕賱 賱丿賷 丕賱噩賲賷毓 賮賱賳 賷賲孬賱 兀丨丿賳丕 鬲賴丿賷丿丕賸 賱賱毓丕賱賲
賮賷 賯氐丞 禺賷丕賱賷丞 賷賰鬲亘 鬲卮丕賰 亘賵賱丕賳賷賰 賯氐丞 毓賳 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賵丕賱賲賵鬲 賵毓亘孬賷丞 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賵賴賱 賷賵噩丿 賱賳丕 丕乇丕丿丞 丨乇丞 丕賲丕 兀丨丿 賷賯乇乇 賱賳丕... 賵胤亘毓丕 鬲賰賱賲 毓賳 丕賱丕毓賱丕賲 賵鬲兀孬賷乇賴 毓賱賷 丕賱卮乇丕亍 賵丕賱丕爻鬲賴賱丕賰 賮丿賴 亘賷鬲賰賱賲 毓賳賴 賲賳 丕賵賱 乇賵丕賷丞 賱賴
賴賱 賳賲賱賰 廿乇丕丿丞 丨乇丞 丕賲 丕賳 丕賱廿毓賱丕賲 賵孬賯丕賮鬲賳丕 賷鬲丨賰賲丕賳 賮賷賳丕貙 賮賷 乇睾亘鬲賳丕 賮賷 兀賮毓丕賱賳丕 賲賳匕 賱丨馗丞 丕賱賲賷賱丕丿
亘兀賲丕賳丞 賴賱 丕乇賷丿 丨賯丌 賲賳夭賱丕賸 賰亘賷乇丕賸 賵爻賷丕乇丞 爻乇賷毓丞 賵丕賱賮 丨爻賳丕亍責 賴賱 兀乇賷丿 賴匕賴 丕賱兀卮賷丕亍 丨賯丕.. 丕賲 兀賳賳賷 賮賯胤 賲丿乇亘 毓賱賷 丕賳 兀乇賷丿賴丕貙 賴賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱兀卮賷丕亍 锟斤拷賮囟賱 丨賯丕 賲賳 丕賱兀卮賷丕亍 丕賱鬲賷 丕賲賱賰賴丕 亘丕賱賮毓賱 丕賲 兀賳賳賷 賲丿乇亘 毓賱賷 丕賱卮毓賵乇 丕賱丿丕卅賲 亘毓丿賲 丕賱乇囟丕 毓賳 賲丕 賱丿賷
胤亘毓丕 賲丕 丕賳鬲賯丿賴 賮賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 亘毓囟 丕賱鬲胤丕賵賱 賮賷 丕賱丿賷賳 賵兀賷囟丕 亘毓囟 丕賱鬲胤賵賷賱 賱賵賱丕 賰丿丕 賰丕賳鬲 鬲爻鬲丨賯 丕賱禺賲爻 賳噩賵賲 賰丕賲賱丞
October 30, 2017
After reading Lullaby, I'm officially a member of the Cult.
Chuck, you are to me what Oprah Winfrey is to Josh Nichols.
Chuck, you are to me what Oprah Winfrey is to Josh Nichols.
December 19, 2017
I鈥檝e never read a Palahniuk books before but I actually really enjoyed this one. I can understand why some people find his writing annoying, but personally I like it鈥檚 wit, brutality and shockingness.
Palahniuk is always trying to make a point in his writing鈥� I know this from reading other people鈥檚 reviews鈥� but if it鈥檚 not right there in front of me, and instead hidden behind cryptic messages, I usually miss the whole point. Which is what I feel happened with this book. I mean I got it thanks to self explanatory lines like 鈥淧ower, money, food, sex, love. Can we ever get enough, or will getting some make us crave even more?鈥� but I also feel like a lot of it went over my head, so excuse my bland review!
This book is definitely difficult reading at some points, with it鈥檚 grotesque descriptions and imagery, but for the most part it鈥檚 quite a quick read. I found the story easy enough to follow, although at moments there are whole chapters that appear out of nowhere and make no sense until the end, which threw me off a little! I wasn鈥檛 expecting this novel to have a kind of twisty-turny outcome, but it does and I loved that about it! How the story joins up and concludes is very clever. It exceeded my expectations in that aspect.
I really enjoyed getting to know the characters in this story. There are 4 main characters, and it鈥檚 been a long time since I鈥檝e read a book where we get to know each one of them really well. Palahniuk has done well to make them all their own individual beings with completely different personalities that are both fun and annoying. Carl is our main, main character and he鈥檚 a strange individual to follow around. We learn so much about him, including a shocking secret that makes us look at him in a different light. Helen Hoover Boyle is a fun character to accompany Carl and it鈥檚 interesting to see how their relationship grows as each chapter passes.
Overall, I really liked this book. It鈥檚 been a while since I鈥檝e read a book that鈥檚 been both disturbing and funny at the same time. I have always been hesitant to read Palahniuk because everyone says his stuff is so like Marmite, but just like I am with the controversial spread, I鈥檓 on the love it side 鈥� at least for now!
Palahniuk is always trying to make a point in his writing鈥� I know this from reading other people鈥檚 reviews鈥� but if it鈥檚 not right there in front of me, and instead hidden behind cryptic messages, I usually miss the whole point. Which is what I feel happened with this book. I mean I got it thanks to self explanatory lines like 鈥淧ower, money, food, sex, love. Can we ever get enough, or will getting some make us crave even more?鈥� but I also feel like a lot of it went over my head, so excuse my bland review!
This book is definitely difficult reading at some points, with it鈥檚 grotesque descriptions and imagery, but for the most part it鈥檚 quite a quick read. I found the story easy enough to follow, although at moments there are whole chapters that appear out of nowhere and make no sense until the end, which threw me off a little! I wasn鈥檛 expecting this novel to have a kind of twisty-turny outcome, but it does and I loved that about it! How the story joins up and concludes is very clever. It exceeded my expectations in that aspect.
I really enjoyed getting to know the characters in this story. There are 4 main characters, and it鈥檚 been a long time since I鈥檝e read a book where we get to know each one of them really well. Palahniuk has done well to make them all their own individual beings with completely different personalities that are both fun and annoying. Carl is our main, main character and he鈥檚 a strange individual to follow around. We learn so much about him, including a shocking secret that makes us look at him in a different light. Helen Hoover Boyle is a fun character to accompany Carl and it鈥檚 interesting to see how their relationship grows as each chapter passes.
Overall, I really liked this book. It鈥檚 been a while since I鈥檝e read a book that鈥檚 been both disturbing and funny at the same time. I have always been hesitant to read Palahniuk because everyone says his stuff is so like Marmite, but just like I am with the controversial spread, I鈥檓 on the love it side 鈥� at least for now!
March 27, 2008
Palahniuk makes another social statement(criticism) with Lullaby, but this time with more humor than he's mustered in any of his other books. It definitely helps to be somewhat cynical about the modern world, if you want to enjoy this book (good rule of thumb w/ any C.P books). But even if you love life, there's much to appreciate in the this book, mainly the fact that it's hysterically funny and the events that occur that are really bizarre.
The story revolves around the main character who stumbles across a culling song (poem that is used to euthanize the suffering) and eventually reveals more magic spells that begin to be abused by people for their own benefit.
Pretty much everything that happens in this story is totally absurd, which is one of the things that's great about it. If you're someone who likes everything neatly wrapped up in a believable package, you won't like this book at all. But if you're willing to have a little fun and enjoy some really humorous moments then you'll appreciate Lullaby.
The story revolves around the main character who stumbles across a culling song (poem that is used to euthanize the suffering) and eventually reveals more magic spells that begin to be abused by people for their own benefit.
Pretty much everything that happens in this story is totally absurd, which is one of the things that's great about it. If you're someone who likes everything neatly wrapped up in a believable package, you won't like this book at all. But if you're willing to have a little fun and enjoy some really humorous moments then you'll appreciate Lullaby.
December 6, 2010
The only real knowledge I had about Chuck Palahnuik was though the film Fight Club. (Which a terrific flick and excellently directed and photographed. It鈥檚 gotta be in my top 25-50 of all time.) I had never read one of his books before. Until now. I checked Lullaby out of the library as I was browsing around looking for something new and interesting. The librarian who checked me out remarked that he is one of her favorite authors and she owns all of his books. So I was intrigued. And this book?
It鈥檚 good.
Imaginative, bold, and seething with scathing commentary on contemporary American society and its willingness to be governed by consumerist culture, and content in its indifference and ignorance, Lullaby is a richly padded and darkly nihilistic parable about morality and power, with a dash of hopelessness sprinkled in.
It may sound like a downer but Chuck Palahnuik鈥榮 charm lies in his use of language. He has a gifted hand, aided by a thoughtful mind. Reading it, each word seems deliberate. The book isn鈥檛 so much nuanced as it is direct. Carl Streator tells it like it is. How he sees it. How he feels about it. Unusual in its tone and unapologetic in its message, Lullaby is narrative that is strangely pleasurable despite the nightmare it weaves.
The novel is also peppered with repeated phrases, slightly altered each time it appears. They begin to take on a sort of sing-song quality in and of themselves. And how appropriate for a story named after a kind of song. 鈥淪ticks and stones may break your bones but words _____.鈥� 鈥� 鈥淭hese _____-oholics. These _____-ophobics.鈥� 鈥� 鈥淔or whatever reason, I thought of _____.鈥� Another repeated technique is that as Streator describes color鈥搘hat someone is wearing for instance鈥揾e assigns it the color of a fine dining dish. It鈥檚 really kind of cool.
Since the film Fight Club was about all I knew about Chuck Palahnuik, I must admit that the themes and overt messages of Lullaby are familiar. Like the narrator in Fight Club, Carl Streator rants on about people. Their irritating manners. Their rude behavior. Their sick minds. But it still feels fresh and relevant. You respect the viewpoint because you can understand it. Streator is a lonely man, a bitter man. He does little more than exist until his life is forever-changed by the power a single poem holds. This story is an adventure.
There鈥檚 a high body count. He can鈥檛 control himself. But he wants to. All he has to do is think the poem the person that has inflamed his annoyance drops dead. He practices counting exercises to direct his death wishes away from unknowing victims. 鈥淐ounting 345, counting 346, counting 347鈥︹€� Hmm, yet another repeated phrase.
The book is a lot of things. Thrilling. Depressing. Satisfying. All at once, and not necessarily in that order. The ending leaves you contemplating the new world order that now exists in the Lullaby world and I found myself thinking, now that would be an interesting television show! This story is filled with a variety of vividly imagined characters, each with their own views on modern life and morality. And they are all chasing the power of magic, hoping to wield it for their own uses.
This was a fascinating read. Even a fun one. The words themselves are lyrical and flitter off of the page in a wonderful melody.
Sticks and stones may break your bones but these words are quite astounding.
It鈥檚 good.
Imaginative, bold, and seething with scathing commentary on contemporary American society and its willingness to be governed by consumerist culture, and content in its indifference and ignorance, Lullaby is a richly padded and darkly nihilistic parable about morality and power, with a dash of hopelessness sprinkled in.
It may sound like a downer but Chuck Palahnuik鈥榮 charm lies in his use of language. He has a gifted hand, aided by a thoughtful mind. Reading it, each word seems deliberate. The book isn鈥檛 so much nuanced as it is direct. Carl Streator tells it like it is. How he sees it. How he feels about it. Unusual in its tone and unapologetic in its message, Lullaby is narrative that is strangely pleasurable despite the nightmare it weaves.
The novel is also peppered with repeated phrases, slightly altered each time it appears. They begin to take on a sort of sing-song quality in and of themselves. And how appropriate for a story named after a kind of song. 鈥淪ticks and stones may break your bones but words _____.鈥� 鈥� 鈥淭hese _____-oholics. These _____-ophobics.鈥� 鈥� 鈥淔or whatever reason, I thought of _____.鈥� Another repeated technique is that as Streator describes color鈥搘hat someone is wearing for instance鈥揾e assigns it the color of a fine dining dish. It鈥檚 really kind of cool.
Since the film Fight Club was about all I knew about Chuck Palahnuik, I must admit that the themes and overt messages of Lullaby are familiar. Like the narrator in Fight Club, Carl Streator rants on about people. Their irritating manners. Their rude behavior. Their sick minds. But it still feels fresh and relevant. You respect the viewpoint because you can understand it. Streator is a lonely man, a bitter man. He does little more than exist until his life is forever-changed by the power a single poem holds. This story is an adventure.
There鈥檚 a high body count. He can鈥檛 control himself. But he wants to. All he has to do is think the poem the person that has inflamed his annoyance drops dead. He practices counting exercises to direct his death wishes away from unknowing victims. 鈥淐ounting 345, counting 346, counting 347鈥︹€� Hmm, yet another repeated phrase.
The book is a lot of things. Thrilling. Depressing. Satisfying. All at once, and not necessarily in that order. The ending leaves you contemplating the new world order that now exists in the Lullaby world and I found myself thinking, now that would be an interesting television show! This story is filled with a variety of vividly imagined characters, each with their own views on modern life and morality. And they are all chasing the power of magic, hoping to wield it for their own uses.
This was a fascinating read. Even a fun one. The words themselves are lyrical and flitter off of the page in a wonderful melody.
Sticks and stones may break your bones but these words are quite astounding.
June 23, 2022
蹖讴 卮毓乇. 蹖讴 賱丕賱丕蹖蹖...蹖賴 賳睾賲賴...賳睾賲賴 丿乇賵诏乇...
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讴鬲丕亘 毓噩蹖亘 賵 睾乇蹖亘蹖 亘賵丿. 丕賵賱蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘賴 讴賴 丕夭 趩丕讴 倬丕賱丕賳蹖讴 禺賵賳丿賲. 丕夭 丕賵賳 讴鬲丕亘丕蹖蹖 讴賴 賴蹖 賮讴乇 賲蹖讴賳蹖 亘丕 禺賵丿鬲 趩乇丕 丕蹖賳 丕氐賱丕 爻乇 賵 鬲賴 賳丿丕乇賴...賴蹖 亘賴 禺賵丿鬲 賲蹖诏蹖 毓噩亘 讴鬲丕亘 賲夭禺乇賮蹖賴! 趩賴 丕鬲賱丕賮 賵賯鬲 诏賳丿賴 丕蹖...賵 丿乇爻鬲 丿賵 氐賮丨賴 亘毓丿 讴乇讴 賵 倬乇鬲 賲蹖乇蹖夭賴 讴賴 賵丕賵! 毓噩亘 卮丕賴讴丕乇蹖! 讴賱 讴鬲丕亘 亘乇丕賲 倬乇 丕夭 丕丨爻丕爻丕鬲 囟丿 賵 賳賯蹖囟 诏匕卮鬲...賵賱蹖 丿乇 讴賱 賱匕鬲 亘乇丿賲 丕夭 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賵丨卮鬲賳丕讴卮 賵 噩夭卅蹖丕鬲 爻乇爻丕賲 丌賵乇卮 賵 賲賵囟賵毓賽 亘賴 卮讴賱 鬲乇爻賳丕讴蹖 噩匕丕亘卮...賵 倬丕蹖丕賳 亘賳丿蹖 賲賳丕爻亘卮...鬲乇噩賲賴 禺賵亘卮 賴賲 賲夭蹖丿 亘乇 毓賱鬲...丕夭 丕賵賳 讴鬲丕亘丕蹖蹖賴 讴賴 鬲丕 賲丿鬲賴丕 鬲賵蹖 匕賴賳 亘丕賯蹖 賲蹖 賲賵賳賴 賵 丕孬乇 賲爻賲賵賲卮 亘賴 丕蹖賳 夭賵丿蹖丕 丕夭 亘蹖賳 賳賲蹖乇賴...賵丕賯毓丕 賳賲蹖丿賵賳賲 趩胤賵乇蹖 丨爻 賵 丨丕賱賲賵 丕夭 禺賵賳丿賳 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 亘诏賲...賮賯胤 賲蹖卮賴 诏賮鬲 :毓噩亘 讴鬲丕亘蹖 亘賵丿!
赖賲蹖賳.
倬 賳: 賲賳賵 亘爻蹖 蹖丕丿 丕賳蹖賲賴 丿賮鬲乇趩賴 賲乇诏 賲蹖賳丿丕禺鬲 :)
丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賲乇丿蹖 讴賴 卮亘蹖 亘乇丕蹖 賴賲爻乇 賵 丿禺鬲乇 蹖讴 爻丕賱賴 卮 卮毓乇蹖 乇賵 賲蹖禺賵賳賴. 蹖賴 賱丕賱丕蹖蹖 丕夭 蹖賴 讴鬲丕亘...賵 氐亘丨 賵賯鬲蹖 丕夭 禺賵丕亘 亘蹖丿丕乇 賲蹖卮賴 夭賳 賵 亘趩賴 卮 乇賵 賲乇丿賴 倬蹖丿丕 賲蹖讴賳賴...鬲氐賵乇卮賵 亘讴賳蹖賳 讴賴 亘賮賴賲蹖賳 蹖賴 卮毓乇蹖 乇賵 丕鬲賮丕賯蹖 丨賮馗 讴乇丿蹖賳 讴賴 丿乇賵丕賯毓 蹖賴 賳賮乇蹖賳 亘賵丿賴 鬲賵蹖 賯亘丕蹖賱 丌賮乇蹖賯丕蹖蹖. 亘乇丕蹖 賵賯鬲賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 噩賲毓蹖鬲 亘蹖卮鬲乇 丕夭 睾匕丕 賲蹖卮丿...讴賴 賲丕丿乇賴丕 亘乇丕蹖 亘趩賴 賴丕卮賵賳 賲蹖禺賵賳丿賳 鬲丕 丕夭 夭賳丿诏蹖 賵 丿乇丿爻乇賴丕卮 乇丕丨鬲 亘卮賳...蹖丕 亘乇丕蹖 丕賮乇丕丿 倬蹖乇 賯亘蹖賱賴 賵 賲乇蹖囟 賴丕 亘乇丕蹖 禺賱丕氐蹖 丕夭 丿乇丿 夭賳丿诏蹖...鬲氐賵乇 讴賳蹖賳 蹖賴 賯丿乇鬲 丕蹖賳趩賳蹖賳蹖 丿丕卮鬲蹖賳! 丕蹖賳讴賴 亘鬲賵賳蹖賳 鬲賵蹖 匕賴賳鬲賵賳 賮賯胤 亘丕 賲乇賵乇 蹖賴 賯胤毓賴 卮毓乇貙 賴乇 讴爻蹖 讴賴 丕夭卮 禺賵卮鬲賵賳 賳賲蹖丕丿 乇賵 丕夭 亘蹖賳 亘亘乇蹖賳. 賴乇讴爻蹖...蹖讴蹖 讴賴 丕夭 乇蹖禺鬲卮 禺賵卮鬲賵賳 賳賲蹖丕丿...蹖讴蹖 讴賴 鬲賵蹖 乇丕賴 亘賴鬲賵賳 鬲賳賴 夭丿賴...賴賲爻丕蹖賴 胤亘賯賴 亘丕賱丕蹖蹖 亘丕 氐丿丕蹖 禺蹖賱蹖 亘賱賳丿 鬲賱賵蹖夭蹖賵賳卮...蹖丕 蹖讴蹖 讴賴 鬲賵蹖 诏乇賲丕蹖 禺賮賴 讴賳賳丿賴 賲蹖禺賵丕爻鬲 禺賵丿卮賵 亘賴 夭賵乇 鬲賵蹖 丌爻丕賳爻賵乇 讴丕賲賱丕 倬乇 亘趩倬賵賳賴...賮賯胤 亘丕 蹖賴 賲乇賵乇 卮毓乇貙 蹖賴 賱丕賱丕蹖蹖貙 丿蹖诏賴 賵噩賵丿 賳丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮賴. 禺蹖賱蹖 爻丕丿賴: 亘賲蹖乇賴...
讴鬲丕亘 毓噩蹖亘 賵 睾乇蹖亘蹖 亘賵丿. 丕賵賱蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘賴 讴賴 丕夭 趩丕讴 倬丕賱丕賳蹖讴 禺賵賳丿賲. 丕夭 丕賵賳 讴鬲丕亘丕蹖蹖 讴賴 賴蹖 賮讴乇 賲蹖讴賳蹖 亘丕 禺賵丿鬲 趩乇丕 丕蹖賳 丕氐賱丕 爻乇 賵 鬲賴 賳丿丕乇賴...賴蹖 亘賴 禺賵丿鬲 賲蹖诏蹖 毓噩亘 讴鬲丕亘 賲夭禺乇賮蹖賴! 趩賴 丕鬲賱丕賮 賵賯鬲 诏賳丿賴 丕蹖...賵 丿乇爻鬲 丿賵 氐賮丨賴 亘毓丿 讴乇讴 賵 倬乇鬲 賲蹖乇蹖夭賴 讴賴 賵丕賵! 毓噩亘 卮丕賴讴丕乇蹖! 讴賱 讴鬲丕亘 亘乇丕賲 倬乇 丕夭 丕丨爻丕爻丕鬲 囟丿 賵 賳賯蹖囟 诏匕卮鬲...賵賱蹖 丿乇 讴賱 賱匕鬲 亘乇丿賲 丕夭 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賵丨卮鬲賳丕讴卮 賵 噩夭卅蹖丕鬲 爻乇爻丕賲 丌賵乇卮 賵 賲賵囟賵毓賽 亘賴 卮讴賱 鬲乇爻賳丕讴蹖 噩匕丕亘卮...賵 倬丕蹖丕賳 亘賳丿蹖 賲賳丕爻亘卮...鬲乇噩賲賴 禺賵亘卮 賴賲 賲夭蹖丿 亘乇 毓賱鬲...丕夭 丕賵賳 讴鬲丕亘丕蹖蹖賴 讴賴 鬲丕 賲丿鬲賴丕 鬲賵蹖 匕賴賳 亘丕賯蹖 賲蹖 賲賵賳賴 賵 丕孬乇 賲爻賲賵賲卮 亘賴 丕蹖賳 夭賵丿蹖丕 丕夭 亘蹖賳 賳賲蹖乇賴...賵丕賯毓丕 賳賲蹖丿賵賳賲 趩胤賵乇蹖 丨爻 賵 丨丕賱賲賵 丕夭 禺賵賳丿賳 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 亘诏賲...賮賯胤 賲蹖卮賴 诏賮鬲 :毓噩亘 讴鬲丕亘蹖 亘賵丿!
赖賲蹖賳.
倬 賳: 賲賳賵 亘爻蹖 蹖丕丿 丕賳蹖賲賴 丿賮鬲乇趩賴 賲乇诏 賲蹖賳丿丕禺鬲 :)
December 4, 2008
Palahniuk, the Portlander (Oregon, not Maine) who wrote the cult classic Fight Club, has four other novels. One of them is Lullaby, which might or might not be just as off-the-wall as its more popular brother.
The book opens with a scene from a real estate office. Helen Hoover Boyle and her assistant Mona listen to a police scanner for deaths (and potential sales) and field calls from frightened new homeowners who have bought what Helen calls "distressed" (haunted) houses. Helen sells the same homes over and over, creating a niche market with a steady income.
Chapter two is from the perspective of an unknown character, whose identity isn't revealed until much later in the book. This narrator is hunting miracles: the Flying Virgin, who appeared in New Mexico and wrote "STOP HAVING BABYS" in the sky with a can of Bug-Off brand insect fogger; the Roadkill Jesus Christ/I-84 Messiah, who restores dead animals to their pre-accident conditions; the Judas Cow, at the Stone River Meatpacking plant in Nebraska, who refused to lead a herd of cows into the slaughterhouse, and instead took a seat and spoke at length about giving up meat, taught its audience a Hindi song, and answered questions about the nature of life and death.
The third chapter brings us to Carl Streator, a journalist trained to note details. Assigned to do a series of stories on crib death for the Lifestyles section of his newspaper, he visits the parents and homes of recently deceased babies. On his first visit, he notes, among other things, an open library book on a wicker chest in the nursery. This book, Poems and Rhymes from Around the World, is open to page 27. Carl diligently writes down the eight-line traditional African poem - a culling song, a lullaby, the book says - in his notes. This poem shows up at each of the homes he visits; he's found a pattern.
In his editor's office, he reads the poem aloud. The next day, the editor doesn't show up for work.
Carl has a problem with anger management and soon discovers bodies piling up around him. Mona, the realtor's assistant, is a Wiccan who recognizes Carl's power and the story just gets stranger from there. Carl, Helen, Mona, and Mona's boyfriend Oyster set out on a road trip to track down and destroy every copy of the poem.
Palahnuik's writing style is sometimes choppy and repetitive, which took a little to get used to. This story, which might be considered a magical realism murder mystery, is brilliantly conceived. The plot doesn't just twist, it writhes. For a little while, I had no idea what was going on. I became mildly frustrated. But I was already hooked, so I pressed on and finally things started coming together. The trip was worth it. And I think Palahniuk effectively taps into that irritated, misanthropic side of humanity that would never publicly admit that, "Yeah, once in awhile, I wouldn't mind having a culling song handy..."
The book opens with a scene from a real estate office. Helen Hoover Boyle and her assistant Mona listen to a police scanner for deaths (and potential sales) and field calls from frightened new homeowners who have bought what Helen calls "distressed" (haunted) houses. Helen sells the same homes over and over, creating a niche market with a steady income.
Chapter two is from the perspective of an unknown character, whose identity isn't revealed until much later in the book. This narrator is hunting miracles: the Flying Virgin, who appeared in New Mexico and wrote "STOP HAVING BABYS" in the sky with a can of Bug-Off brand insect fogger; the Roadkill Jesus Christ/I-84 Messiah, who restores dead animals to their pre-accident conditions; the Judas Cow, at the Stone River Meatpacking plant in Nebraska, who refused to lead a herd of cows into the slaughterhouse, and instead took a seat and spoke at length about giving up meat, taught its audience a Hindi song, and answered questions about the nature of life and death.
The third chapter brings us to Carl Streator, a journalist trained to note details. Assigned to do a series of stories on crib death for the Lifestyles section of his newspaper, he visits the parents and homes of recently deceased babies. On his first visit, he notes, among other things, an open library book on a wicker chest in the nursery. This book, Poems and Rhymes from Around the World, is open to page 27. Carl diligently writes down the eight-line traditional African poem - a culling song, a lullaby, the book says - in his notes. This poem shows up at each of the homes he visits; he's found a pattern.
In his editor's office, he reads the poem aloud. The next day, the editor doesn't show up for work.
Carl has a problem with anger management and soon discovers bodies piling up around him. Mona, the realtor's assistant, is a Wiccan who recognizes Carl's power and the story just gets stranger from there. Carl, Helen, Mona, and Mona's boyfriend Oyster set out on a road trip to track down and destroy every copy of the poem.
Palahnuik's writing style is sometimes choppy and repetitive, which took a little to get used to. This story, which might be considered a magical realism murder mystery, is brilliantly conceived. The plot doesn't just twist, it writhes. For a little while, I had no idea what was going on. I became mildly frustrated. But I was already hooked, so I pressed on and finally things started coming together. The trip was worth it. And I think Palahniuk effectively taps into that irritated, misanthropic side of humanity that would never publicly admit that, "Yeah, once in awhile, I wouldn't mind having a culling song handy..."
February 1, 2025
禺丿丕 乇賵 卮讴乇 丕爻賲卮 乇賵卮賴 賵诏乇賳賴 賵丕賯毓丕 賳丕乇丕丨鬲 賲蹖鈥屫簇� 讴賴 賴乇乇乇乇 卮亘 爻乇 倬賳噩 丿賯蹖賯賴 禺賵丕亘賲 賲蹖亘乇丿. 蹖賴 賲賴賲賵賳蹖 乇賵 蹖賴 賴賮鬲锟斤拷鈥屰� 鬲賲丕賲 賴乇 卮亘 亘乇诏卮鬲賲 丕夭 丕賵賱卮 亘亘蹖賳賲 趩蹖 丿丕乇賳 賲蹖鈥屭� 賵 丿毓賵丕 爻乇 趩蹖賴 亘丕夭 爻乇 蹖賴 噩丕蹖 賵丕丨丿 禺賵丕亘賲 賲蹖鈥屫ㄘ必�. 诏賲賵賳賲 噩丕丿賵蹖 讴鬲丕亘卮 賵丕賯毓蹖賴. :))
禺賵亘 亘賵丿 賱讴賳 亘賴 趩賴丕乇 爻鬲丕乇賴 賳乇爻蹖丿.
禺賵亘 亘賵丿 賱讴賳 亘賴 趩賴丕乇 爻鬲丕乇賴 賳乇爻蹖丿.
November 25, 2016
Palahniuk's a total trip, man.
The premise of this book caught my attention: People are being killed using an ancient 'culling song', a tribal spell sang to the old or infirmed to put them to sleep... permanently. Neat idea! I was hooked.
Other than that, I didn't know what to expect. What I got was a rollercoaster of a book that was one of the most inventive and original novels I'd read in a while. The culling song is just one aspect in this twister of a tale. Throw in a cast of questionable/oddball characters, some chilling backstories, witchcraft and what appears to be an approaching end of days, and you've got something you probably haven't seen before.
Like most of Palahniuk's work, Lullaby is violent, gross, frightening, but also surprisingly heartfelt and funny too. We follow the first person perspective of a journalist named Carl Streator as he investigates accidental deaths (or are they?) caused by the culling song, an investigation that eventually leads him on a road trip from hell (kinda). From there the whole thing only gets stranger/cooler. I don't really want to give much away because I went into this book blind and found not knowing anything made it that more enjoyable.
I can see this book not being everyone's cup of tea. There were a few times when the author's writing style got on my nerves, particularly with repetition. What thrilled me more than anything though was the originality of it. Personally, I have grown incredibly tired of the same old stories being rehashed by countless writers out there. It's like an echo chamber of mediocrity. For better or worse, Palahnuik is doing his own thing and coming up with tales that are as fresh as they are inventive. For me, I can't get enough of it.
The premise of this book caught my attention: People are being killed using an ancient 'culling song', a tribal spell sang to the old or infirmed to put them to sleep... permanently. Neat idea! I was hooked.
Other than that, I didn't know what to expect. What I got was a rollercoaster of a book that was one of the most inventive and original novels I'd read in a while. The culling song is just one aspect in this twister of a tale. Throw in a cast of questionable/oddball characters, some chilling backstories, witchcraft and what appears to be an approaching end of days, and you've got something you probably haven't seen before.
Like most of Palahniuk's work, Lullaby is violent, gross, frightening, but also surprisingly heartfelt and funny too. We follow the first person perspective of a journalist named Carl Streator as he investigates accidental deaths (or are they?) caused by the culling song, an investigation that eventually leads him on a road trip from hell (kinda). From there the whole thing only gets stranger/cooler. I don't really want to give much away because I went into this book blind and found not knowing anything made it that more enjoyable.
I can see this book not being everyone's cup of tea. There were a few times when the author's writing style got on my nerves, particularly with repetition. What thrilled me more than anything though was the originality of it. Personally, I have grown incredibly tired of the same old stories being rehashed by countless writers out there. It's like an echo chamber of mediocrity. For better or worse, Palahnuik is doing his own thing and coming up with tales that are as fresh as they are inventive. For me, I can't get enough of it.
November 17, 2015
乇亘賲丕 賰丕賳鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 兀卮丿 賲丕 賯乇兀鬲 賲賳 賳賯丿 賱賱賲噩鬲賲毓 丕賱丕賲乇賷賰賷貙 鬲卮丕賰 亘賵賱丕賳賷賰 賷賮鬲丨 丕賱賳丕乇 毓賱賶 丕賱噩賲賷毓貙 丕賱賴賷亘賷賷賳 賵乇噩丕賱 丕賱兀毓賲丕賱 賵丕賱賲爻鬲賵胤賳賷賳 丕賱賯丿丕賲賶 賵丕賱賲丨丕賮馗賷賳 毓賱賶 丕賱亘賷卅丞 賵丕賱賲毓鬲乇囟賷賳 毓賱賶 丕賱賲丨丕賮馗賷賳 毓賱賶 丕賱亘賷卅丞貙 賰賱賴賲 賰賱賴賲.
賰鬲丕亘 鬲毓丕賵賷匕 睾乇賷亘貙 賵鬲毓賵賷匕丞 爻丨乇賷丞 鬲丨賯賯 兀賲賳賷丕鬲 丕賱兀噩夭丕亍 丨丕賱賰丞 丕賱爻賵丕丿 賲賳 賳賮賵爻 丕賱兀亘胤丕賱貙 鬲丨賵賱賴賲 丕賱鬲毓賵賷匕丞 廿賱賶 兀賳氐丕賮 丌賱賴丞貙 賵賱丕 鬲賳鬲賴賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賰乇賵丕賷鬲賷 亘賵賱丕賳賷賰 賳丕丿賷 丕賱賯鬲丕賱 賵丕賱賳丕噩賷 丕賱兀禺賷乇貙 亘賱 賴匕賴 丕賱賲乇丞 鬲兀鬲賷 兀睾賳賷丞 丕賱賲賴丿 亘賳賴丕賷丞 賳氐賮 賲賮鬲賵丨丞貙 鬲鬲賷丨 賱賳丕 - 賵賱賱賰丕鬲亘 - 兀賳 賳爻乇丨 噩賲賷毓賸丕 亘禺賷丕賱賳丕 賮賷 丨賵丕丿孬 賵卮禺氐賷丕鬲 兀禺乇賶 賱賴丕 毓賱丕賯丞 亘丕賱乇賵丕賷丞.
亘睾賱丕賮 賱丕 賷賲鬲 亘氐賱丞 賱賱乇賵丕賷丞貙 賵鬲乇噩賲丞 賲賲鬲丕夭丞 賲賳 賴卮丕賲 賮賴賲賷貙 賴匕賴 兀噩賲賱 乇賵丕賷丕鬲 亘賵賱丕賳賷賰 亘丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 丨鬲賶 丕賱丌賳貙
賰鬲丕亘 鬲毓丕賵賷匕 睾乇賷亘貙 賵鬲毓賵賷匕丞 爻丨乇賷丞 鬲丨賯賯 兀賲賳賷丕鬲 丕賱兀噩夭丕亍 丨丕賱賰丞 丕賱爻賵丕丿 賲賳 賳賮賵爻 丕賱兀亘胤丕賱貙 鬲丨賵賱賴賲 丕賱鬲毓賵賷匕丞 廿賱賶 兀賳氐丕賮 丌賱賴丞貙 賵賱丕 鬲賳鬲賴賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賰乇賵丕賷鬲賷 亘賵賱丕賳賷賰 賳丕丿賷 丕賱賯鬲丕賱 賵丕賱賳丕噩賷 丕賱兀禺賷乇貙 亘賱 賴匕賴 丕賱賲乇丞 鬲兀鬲賷 兀睾賳賷丞 丕賱賲賴丿 亘賳賴丕賷丞 賳氐賮 賲賮鬲賵丨丞貙 鬲鬲賷丨 賱賳丕 - 賵賱賱賰丕鬲亘 - 兀賳 賳爻乇丨 噩賲賷毓賸丕 亘禺賷丕賱賳丕 賮賷 丨賵丕丿孬 賵卮禺氐賷丕鬲 兀禺乇賶 賱賴丕 毓賱丕賯丞 亘丕賱乇賵丕賷丞.
亘睾賱丕賮 賱丕 賷賲鬲 亘氐賱丞 賱賱乇賵丕賷丞貙 賵鬲乇噩賲丞 賲賲鬲丕夭丞 賲賳 賴卮丕賲 賮賴賲賷貙 賴匕賴 兀噩賲賱 乇賵丕賷丕鬲 亘賵賱丕賳賷賰 亘丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 丨鬲賶 丕賱丌賳貙
September 18, 2008
The only novel by the acclaimed author of Fight Club that I've read, this book is more or less an essay concerning the contaminating effects caused by the constant "noise" to which Americans have grown accustomed in their lives. Be it mass media, advertisements everywhere one turns, or talking heads always telling one what to do and when to do it, this noise is everywhere, and utterly inescapable, the author argues. While I generally agree with the author's displeasure over constant sensory overload, the overt bombardment of social commentary in this book is so over-the-top and unending that it is akin to the "noise" which the author proclaims to so disdain.
The author's caterwauling is intermittently suspended to give beatification to the libertine nature of the characters' sexuality. In addition, the novel鈥檚 main plot device is an epidemic of SIDS sweeping the nation, a distasteful and gratuitous illustration into the morbidly macabre mind of the author.
In summary, the author's egotistical perception of himself as a social doyen (which I've been told is a given in any Palahniuk novel) merely turns me off from his argument, causing a desire in me to stand up and scream, "ENOUGH!" Yes, silence is one of the rarest and most valuable gifts of nature. And although people are, indeed, regularly exposed to an unavoidable amount of noise throughout their day, it is ultimately up to each person whether or not he decides to get up and turn off the TV.
The author's caterwauling is intermittently suspended to give beatification to the libertine nature of the characters' sexuality. In addition, the novel鈥檚 main plot device is an epidemic of SIDS sweeping the nation, a distasteful and gratuitous illustration into the morbidly macabre mind of the author.
In summary, the author's egotistical perception of himself as a social doyen (which I've been told is a given in any Palahniuk novel) merely turns me off from his argument, causing a desire in me to stand up and scream, "ENOUGH!" Yes, silence is one of the rarest and most valuable gifts of nature. And although people are, indeed, regularly exposed to an unavoidable amount of noise throughout their day, it is ultimately up to each person whether or not he decides to get up and turn off the TV.
September 3, 2016
It's been a few years since I read this book but I just happened to see it in my recommendations and wanted to nip this in the bud before GoodReads decided to do me anymore favors.
I remember reading this with expectations built on everyone telling me how great and awesome it was. Even though I wasn't into spreading my literary wings at the time, I gave it a go because who doesn't trust their friends? Liars, all of them.
Lullaby is like some pretentious, avant-garde art piece that is supposed to say " hey guys, society is really messed up" but instead it makes you wonder how you could swindle people into thinking you have talent too. Chuck is a wish-I-was Burroughs and an even more overrated Vonnegut.
The best part of this book was the summary that made me eager to read it, however, the story hidden in the pages was boring enough to send a coma into a coma. So over-the-top and ridiculous with such a thin plot; I have no idea what possessed me to finish it, but I did and I put it in a donation box and sent that sucker to Goodwill for some other poor fool with liars for friends to pick up.
I remember reading this with expectations built on everyone telling me how great and awesome it was. Even though I wasn't into spreading my literary wings at the time, I gave it a go because who doesn't trust their friends? Liars, all of them.
Lullaby is like some pretentious, avant-garde art piece that is supposed to say " hey guys, society is really messed up" but instead it makes you wonder how you could swindle people into thinking you have talent too. Chuck is a wish-I-was Burroughs and an even more overrated Vonnegut.
The best part of this book was the summary that made me eager to read it, however, the story hidden in the pages was boring enough to send a coma into a coma. So over-the-top and ridiculous with such a thin plot; I have no idea what possessed me to finish it, but I did and I put it in a donation box and sent that sucker to Goodwill for some other poor fool with liars for friends to pick up.
April 10, 2016
Lullaby was my first book to read by Chuck Palahniuk. I was so very impressed with his writing style and his well-crafted story.
Assigned to investigate Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, a reporter uncovers an ancient culling spell. When he learns the power of the spell, and the damage it can do, he sets out with some other very interesting characters, to remove this poem/spell from every library and bookstore in the country.
In my opinion, the power of Palahniuk's style is in his use of repeated phrases. This book was about the power of words and the power of humans to change the world (good and bad). With words as a central theme in the book, Palahniuk constructs many rhymes and phrases that are mentioned often through the book:
"Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words will kill you...",
"These noisaholics, these quietophobics..."
They are very well-placed, and really add to the overall meaning of the story. The writing was very raw, enough to make me cringe at times, but I still enjoyed the overall story.
Assigned to investigate Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, a reporter uncovers an ancient culling spell. When he learns the power of the spell, and the damage it can do, he sets out with some other very interesting characters, to remove this poem/spell from every library and bookstore in the country.
In my opinion, the power of Palahniuk's style is in his use of repeated phrases. This book was about the power of words and the power of humans to change the world (good and bad). With words as a central theme in the book, Palahniuk constructs many rhymes and phrases that are mentioned often through the book:
"Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words will kill you...",
"These noisaholics, these quietophobics..."
They are very well-placed, and really add to the overall meaning of the story. The writing was very raw, enough to make me cringe at times, but I still enjoyed the overall story.
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