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Godspeed
Longlisted for the Reading the West Book Award
ÌýIn this riveting new novel by the bestselling and award-winning author of Shotgun Lovesongs, three troubled construction workers get entangled in a dangerous plan against an impossible deadline.Why is it being built here, and why so quickly? These are the questions Cole, Bart, and Teddy, the three principals of True Triangle Construction, ask themselves when they are hired to finish a project for a mysteriously wealthy homeowner. Nestled in the mountains outside of Jackson, Wyoming, the house is a masterpiece, unlike anything they've done before. Once finished, it promises to be the architectural prize of Jackson and could put True Triangle on the map. But despite the project's lure, the owner is intent on having it built in a matter of months, an impossible task made irresistible by the exorbitant bonus that awaits them if they succeed. A bonus that could change the course of their business, and their lives. Up against the fateful deadline, and the looming threat of a harsh Wyoming winter, Cole, Bart, and Teddy are willing to do anything to get the money, even if it means risking life, limb, and family. And what becomes an obsession for all three quickly builds to tragic consequences for some. Struck through with heart-pounding danger and an arresting lyricism, Godspeed is a stark exploration of the haves and the have-nots, a cautionary tale of greed and violence that How much is never enough?
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 27, 2021
115 people are currently reading
5,277 people want to read
About the author
Nickolas Butler
21Ìýbooks1,137ÌýfollowersNickolas Butler is the author of the novel "Shotgun Lovesongs" and a collection of short stories entitled, "Beneath the Bonfire".
Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania and raised in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, he was educated at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Iowa Writer's Workshop. His work has appeared in: Ploughshares, The Christian Science Monitor, The Kenyon Review Online, Narrative, The Progressive, and many other publications.
Along the way he has worked as: a meatpacker, a Burger King maintenance man, a liquor store clerk, a coffee roaster, an office manager, an author escort, an inn-keeper (twice), and several other odd vocations.
He presently lives on 16 acres of land in rural Wisconsin adjacent to a buffalo farm. He is married with two children.
Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania and raised in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, he was educated at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Iowa Writer's Workshop. His work has appeared in: Ploughshares, The Christian Science Monitor, The Kenyon Review Online, Narrative, The Progressive, and many other publications.
Along the way he has worked as: a meatpacker, a Burger King maintenance man, a liquor store clerk, a coffee roaster, an office manager, an author escort, an inn-keeper (twice), and several other odd vocations.
He presently lives on 16 acres of land in rural Wisconsin adjacent to a buffalo farm. He is married with two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 355 reviews
December 2, 2020
By far the best book I'll publish in 2021.
September 28, 2024
BUONA FORTUNA
Fallingwater o casa Kaufman in Pennsylvania, progettata dall'architetto Frank Lloyd Wright.
La provincia, una piccola comunità dove ci si conosce quasi tutti � se non altro, è lo sceriffo del borgo che conosce quasi tutti � una cittadina che vive sempre più di turismo, di gente che viene a sciare, di gente che porta e spende denaro. Siamo nel Wyoming, a Jackson: la natura è forte, possente, poderosa, maestosa. E come sempre, può essere brutale.
Tre amici � amici da una vita, vengono tutti e tre dall’Utah � sono in società insieme, una ditta di costruzione che hanno chiamato il Triangolo Perfetto, un concetto che esprime a fondo il loro legame, uno per tutti e tutti per uno. Ma poi, non dimentichiamoci che siamo in America, la terra dei sogni sì, ma soprattutto la terra dell’individualismo.
Schindler House a West Hollywood, in California, progettata dall'architetto Rudolph M. Schindler.
Un bel giorno � o forse un brutto giorno � si presenta il colpo di fortuna insperato. Quello che si insegue per una vita. Quello che fa fare il salto.
E si presenta in veste di una donna, bella ed elegante, quarantenne, o forse cinquantenne, magari anche 55 ma portati benissimo, ricca e determinata: chiede ai tres amigos di costruirle la casa dei suoi sogni, ci sono planimetrie e progetti, permessi e fondamenta. Manca tutto il resto. È disposta a coprirli d’oro � o meglio, di banconote � per terminare i lavori entro la mattina di natale, quattro mesi e poco più di lavoro “matto e disperatissimo�. Un’impresa titanica, una lotta serrata contro il tempo. Ma se vogliono i soldi � che sono tanti � e se vogliono fare il salto, devo raccogliere la sfida e vincerla.
Taliesin nel Wisconsin, progettata dall'architetto Frank Lloyd Wright.
Impariamo a conoscere i tre amigos, le loro particolarità e differenze � quello con la famiglia, moglie e quattro figlie, la religione mormone � l’altro single e oscillante sul burrone delle dipendenze � il terzo che sembra il leader e fatica a trasformare il matrimonio in divorzio. La grande occasione sbatte in faccia a ciascuno debolezze e fantasmi.
Scopriamo perché la signora di San Francisco, single, solitaria, ricca sfondata, super professionista, ha imposto una scadenza così ravvicinata.
Vediamo crescere la costruzione, con i suoi tre piani, la grande scala centrale, le immense finestre col vetro più trasparente, dettagli e finiture perfette, il fiume che scorre lì sotto, la sorgente di acqua calda, una jacuzzi naturale, sovrastata da una colonna di vapore, l’imponenza delle montagne alle spalle della casa/villa (non isolata, di più, quasi irraggiungibile, almeno d’inverno). E lassù, su quel pianoro, qualcosa che scintilla: anche questo scopriremo cos’�.
La casa di cui si parla è più o meno in un posto così e progettata come una di quelle qui sopra.
È vero: man mano il romanzo si colora di tinte thriller, e a un certo punto ho perfino temuto si trasformasse in un crime, che non era quello che cercavo e volevo. È vero: ci sono cadute momentanee � a cominciare secondo me dalle descrizioni di un paio di scene di sesso che non hanno il dono di alzare il racconto.
Ma è difficile mettere giù il libro � io l’ho letto in meno di due giorni � e il finale m’� parso giusto, equilibrato, calibrato.
Foto di Terri Loewenthal, come quella sulla copertina.
Nella sostanza, alla resa dei conti, questo romanzo basato su una storia vera, è un apologo: il famigerato sogno americano - che da Gatsby in poi abbiamo imparato a dubitare � è quello di salire sempre più su, se sei in alto puoi andare ancora più su. E l’altezza si misura col denaro. E quindi, insegui la tua fortuna economica, a tutti i costi, senza mezze misura.
Questa gara al successo impone scelte brutali, in queste pagine anche violente, è una forma di lotta per la sopravvivenza la cui molla è l’ingordigia: come sappiamo bene, l�1% della popolazione mondiale possiede il 90% della ricchezza mondiale.
Il titolo originale è Godspeed che si può tradurre in Buona Fortuna.
Foto di Terri Loewenthal, come quella sulla copertina.
Fallingwater o casa Kaufman in Pennsylvania, progettata dall'architetto Frank Lloyd Wright.
La provincia, una piccola comunità dove ci si conosce quasi tutti � se non altro, è lo sceriffo del borgo che conosce quasi tutti � una cittadina che vive sempre più di turismo, di gente che viene a sciare, di gente che porta e spende denaro. Siamo nel Wyoming, a Jackson: la natura è forte, possente, poderosa, maestosa. E come sempre, può essere brutale.
Tre amici � amici da una vita, vengono tutti e tre dall’Utah � sono in società insieme, una ditta di costruzione che hanno chiamato il Triangolo Perfetto, un concetto che esprime a fondo il loro legame, uno per tutti e tutti per uno. Ma poi, non dimentichiamoci che siamo in America, la terra dei sogni sì, ma soprattutto la terra dell’individualismo.
Schindler House a West Hollywood, in California, progettata dall'architetto Rudolph M. Schindler.
Un bel giorno � o forse un brutto giorno � si presenta il colpo di fortuna insperato. Quello che si insegue per una vita. Quello che fa fare il salto.
E si presenta in veste di una donna, bella ed elegante, quarantenne, o forse cinquantenne, magari anche 55 ma portati benissimo, ricca e determinata: chiede ai tres amigos di costruirle la casa dei suoi sogni, ci sono planimetrie e progetti, permessi e fondamenta. Manca tutto il resto. È disposta a coprirli d’oro � o meglio, di banconote � per terminare i lavori entro la mattina di natale, quattro mesi e poco più di lavoro “matto e disperatissimo�. Un’impresa titanica, una lotta serrata contro il tempo. Ma se vogliono i soldi � che sono tanti � e se vogliono fare il salto, devo raccogliere la sfida e vincerla.
Taliesin nel Wisconsin, progettata dall'architetto Frank Lloyd Wright.
Impariamo a conoscere i tre amigos, le loro particolarità e differenze � quello con la famiglia, moglie e quattro figlie, la religione mormone � l’altro single e oscillante sul burrone delle dipendenze � il terzo che sembra il leader e fatica a trasformare il matrimonio in divorzio. La grande occasione sbatte in faccia a ciascuno debolezze e fantasmi.
Scopriamo perché la signora di San Francisco, single, solitaria, ricca sfondata, super professionista, ha imposto una scadenza così ravvicinata.
Vediamo crescere la costruzione, con i suoi tre piani, la grande scala centrale, le immense finestre col vetro più trasparente, dettagli e finiture perfette, il fiume che scorre lì sotto, la sorgente di acqua calda, una jacuzzi naturale, sovrastata da una colonna di vapore, l’imponenza delle montagne alle spalle della casa/villa (non isolata, di più, quasi irraggiungibile, almeno d’inverno). E lassù, su quel pianoro, qualcosa che scintilla: anche questo scopriremo cos’�.
La casa di cui si parla è più o meno in un posto così e progettata come una di quelle qui sopra.
È vero: man mano il romanzo si colora di tinte thriller, e a un certo punto ho perfino temuto si trasformasse in un crime, che non era quello che cercavo e volevo. È vero: ci sono cadute momentanee � a cominciare secondo me dalle descrizioni di un paio di scene di sesso che non hanno il dono di alzare il racconto.
Ma è difficile mettere giù il libro � io l’ho letto in meno di due giorni � e il finale m’� parso giusto, equilibrato, calibrato.
Foto di Terri Loewenthal, come quella sulla copertina.
Nella sostanza, alla resa dei conti, questo romanzo basato su una storia vera, è un apologo: il famigerato sogno americano - che da Gatsby in poi abbiamo imparato a dubitare � è quello di salire sempre più su, se sei in alto puoi andare ancora più su. E l’altezza si misura col denaro. E quindi, insegui la tua fortuna economica, a tutti i costi, senza mezze misura.
Questa gara al successo impone scelte brutali, in queste pagine anche violente, è una forma di lotta per la sopravvivenza la cui molla è l’ingordigia: come sappiamo bene, l�1% della popolazione mondiale possiede il 90% della ricchezza mondiale.
Il titolo originale è Godspeed che si può tradurre in Buona Fortuna.
Foto di Terri Loewenthal, come quella sulla copertina.
August 25, 2021
Whew! This book was such a page-turner, I feel like I need a vacation after reading.
I've read nearly all of Nickolas Butler's books and this one is by far my new favorite. The pacing is top-notch. It's different from his other books, grittier in character and subject matter. Yet, it still has that deep dive into ethics that he does and which I love.
The book's premise is an interesting one: three hardworking construction partners get the offer of a lifetime that WILL make or break them. They're in the middle of nowhere, the timeline is short, and tensions will rise. Each of the men are well-crafted and distinguishable. I would've liked even more for the female characters, particularly Gretchen and her backstory, but she still felt real, if strange. And perhaps there was a point to not explaining her fully as her self-isolation was such a crux of her character. The wives and ex-wives were a little cliché in their saintliness and attraction to their partners, but I can't fault him, as they fit into the world created.
Ultimately, the story was a fast-paced, suspenseful read about greed that I could not pud down. I didn't have to like all the characters to want to desperately know what became of them all. And the writing was just so dang good. So dang good!
-Jess
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I've read nearly all of Nickolas Butler's books and this one is by far my new favorite. The pacing is top-notch. It's different from his other books, grittier in character and subject matter. Yet, it still has that deep dive into ethics that he does and which I love.
The book's premise is an interesting one: three hardworking construction partners get the offer of a lifetime that WILL make or break them. They're in the middle of nowhere, the timeline is short, and tensions will rise. Each of the men are well-crafted and distinguishable. I would've liked even more for the female characters, particularly Gretchen and her backstory, but she still felt real, if strange. And perhaps there was a point to not explaining her fully as her self-isolation was such a crux of her character. The wives and ex-wives were a little cliché in their saintliness and attraction to their partners, but I can't fault him, as they fit into the world created.
Ultimately, the story was a fast-paced, suspenseful read about greed that I could not pud down. I didn't have to like all the characters to want to desperately know what became of them all. And the writing was just so dang good. So dang good!
-Jess
Find this book and other titles within .
July 28, 2021
Godspeed is a new standalone thriller from award-winning author Nikolas Butler and is a compelling tale in which three troubled construction workers get entangled in a dangerous plan against an impossible deadline. Why is it being built here, and why so quickly? These are the questions Cole, Bart, and Teddy, the three principals of True Triangle Construction, ask themselves when they are hired to finish a project for a mysteriously wealthy homeowner. Nestled in the mountains outside of Jackson, Wyoming, the house is a masterpiece, unlike anything they've done before. Once finished, it promises to be the architectural prize of Jackson and could put True Triangle on the map. But despite the project's lure, the owner is intent on having it built in a matter of months, an impossible task made irresistible by the exorbitant bonus that awaits them if they succeed. A bonus that could change the course of their business, and their lives. Up against the fateful deadline, and the looming threat of a harsh Wyoming winter, Cole, Bart, and Teddy are willing to do anything to get the money, even if it means risking life, limb and family. And what becomes an obsession for all three quickly builds to tragic consequences for some.
Struck through with heart-pounding danger and an arresting lyricism, Godspeed is a stark exploration of the haves and the have-nots, a cautionary tale of greed and violence that asks: How much is never enough? This is a compulsive and engrossing thriller and Butler’s most ambitious novel to date in which he explores deep, topical themes including egalitarianism, inequality, self-belief, pride in carrying out your work, very human mistakes, inaction and greed. It's a slow-burner revolving around the medium of money as the strange collective myth that it actually is. The first half requires patience as Butler builds the story, but it shifts into a completely different gear in the latter half, when the fascinating, deeply flawed characters truly come alive and the twists and action take you by surprise just as they should in a decent thriller. A palpably suspenseful tale of avarice and friendship, it culminates in a stunning, unexpected denouement and finale complete with evocative descriptions of mother nature's bounty and the ecological world. A didactic allegory reminding us all that love and friendship can be a redeeming force in a world becoming increasingly more invested in materialism and the tangible. Highly recommended.
Struck through with heart-pounding danger and an arresting lyricism, Godspeed is a stark exploration of the haves and the have-nots, a cautionary tale of greed and violence that asks: How much is never enough? This is a compulsive and engrossing thriller and Butler’s most ambitious novel to date in which he explores deep, topical themes including egalitarianism, inequality, self-belief, pride in carrying out your work, very human mistakes, inaction and greed. It's a slow-burner revolving around the medium of money as the strange collective myth that it actually is. The first half requires patience as Butler builds the story, but it shifts into a completely different gear in the latter half, when the fascinating, deeply flawed characters truly come alive and the twists and action take you by surprise just as they should in a decent thriller. A palpably suspenseful tale of avarice and friendship, it culminates in a stunning, unexpected denouement and finale complete with evocative descriptions of mother nature's bounty and the ecological world. A didactic allegory reminding us all that love and friendship can be a redeeming force in a world becoming increasingly more invested in materialism and the tangible. Highly recommended.
August 9, 2021
A small construction company owned by three friends is hired to build a beautiful house in a secluded spot in Wyoming. The owner of the house is a lawyer who has an urgent need to have the building project completed by Christmas and she is willing to pay a large bonus if the house is ready on schedule. Greed, overwork and meth addiction have a disastrous impact.
I didn’t really care for any of the characters, and the lawyer was particularly unbelievable as well as unlikable. The construction process was thoroughly explained, which I kind of enjoyed. The detailed descriptions of a meth high were less enjoyable. I was listening to the audiobook and those were the only passages of the book where the narrator became animated. Other than that, his delivery was flat. All in all I found the book pretty dreary and the ending was unsatisfying. 3.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
I didn’t really care for any of the characters, and the lawyer was particularly unbelievable as well as unlikable. The construction process was thoroughly explained, which I kind of enjoyed. The detailed descriptions of a meth high were less enjoyable. I was listening to the audiobook and those were the only passages of the book where the narrator became animated. Other than that, his delivery was flat. All in all I found the book pretty dreary and the ending was unsatisfying. 3.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
July 31, 2021
This latest book by Nickolas Butler is a humdinger. Contemporary fiction with a good dose of thriller. This story takes Butler out of his native Wisconsin (the environment of his two previous books I've read) and put this story in the area outside of Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
It is a story of three boyhood friends who are offered a life changing opportunity that sounds just too good to be true. The threesome own and operate a construction company vying for jobs in a hot market that does not yet seem to take them too seriously. They are offered a life changing job to complete a one of a kind house, which would be worth millions and millions, by a rather strange woman who has the money and more to back the project. The catch is, it must be completed in just a few months, a herculean task but carries with it an amazing bonus of $$$ that could change all their fortunes.
I am not going to give any spoilers here but I found this a story I could not stop listening to and one at points I turned off as I was afraid of what would happen next then finding courage I would turn back to listening again.
The characters are strong if a little familiar at times but I came to care about them all. I wanted to see everyone get out of this situation unharmed even if that becomes less likely with each passing chapter. A girl can hope can't she? I really loved this story. Yes it has some flaws but for readability and plot I found it so engaging. Butler has really outdone himself with this one.
It is a story of three boyhood friends who are offered a life changing opportunity that sounds just too good to be true. The threesome own and operate a construction company vying for jobs in a hot market that does not yet seem to take them too seriously. They are offered a life changing job to complete a one of a kind house, which would be worth millions and millions, by a rather strange woman who has the money and more to back the project. The catch is, it must be completed in just a few months, a herculean task but carries with it an amazing bonus of $$$ that could change all their fortunes.
I am not going to give any spoilers here but I found this a story I could not stop listening to and one at points I turned off as I was afraid of what would happen next then finding courage I would turn back to listening again.
The characters are strong if a little familiar at times but I came to care about them all. I wanted to see everyone get out of this situation unharmed even if that becomes less likely with each passing chapter. A girl can hope can't she? I really loved this story. Yes it has some flaws but for readability and plot I found it so engaging. Butler has really outdone himself with this one.
August 17, 2022
Me fui un fin de semana a la playa y llevé la novela perfecta. ¿Es buenÃsima? No. Pero es entretenida. Es una de esas novelas americanas en las que pasan muchÃsimas cosas, no ofende y te tiene enganchada a sus páginas. Me juego las dos manos a que acabará siendo una pelÃcula. Si todavÃa estáis de vacaciones, es una lectura perfecta.
June 6, 2022
Qué difÃcil me resulta reseñar este libro. Le he dado 4 estrellas porque a mà me ha mantenido pegada a sus páginas durante cuatro dÃas sin poder soltarlo. Pero la trama es... difÃcil de definir. Al comienzo, se habla mucho y muy detalladamente de la construcción de una casa. Y después... BOOM. Y ese "BOOM" es algo inexplicable y quizá en otro autor me habrÃa hecho torcer el morro, pero Nickolas Butler es uno de mis autores favoritos, tiene una forma de narrar espectacular y me ha hecho verosÃmil lo inverosÃmil. Yo la recomendarÃa, pero "bajo tu propio riesgo".
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October 15, 2021Giving up, just can't get into this book nor the characters. Though my attention span has been severely impacted, so I'm finding it more difficult to be drawn into some books.
March 27, 2022
Jackson és la tÃpica ciutat de l'Amèrica profunda que molts rics trien per tenir-hi segones residències i gaudir de les pistes d'esquà i d'un fantà stic entorn natural. Allà el negoci de la construcció és rendible, per això tres amics es munten la seva pròpia empresa. Tot just quan comencen a fer-se un nom, rebran un encà rrec molt llaminer per una suma astronòmica de dòlars. La trampa: tenen un termini molt ajustat de temps. Sembla un repte impossible. Però el premi final els farà llançar-s'hi de cap.
En Cole, en Teddy i en Bart exemplifiquen el ciutadà mitjà de les regions centrals dels EUA, amb pocs estudis i baix nivell cultural, però ferm defensor del somni americà . L'oportunitat que se'ls presenta per aconseguir-lo és única. Formen un triangle sòlid com la seva amistat i, sempre que es mantinguin junts, podran amb tot, superaran qualsevol entrebanc. Com es pot imaginar, l'escalada de complicacions els portarà al lÃmit de les seves forces.
El ritme de la trama s'accelera notablement a la segona meitat del llibre i es precipita una cascada d'esdeveniments. També serà llavors quan coneixerem els motius de la Gretchen, l'adinerada advocada que els ha contractat, per haver-los marcat terminis tan estrictes. Butler sap mantenir la intriga i arrapar-nos a la lectura en un dels Periscopis més comercials que recordo. Un passapà gines amb substà ncia que fa un esforç per contextualitzar personatges i circumstà ncies.
Els vincles d'amistat, la fidelitat amb el passat i la dictadura dels diners són els motors d'una història que es llegeix amb agilitat i sense aturador, a la que potser li manca una mica de la profunditat que ens té acostumats l'editorial, però amb capacitat de captivar a un públic ampli. Menció especial a la traducció que ha sabut retratar bé el limitat vocabulari dels protagonistes.
(SERGI)
En Cole, en Teddy i en Bart exemplifiquen el ciutadà mitjà de les regions centrals dels EUA, amb pocs estudis i baix nivell cultural, però ferm defensor del somni americà . L'oportunitat que se'ls presenta per aconseguir-lo és única. Formen un triangle sòlid com la seva amistat i, sempre que es mantinguin junts, podran amb tot, superaran qualsevol entrebanc. Com es pot imaginar, l'escalada de complicacions els portarà al lÃmit de les seves forces.
El ritme de la trama s'accelera notablement a la segona meitat del llibre i es precipita una cascada d'esdeveniments. També serà llavors quan coneixerem els motius de la Gretchen, l'adinerada advocada que els ha contractat, per haver-los marcat terminis tan estrictes. Butler sap mantenir la intriga i arrapar-nos a la lectura en un dels Periscopis més comercials que recordo. Un passapà gines amb substà ncia que fa un esforç per contextualitzar personatges i circumstà ncies.
Els vincles d'amistat, la fidelitat amb el passat i la dictadura dels diners són els motors d'una història que es llegeix amb agilitat i sense aturador, a la que potser li manca una mica de la profunditat que ens té acostumats l'editorial, però amb capacitat de captivar a un públic ampli. Menció especial a la traducció que ha sabut retratar bé el limitat vocabulari dels protagonistes.
(SERGI)
June 25, 2021
Sheesh. I like Nickolas Butler a lot but this is far away from being his best work. The story is immensely boring (I mean, I don't expect thrilling plot twists but you need to give me something to cling to) and I didn't believe one character in the whole book (something that was most surprising as that's not something you can say about his other books). Gretchen, the homeowner, was particularly unbelievable, ridiculous even.
Pretty damn disappointing.
Pretty damn disappointing.
May 21, 2022
Cometo el error de buscar al autor de Canciones de amor a quemarropa en cada libro de Butler. Claramente, no lo encuentro. Y el error es exclusivamente mÃo. Es una historia desalmada, real, que a mà gusto le falta algo de ternura. Eso sÃ, escrita de manera maravillosa.
August 31, 2023
Después de haber leÃdo tres libros de este autor es oficial: me considero parte del fandom de Nickolas Butler. Me gusta porque sus historias de ficción suelen compartir una serie de elementos comunes que las dotan de una profundidad especial: la puesta en valor del medio rural estadounidense, el cuestionamiento al llamado "sueño americano" y la cuestión de clase como eje siempre presente y condicionante.
En este libro con tintes de thriller, tres amigos y socios de una constructora se enfrentan al reto de tener que construir una casa de proporciones desorbitadas en un tiempo imposible por unas primas muy altas en un paraje montañoso y austero de Jackson, Wyoming.
Esta premisa inicial, interesante pero no especialmente atractiva, esconde un relato adictivo en el que los personajes se ven atrapados en una contrarreloj que conseguirá que como lector te cuestiones: cuánto vale, en realidad, el dinero? Cuánto se está dispuesto a sacrificar por conseguirlo? Qué ocurre cuando se pasa la frontera de lo ético?
Todo ello acompañado con un mazazo de realidad: esa cuestión de clase siempre presente que evidencia que, para el que tiene dinero, la vida ajena no signifique nada. El dinero paga vidas, pero, cuánto vale realmente una vida?
Las relaciones entre los personajes, la forma de narrar del autor y estas cuestiones subyacentes hacen de este un libro de esos que te cuesta soltar.
Estoy deseando seguir leyendo a este autor
En este libro con tintes de thriller, tres amigos y socios de una constructora se enfrentan al reto de tener que construir una casa de proporciones desorbitadas en un tiempo imposible por unas primas muy altas en un paraje montañoso y austero de Jackson, Wyoming.
Esta premisa inicial, interesante pero no especialmente atractiva, esconde un relato adictivo en el que los personajes se ven atrapados en una contrarreloj que conseguirá que como lector te cuestiones: cuánto vale, en realidad, el dinero? Cuánto se está dispuesto a sacrificar por conseguirlo? Qué ocurre cuando se pasa la frontera de lo ético?
Todo ello acompañado con un mazazo de realidad: esa cuestión de clase siempre presente que evidencia que, para el que tiene dinero, la vida ajena no signifique nada. El dinero paga vidas, pero, cuánto vale realmente una vida?
Las relaciones entre los personajes, la forma de narrar del autor y estas cuestiones subyacentes hacen de este un libro de esos que te cuesta soltar.
Estoy deseando seguir leyendo a este autor
April 8, 2023
Qué maestrÃa para narrar y construir personajes tremendamente reales. Nickolas Butler vuelve a sorprenderme, después de Canciones de amor a quemarropa, con una historia que no dejará a nadie indiferente. Deseando leer más novelas suyas
April 6, 2022
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publisher: Putnam
Pub. Date: July 27, 2021
This book is difficult to review because the pace is often slow. Still, it picks up in places, feeling like a thriller. At both speeds, it draws the reader into a story about friendship, addiction, class, and greed. It centers around three blue-collar buddies in their forties who start a construction company together. They're just scraping by when a wealthy woman offers them a contract to finish her trophy house in the mountains. They’ll earn a big sum, including a sizable bonus, if they can finish it in her four-month deadline. The hitch is that it’s nearly impossible considering the amount of work involved. They begin the project knowing that they will almost certainly incur exhaustion and physical injuries.
“Godspeed� brims with insights into the politics of rural gentrification. As the townies rage at the influx of affluence into their small community, we see how stronger forces work against them. The mystery surrounding the trophy house’s previous contractors, as well as the purpose behind the four-month deadline, create further tension for the protagonists still. But even with all this conflict to explore, Butler sometimes dwells, too often, on the beauty of the house and countryside at the exclusion of his characters. The descriptions are lovely, but after a while, they get tedious.
A few of the book’s plot twists seem modeled after those of a thriller novel. There is good suspense however, Butler is stronger when focusing on the complexities of working-class male friendships, especially in the setting of physically-demanding work. He ensures that the reader comprehends what construction work really means. I have a newfound admiration for people who work outside with their hands. I also found the woman footing the house’s construction compelling, and wish Butler did more to develop her. Still, the novel succeeds as a story about the haves and have-nots. A couple of the twists are over the top, but the novel’s core message rarely suffers. Whether it’s leaning too hard into its genre trappings, or its physical descriptions of the mountains, “Godspeed� always manages to keep us thinking about survival, and what we’re willing to sacrifice in an unequal world.
I received this Advance Review Copy (ARC) novel from the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
/review/list�
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Publisher: Putnam
Pub. Date: July 27, 2021
This book is difficult to review because the pace is often slow. Still, it picks up in places, feeling like a thriller. At both speeds, it draws the reader into a story about friendship, addiction, class, and greed. It centers around three blue-collar buddies in their forties who start a construction company together. They're just scraping by when a wealthy woman offers them a contract to finish her trophy house in the mountains. They’ll earn a big sum, including a sizable bonus, if they can finish it in her four-month deadline. The hitch is that it’s nearly impossible considering the amount of work involved. They begin the project knowing that they will almost certainly incur exhaustion and physical injuries.
“Godspeed� brims with insights into the politics of rural gentrification. As the townies rage at the influx of affluence into their small community, we see how stronger forces work against them. The mystery surrounding the trophy house’s previous contractors, as well as the purpose behind the four-month deadline, create further tension for the protagonists still. But even with all this conflict to explore, Butler sometimes dwells, too often, on the beauty of the house and countryside at the exclusion of his characters. The descriptions are lovely, but after a while, they get tedious.
A few of the book’s plot twists seem modeled after those of a thriller novel. There is good suspense however, Butler is stronger when focusing on the complexities of working-class male friendships, especially in the setting of physically-demanding work. He ensures that the reader comprehends what construction work really means. I have a newfound admiration for people who work outside with their hands. I also found the woman footing the house’s construction compelling, and wish Butler did more to develop her. Still, the novel succeeds as a story about the haves and have-nots. A couple of the twists are over the top, but the novel’s core message rarely suffers. Whether it’s leaning too hard into its genre trappings, or its physical descriptions of the mountains, “Godspeed� always manages to keep us thinking about survival, and what we’re willing to sacrifice in an unequal world.
I received this Advance Review Copy (ARC) novel from the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
/review/list�
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August 5, 2021
4.5
At first blush, the plot of Nickolas Butler's new novel Godspeed may not sound like the stuff literary dreams are made of: Three dudes are hired by a rich lady to build a house on an impossibly tight deadline in the mountains of Wyoming. But in the hands of a storyteller as high caliber as Butler, it works!
One reason it works is that there is a fair amount of mystery here: Why the tight deadline? Why that remote location? What's the deal with the woman Gretchen who hires them? Will they finish in time?
Secondly, these characters, as is often the case in Butler novels, are vastly underrepresented in fiction. So they're fascinating. Name another novel about construction workers. I'll wait. Sure, it's a risky choice. But because Butler is so good at writing characters, we're happily along for this ride to find out how it turns out for these fellas.
If you’re a Butler fan � and I’m huge one � you’ll immediately notice Godspeed is his first novel not set in Wisconsin. It's also his first novel that, if you're into genre-ing things, could be considered a mystery or a thriller.
Still, Godspeed is easily identifiable as a Butler novel for two reasons. First, even though his characters here are deeply flawed, he still displays an uncommon affection for them. That's a quality you don't find in too many writers, and it's one of the main reasons I love his books, this one included. Secondly, there's a tension here between the haves (Gretchen, and the rich tourists of Jackson Hole) and the have-nots (these three dudes). The three buddies who moved out to Wyoming from Utah and started a construction business recognize the risk of undertaking this project, sure. But they also see it as their golden ticket: Just a few months of hell and all our dreams can come true...assuming nothing goes wrong. And again, because we don't see these guys on the page too often, we're not really sure what exactly they're going to do. And that builds a massive amount of narrative tension and intrigue.
But of course things go wrong. The question becomes, what are these guys really willing to do, what will they compromise, and will their friendship survive? Another Butler knack is for rendering male friendships � and he nails it again here with these three guys. The highs, the lows, the loyalty, the dick jokes.
If I still haven't convinced you to give this a try, hey, how about that cover art?! Pretty, pretty good. So but if you're a fan of the underdog, if you like seeing salt-of-the-earth people represented in fiction, and if you enjoy top-tier storytelling, this is a perfect novel for you.
At first blush, the plot of Nickolas Butler's new novel Godspeed may not sound like the stuff literary dreams are made of: Three dudes are hired by a rich lady to build a house on an impossibly tight deadline in the mountains of Wyoming. But in the hands of a storyteller as high caliber as Butler, it works!
One reason it works is that there is a fair amount of mystery here: Why the tight deadline? Why that remote location? What's the deal with the woman Gretchen who hires them? Will they finish in time?
Secondly, these characters, as is often the case in Butler novels, are vastly underrepresented in fiction. So they're fascinating. Name another novel about construction workers. I'll wait. Sure, it's a risky choice. But because Butler is so good at writing characters, we're happily along for this ride to find out how it turns out for these fellas.
If you’re a Butler fan � and I’m huge one � you’ll immediately notice Godspeed is his first novel not set in Wisconsin. It's also his first novel that, if you're into genre-ing things, could be considered a mystery or a thriller.
Still, Godspeed is easily identifiable as a Butler novel for two reasons. First, even though his characters here are deeply flawed, he still displays an uncommon affection for them. That's a quality you don't find in too many writers, and it's one of the main reasons I love his books, this one included. Secondly, there's a tension here between the haves (Gretchen, and the rich tourists of Jackson Hole) and the have-nots (these three dudes). The three buddies who moved out to Wyoming from Utah and started a construction business recognize the risk of undertaking this project, sure. But they also see it as their golden ticket: Just a few months of hell and all our dreams can come true...assuming nothing goes wrong. And again, because we don't see these guys on the page too often, we're not really sure what exactly they're going to do. And that builds a massive amount of narrative tension and intrigue.
But of course things go wrong. The question becomes, what are these guys really willing to do, what will they compromise, and will their friendship survive? Another Butler knack is for rendering male friendships � and he nails it again here with these three guys. The highs, the lows, the loyalty, the dick jokes.
If I still haven't convinced you to give this a try, hey, how about that cover art?! Pretty, pretty good. So but if you're a fan of the underdog, if you like seeing salt-of-the-earth people represented in fiction, and if you enjoy top-tier storytelling, this is a perfect novel for you.
September 15, 2021
My : Nickolas Butler's suspenseful, character-driven fourth novel tells of the lengths three friends will go to in the quest to better their lives.
In Jackson, Wyo., a haven for hipster tourists and ski bums, it's the have-nots who build the area's multimillion-dollar houses and the haves who inhabit them for just part of the year. The three longtime buddies behind True Triangle Construction-family man Teddy; Bart, a former metal band drummer; and Cole, going through a divorce-struggle to make ends meet. When Gretchen hires them to finish building her massive eco-home, offering $175,000 bonuses if it's done by Christmas (just four months away), they leap at the chance. Teddy longs to get on the property ladder; with a luxury wristwatch, Cole will feel like he's made it.
From the start, though, the project seems cursed. Under the previous contractor, a laborer died in an accident on site. Heavy rains destroy the access bridge and winter snows could bring work to a halt. Bart turns to meth for the energy to put in long hours. Butler charts his worsening addiction in convincing hallucinogenic descriptions. A sense of foreboding explodes into dramatic events that will require luck-and deception-to resolve.
As in his debut, Shotgun Lovesongs, Butler insightfully explores his protagonists' psyches and the dynamics of male friendship. He also patiently reveals why Gretchen, a workaholic lawyer, is desperate to have her house ready. In this poignant story, time and life are precious yet so easily wasted.
(Posted with permission from Shelf Awareness.)
(3.5 stars because it feels overlong.)
In Jackson, Wyo., a haven for hipster tourists and ski bums, it's the have-nots who build the area's multimillion-dollar houses and the haves who inhabit them for just part of the year. The three longtime buddies behind True Triangle Construction-family man Teddy; Bart, a former metal band drummer; and Cole, going through a divorce-struggle to make ends meet. When Gretchen hires them to finish building her massive eco-home, offering $175,000 bonuses if it's done by Christmas (just four months away), they leap at the chance. Teddy longs to get on the property ladder; with a luxury wristwatch, Cole will feel like he's made it.
From the start, though, the project seems cursed. Under the previous contractor, a laborer died in an accident on site. Heavy rains destroy the access bridge and winter snows could bring work to a halt. Bart turns to meth for the energy to put in long hours. Butler charts his worsening addiction in convincing hallucinogenic descriptions. A sense of foreboding explodes into dramatic events that will require luck-and deception-to resolve.
As in his debut, Shotgun Lovesongs, Butler insightfully explores his protagonists' psyches and the dynamics of male friendship. He also patiently reveals why Gretchen, a workaholic lawyer, is desperate to have her house ready. In this poignant story, time and life are precious yet so easily wasted.
(Posted with permission from Shelf Awareness.)
(3.5 stars because it feels overlong.)
May 25, 2021
Godspeed by Nickolas Butler is the tale of three friends who own a construction business. Bart, Teddy, and Cole, the owners of True Triangle, get the job of a lifetime when a rich California lawyer, Gretchen Connors, wants to build a house in the surrounding mountains of their small town. With an impossible deadline, a huge bonus on the line, and secrets, what could go wrong?
One, before the men even start the job, the site is considered cursed. Gretchen Connors had a crew that "mysteriously" quit on her. Two, True Triangle must complete the job before Christmas to get their bonuses. Three, stress brings either the best or the worst out of people.
There's death, destruction, drugs, lies, sadness, and a new outlook on life.
The book read like a Quentin Tarantino movie. Just regular people in a bizarre situation. For a book about three guys attempting to build a house, it's quite a tale. Gretchen Connors has a story of her own. It's heartbreaking.
I like the moral of the story. A surprisingly awe-inspiring read.
One, before the men even start the job, the site is considered cursed. Gretchen Connors had a crew that "mysteriously" quit on her. Two, True Triangle must complete the job before Christmas to get their bonuses. Three, stress brings either the best or the worst out of people.
There's death, destruction, drugs, lies, sadness, and a new outlook on life.
The book read like a Quentin Tarantino movie. Just regular people in a bizarre situation. For a book about three guys attempting to build a house, it's quite a tale. Gretchen Connors has a story of her own. It's heartbreaking.
I like the moral of the story. A surprisingly awe-inspiring read.
November 13, 2021
Godspeed is a novel of gentle,rolling prose that is absolutely beautifully written and leads you almost unwittingly into a darkly observant tale of obsession, addiction and violence all in pursuit of cold hard cash.
A small business and an incredible if seemingly impossible offer starts this downward path and the author creates his character's with deeply emotional intricacy. You get caught up in their lives, the highs, the lows, in the end it is melancholic and thought provoking in difficult to describe ways.
Recommended.
A small business and an incredible if seemingly impossible offer starts this downward path and the author creates his character's with deeply emotional intricacy. You get caught up in their lives, the highs, the lows, in the end it is melancholic and thought provoking in difficult to describe ways.
Recommended.
March 26, 2022
Llegir a Nickolas Butler és sempre un plaer, i aquesta novel·la m’ha agradat tant com esperava. No sé si em convenç el final, però he gaudit la lectura.
November 12, 2022
Realmente es un libro raro. Crea muchas expectativas pero luego no pasa nada. Se salva porque el autor escribe muy muy bien y consigue que el lector siga leyendo hasta el final.
May 13, 2022
“Buena Suerte� está protagonizada por Bart, Teddy y Cole, tres amigos que tienen una empresa de construcción en Jackson (Wyoming), un pueblo montañoso que está empezando a verse plagado por nuevos ricos a la búsqueda de paisajes de ensueño en los que construir casoplones a la medida de sus nuevas riquezas. Son unos recién llegados al negocio de la construcción, pero eso no impide que les caiga en el regazo un proyecto jugoso que bien puede ser un caramelo envenenado: su contratadora, Gretchen, necesita que se acabe en tan solo unos meses. Si lo consiguen, les bonificará con unas primas millonarias.
Cualquiera que haya leÃdo los anteriores libros de Nickolas Butler, seguro que cree poder intuir por dónde van a ir los tiros de su nueva novela. Básicamente, lo previsible será un retrato de tres hombres a través de los que el lector accederá a una cálida y vibrante disección de la masculinidad del siglo 21, esa que conserva la armadura de la masculinidad del siglo XX pero que ya no teme en explorar las grietas que están dejando a la vista la vulnerabilidad que hay debajo. La construcción contra reloj pondrá a prueba su amistad y, en consecuencia, Butler desplegará un análisis magistral (otro) de esas relaciones inter-masculinas que se permiten crecer a partir del amor y la lealtad, sin toxicidades que valgan la pena.
Dicho de otra forma: lo que cualquier lector de este lector esperará cuando se ponga delante de “Buenas Noches� es una suma de los retratos masculinos de “Canciones de Amor a Quemarropa� y “El Corazón de los Hombres� con el punto de thriller que ya puso en jaque la trama de “Algo en lo que Creer�. Spoiler alert: si hace esa presunción, el lector se estará equivocando. Y, de hecho, se estará equivocando garrafalmente.
Porque lo que prima en la nueva novela de Nickolas Butler es, precisamente, la atmósfera de thriller oscuroâ€� Pero si en “Algo en lo que Creerâ€� el thriller estaba puesto al servicio de algo intrÃnseca y profundamente butleriano, que era el desafÃo a la unidad familiar tradicional, en este caso puede pensarse que el autor se ha ido por peteneras al llevar “Buenas Nochesâ€� al terreno del (necesario) alegato anti-capitalista. Y es que, de repente, y por muy conmovedor que sean los protagonistas masculinos de este libro y por mucho que su amistad esté plasmada de forma sublime (como es habitual en Butler), Gretchen acaba siendo un elemento desestabilizador que lleva la trama hacia lugares insospechados.
La novela se abre con los protagonistas encontrando el propósito de su vida: “Por primera vez en su vida habÃan sentido que por fin contaban con aquello que sus padres habÃan tenido en la suya: un propósito. ConstruirÃan casas y apartamentos para turistas adinerados, en efecto, pero sobre todo construirÃan su propia empresa, un legado, algo que poder dejar en herencia cuando ya no fueran capaces de empuñar un martillo o trepar un empinado tejado a dos aguasâ€�. Ya se sabe: el trabajo dignifica al hombre pero, desde hace ya unas décadas, cada vez lo dignifica menos.
Por mucho que trabaje, el proletario nunca alcanzará al rico porque la brecha el capitalismo se ha encargado de abrir la brecha entre ambas clases cada vez más y más. Y los protagonistas tienen claro que la industria del ladrillo es la expresión máxima de la diferencia de clases: “Asà era como funcionaban las cosas, y como muy probablemente habÃan funcionado siempre, razonó. Aquà y ahora, aquellos hombres estaban atareados construyendo un palacio actual e «ilustrado» para alguien mucho más rico que ellos, hace miles de años la diferencia habrÃa sido que entonces las manos se multiplicaban por cientos para construir la pirámide de algún hombre que se consideraba a sà mismo un dios. Siempre estaban los que ordenaban construir y los que construÃan, del mismo modo que siempre estaban los que se ponÃan manos a la obra y los que noâ€�.
Entonces llega Gretchen, que podrÃa considerarse un sÃmbolo del capitalismo en sà mismoâ€� pero con matices. Porque, de forma mucho más que sabia, Butler conserva el punto de vista de su manuscrito al nivel de los ojos de sus tres protagonistas masculinos, lo que implica que los motivos de Gretchen estén envueltos desde el principio en un halo de misterio. ¿Por qué tiene tantas prisas con el proyecto? ¿De dónde nace el desdén que parece sentir por un dinero que no parece agotarse? ¿Por qué parece tener su vida planificada con un deadline tan severo como el de la construcción de su casa?
El misterio se va aclarando poco a pocoâ€� Y Gretchen se va revelando como un personaje mucho más complejo de lo que parecÃa al principio. Pero el choque entre ella y sus tres asalariados los introduce a todos en una espiral de tensión creciente en la que, obviamente, no solo la amistad de los amigos se malogrará hasta niveles indecibles, sino que incluso su propia cualidad como “hombres buenosâ€� quedará en entredicho. ¿Es el precio a pagar para acceder a esa nueva riqueza que Gretchen les ha puesto delante de las narices como quien espolea a un caballo con una zanahoria inalcanzable? ¿Para hacerse rico, el hombre pobre debe dejar de ser bueno? ¿Es el hombre rico (o, en este caso, la mujer rica) alguien demasiado acostumbrado a imponer sus necesidades a la dignidad humana ajena?
Al final de todo, y por mucho que este nuevo interés alrededor de los estragos del capitalismo pueda parecer inédito y sorprendente en Nickolas Butler, “Buena Suerteâ€� se circunscribe perfectamente en el universo del autor. Aunque son llevados al lÃmite y acaban tomando decisiones desastrosas que mellan su cualidad moral, los protagonistas masculinos acaban encontrando la paz y recuperando su honradez por la vÃa de la expiación (y hasta aquà puedo leer). Y, por mucho que la actitud de Gretchen parezca justificarse hasta cierto punto, el final de su arco argumental solo puede leerse bajo una alargada sombra de nihilismo existencial. Moral de obrero wins, capitalismo desalmado loses.
Porque eso es lo que Butler ya habÃa hecho en sus tres libros anteriores: hablar de qué puede hacer un hombre para seguir siendo bueno en el siglo 21, ya sea a través de la amistad, el amor o la familia. Y, a ese respecto, “Buena Suerteâ€� lo cambia todo para no cambiar nada. De hecho, ¿no deberÃamos agradecer que el autor no entregue el mismo libro una y otra vez (como hacen otros) sino que prefiera cambiar la forma para seguir explorando un fondo que sigue hundiéndose y perforando cada vez con mayor profundidad?
Si alguien me pide que responda a esta pregunta, solo podré decir que creo sinceramente que esto, lo que hace Nickolas Butler, es lo que distingue a los autores del montón de los que van al frente del pelotón.
Cualquiera que haya leÃdo los anteriores libros de Nickolas Butler, seguro que cree poder intuir por dónde van a ir los tiros de su nueva novela. Básicamente, lo previsible será un retrato de tres hombres a través de los que el lector accederá a una cálida y vibrante disección de la masculinidad del siglo 21, esa que conserva la armadura de la masculinidad del siglo XX pero que ya no teme en explorar las grietas que están dejando a la vista la vulnerabilidad que hay debajo. La construcción contra reloj pondrá a prueba su amistad y, en consecuencia, Butler desplegará un análisis magistral (otro) de esas relaciones inter-masculinas que se permiten crecer a partir del amor y la lealtad, sin toxicidades que valgan la pena.
Dicho de otra forma: lo que cualquier lector de este lector esperará cuando se ponga delante de “Buenas Noches� es una suma de los retratos masculinos de “Canciones de Amor a Quemarropa� y “El Corazón de los Hombres� con el punto de thriller que ya puso en jaque la trama de “Algo en lo que Creer�. Spoiler alert: si hace esa presunción, el lector se estará equivocando. Y, de hecho, se estará equivocando garrafalmente.
Porque lo que prima en la nueva novela de Nickolas Butler es, precisamente, la atmósfera de thriller oscuroâ€� Pero si en “Algo en lo que Creerâ€� el thriller estaba puesto al servicio de algo intrÃnseca y profundamente butleriano, que era el desafÃo a la unidad familiar tradicional, en este caso puede pensarse que el autor se ha ido por peteneras al llevar “Buenas Nochesâ€� al terreno del (necesario) alegato anti-capitalista. Y es que, de repente, y por muy conmovedor que sean los protagonistas masculinos de este libro y por mucho que su amistad esté plasmada de forma sublime (como es habitual en Butler), Gretchen acaba siendo un elemento desestabilizador que lleva la trama hacia lugares insospechados.
La novela se abre con los protagonistas encontrando el propósito de su vida: “Por primera vez en su vida habÃan sentido que por fin contaban con aquello que sus padres habÃan tenido en la suya: un propósito. ConstruirÃan casas y apartamentos para turistas adinerados, en efecto, pero sobre todo construirÃan su propia empresa, un legado, algo que poder dejar en herencia cuando ya no fueran capaces de empuñar un martillo o trepar un empinado tejado a dos aguasâ€�. Ya se sabe: el trabajo dignifica al hombre pero, desde hace ya unas décadas, cada vez lo dignifica menos.
Por mucho que trabaje, el proletario nunca alcanzará al rico porque la brecha el capitalismo se ha encargado de abrir la brecha entre ambas clases cada vez más y más. Y los protagonistas tienen claro que la industria del ladrillo es la expresión máxima de la diferencia de clases: “Asà era como funcionaban las cosas, y como muy probablemente habÃan funcionado siempre, razonó. Aquà y ahora, aquellos hombres estaban atareados construyendo un palacio actual e «ilustrado» para alguien mucho más rico que ellos, hace miles de años la diferencia habrÃa sido que entonces las manos se multiplicaban por cientos para construir la pirámide de algún hombre que se consideraba a sà mismo un dios. Siempre estaban los que ordenaban construir y los que construÃan, del mismo modo que siempre estaban los que se ponÃan manos a la obra y los que noâ€�.
Entonces llega Gretchen, que podrÃa considerarse un sÃmbolo del capitalismo en sà mismoâ€� pero con matices. Porque, de forma mucho más que sabia, Butler conserva el punto de vista de su manuscrito al nivel de los ojos de sus tres protagonistas masculinos, lo que implica que los motivos de Gretchen estén envueltos desde el principio en un halo de misterio. ¿Por qué tiene tantas prisas con el proyecto? ¿De dónde nace el desdén que parece sentir por un dinero que no parece agotarse? ¿Por qué parece tener su vida planificada con un deadline tan severo como el de la construcción de su casa?
El misterio se va aclarando poco a pocoâ€� Y Gretchen se va revelando como un personaje mucho más complejo de lo que parecÃa al principio. Pero el choque entre ella y sus tres asalariados los introduce a todos en una espiral de tensión creciente en la que, obviamente, no solo la amistad de los amigos se malogrará hasta niveles indecibles, sino que incluso su propia cualidad como “hombres buenosâ€� quedará en entredicho. ¿Es el precio a pagar para acceder a esa nueva riqueza que Gretchen les ha puesto delante de las narices como quien espolea a un caballo con una zanahoria inalcanzable? ¿Para hacerse rico, el hombre pobre debe dejar de ser bueno? ¿Es el hombre rico (o, en este caso, la mujer rica) alguien demasiado acostumbrado a imponer sus necesidades a la dignidad humana ajena?
Al final de todo, y por mucho que este nuevo interés alrededor de los estragos del capitalismo pueda parecer inédito y sorprendente en Nickolas Butler, “Buena Suerteâ€� se circunscribe perfectamente en el universo del autor. Aunque son llevados al lÃmite y acaban tomando decisiones desastrosas que mellan su cualidad moral, los protagonistas masculinos acaban encontrando la paz y recuperando su honradez por la vÃa de la expiación (y hasta aquà puedo leer). Y, por mucho que la actitud de Gretchen parezca justificarse hasta cierto punto, el final de su arco argumental solo puede leerse bajo una alargada sombra de nihilismo existencial. Moral de obrero wins, capitalismo desalmado loses.
Porque eso es lo que Butler ya habÃa hecho en sus tres libros anteriores: hablar de qué puede hacer un hombre para seguir siendo bueno en el siglo 21, ya sea a través de la amistad, el amor o la familia. Y, a ese respecto, “Buena Suerteâ€� lo cambia todo para no cambiar nada. De hecho, ¿no deberÃamos agradecer que el autor no entregue el mismo libro una y otra vez (como hacen otros) sino que prefiera cambiar la forma para seguir explorando un fondo que sigue hundiéndose y perforando cada vez con mayor profundidad?
Si alguien me pide que responda a esta pregunta, solo podré decir que creo sinceramente que esto, lo que hace Nickolas Butler, es lo que distingue a los autores del montón de los que van al frente del pelotón.
March 19, 2022
El camino de tres amigos emprendedores de clase obrera, que tienen una pequeña empresa de construcción, a través de la ambición en una obra que les queda enorme, hacia un agujero negro. Solo el amor y la familia aportan ancla y luz. El otro lado de la moneda es la propietaria, brillante, adicta al trabajo, que no llega a disfrutar de la ilusión de su vida.
November 8, 2021
I chose to read this book because the plot was different than anything I had read before. At the center of the action was the building of a magnificent house, with the builders being three ordinary guys who see the job as their ticket to wealth and fame. During the construction, the men start to engage in questionable behavior, risking not only their own lives but also the deadline for the completion of the house. The book took a couple of turns I was not expecting. It was an entertaining page-turner.
July 31, 2021
f it seems to good to be true, it probably is.
A small construction firm in Wyoming is hired to finish a project in record speed. A wealthy homeowner wants True Triangle Construction to finish the house project by Christmas. The project would give them notoriety and a huge bonus....but something just doesn't seem quite right. The pull of the project is just too strong. The three men at True Triangle -- Cole, Bart and Teddy -- have no clue how obsessed and driven they will become to finish the house. And what the consequences will be.
Wow! I love it when I come across a thriller that has a twisted and completely different plot. The concepts of greed and what it can lead people to do, avarice and the behavior of the uber rich is nothing new. But wrapping those emotions and foibles around a house project in Jackson, Wyoming just made this story so entertaining and suspenseful! Something different! Human nature and mind-F'ery as in most thrillers....but the backbone of the plot was refreshingly new for me!
This is the first book I've read by this author. I'm definitely reading more! I really enjoyed this story. At times, I knew what direction things were going to head, but I was never sure how the characters were going to get to those depths. I couldn't put the book down once I got into the meat of the story. Butler takes his time setting up the scenario...but once things got rolling downhill, I just couldn't stop reading!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Penguin Group/Putnam. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
A small construction firm in Wyoming is hired to finish a project in record speed. A wealthy homeowner wants True Triangle Construction to finish the house project by Christmas. The project would give them notoriety and a huge bonus....but something just doesn't seem quite right. The pull of the project is just too strong. The three men at True Triangle -- Cole, Bart and Teddy -- have no clue how obsessed and driven they will become to finish the house. And what the consequences will be.
Wow! I love it when I come across a thriller that has a twisted and completely different plot. The concepts of greed and what it can lead people to do, avarice and the behavior of the uber rich is nothing new. But wrapping those emotions and foibles around a house project in Jackson, Wyoming just made this story so entertaining and suspenseful! Something different! Human nature and mind-F'ery as in most thrillers....but the backbone of the plot was refreshingly new for me!
This is the first book I've read by this author. I'm definitely reading more! I really enjoyed this story. At times, I knew what direction things were going to head, but I was never sure how the characters were going to get to those depths. I couldn't put the book down once I got into the meat of the story. Butler takes his time setting up the scenario...but once things got rolling downhill, I just couldn't stop reading!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Penguin Group/Putnam. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
October 7, 2021
Big fan of Nickolas Butler here, so I'm incapable of giving less than 5 stars to his latest book—a Western thriller that examines the lengths a rich woman will go in pursuing what she wants, at the cost of the men who agree to build her a custom home in the mountains under an intense (and mysterious) deadline.
When Butler released his debut, "Shotgun Lovesongs," back in 2013 (OMG has it really been that long ago?!), I loved it so much I put it on my hallowed mental shelf of "Reads I Would Want With Me on a Desert Island." Then, I spooked myself into not reading any more of his books, for fear that, in his follow-up work, I'd somehow be disappointed. (It's happened before with my literary loves!)
"Godspeed" convinced me I have nothing to worry about, and that Nick's backlist deserves to be moved up on my (ever-growing) list of "must" reads.
For anyone who read "Godspeed" and wants to learn about its origin story, is quite good ... it offers up some terrific food for thought related to the themes he explores in the book. As someone who dabbles in writing fiction herself, I also loved this line of his from it: "Something that I think about all the time is you can only write what you’re capable of writing in that moment. And this was the book that I wanted to write and that I was capable of writing at this time in my life."
When Butler released his debut, "Shotgun Lovesongs," back in 2013 (OMG has it really been that long ago?!), I loved it so much I put it on my hallowed mental shelf of "Reads I Would Want With Me on a Desert Island." Then, I spooked myself into not reading any more of his books, for fear that, in his follow-up work, I'd somehow be disappointed. (It's happened before with my literary loves!)
"Godspeed" convinced me I have nothing to worry about, and that Nick's backlist deserves to be moved up on my (ever-growing) list of "must" reads.
For anyone who read "Godspeed" and wants to learn about its origin story, is quite good ... it offers up some terrific food for thought related to the themes he explores in the book. As someone who dabbles in writing fiction herself, I also loved this line of his from it: "Something that I think about all the time is you can only write what you’re capable of writing in that moment. And this was the book that I wanted to write and that I was capable of writing at this time in my life."
January 21, 2023
Bona sort â€� 5/5â� Exemplar de col·laboració
Una novel·la brillant, excel·lent, magistral.
En Teddy, en Bart i en Cole són constructors i tenen una empresa en comú. Topen amb la Gretchen i els fa un encà rrec. Acabar una casa enmig de la muntanya a contrarellotge. Si ho aconsegueixen rebran més diners dels que mai han tingut o imaginat. Aixà que es posen mans a l'obra. Però en aquest camà esdevindran vulnerables, vÃctimes del somni americà , vÃctimes del capitalisme... I això traurà la part més profunda d'ells mateixos, que sobrepassarà l'amistat i el vincle que tenen.
El relat es caracteritza pels dià legs entre els personatges. Aquests dià legs no estan ortogrà ficament ben escrits, sinó amb llenguatge informal.
L'inici avança a ritme lent, però cap a la meitat fa girs inesperats que et mantenen enganxada, amb tensió i patiment.
Un retrat de la working class americana. Drogues, diners, riquesa, ambició...
Un relat que apunta al capitalisme més salvatge.
Potent, colpidora, brutal i molt addictiva.
Una novel·la brillant, excel·lent, magistral.
En Teddy, en Bart i en Cole són constructors i tenen una empresa en comú. Topen amb la Gretchen i els fa un encà rrec. Acabar una casa enmig de la muntanya a contrarellotge. Si ho aconsegueixen rebran més diners dels que mai han tingut o imaginat. Aixà que es posen mans a l'obra. Però en aquest camà esdevindran vulnerables, vÃctimes del somni americà , vÃctimes del capitalisme... I això traurà la part més profunda d'ells mateixos, que sobrepassarà l'amistat i el vincle que tenen.
El relat es caracteritza pels dià legs entre els personatges. Aquests dià legs no estan ortogrà ficament ben escrits, sinó amb llenguatge informal.
L'inici avança a ritme lent, però cap a la meitat fa girs inesperats que et mantenen enganxada, amb tensió i patiment.
Un retrat de la working class americana. Drogues, diners, riquesa, ambició...
Un relat que apunta al capitalisme més salvatge.
Potent, colpidora, brutal i molt addictiva.
October 14, 2021
Butler's latest work takes a turn out west with a thrilling page-turner that still provides rich language, evocative description of land and setting, passages you want to slow down for and really savor. Immersive in the subcultures of unentitled Jackson residents and construction contractors. Always thought-provoking, sometimes hair-raising, with solid characters you cheer and groan for. A very satisfying read that sticks with you.
The three contractors at the center of this story are convinced that this one incredible job is going to change their lives and make them rich. I started to think of Steinbeck's morality tale The Pearl, but Godspeed was never so blunt or contrived. Then it occurred to me: the Treasure of the Sierra Madre. My dim lights came on slowly and I remembered Butler's dedication in the front of the book... to author B. Traven. And when things don't go quite right, the story has you cringing for the characters as Scott Smith's A Simple Plan does. What a great read!
The three contractors at the center of this story are convinced that this one incredible job is going to change their lives and make them rich. I started to think of Steinbeck's morality tale The Pearl, but Godspeed was never so blunt or contrived. Then it occurred to me: the Treasure of the Sierra Madre. My dim lights came on slowly and I remembered Butler's dedication in the front of the book... to author B. Traven. And when things don't go quite right, the story has you cringing for the characters as Scott Smith's A Simple Plan does. What a great read!
June 30, 2021
Quite a very boring read. Not much story, quite predictable and not at all believable. Hopefully it goes through another editing before publishing, I found several typos. I would also suggest that they take out some of the fluff and build some of the more interesting story lines. I would have rather read more about Gretchen than the drug issues of the builders. So annoying to feel like you read a tome but didn't get the full story. I don't recommend this book to anyone right now. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for the advance read in exchange for my honest review.
August 14, 2021
Godspeed is an exhilarating ride! Totally not what I expected. I love all things Nickolas Butler so I was reading it no matter what, but I was a bit apprehensive going in wondering how an entire novel could be set around three guys trying to rush build a dream home. Was I wrong! This is a thriller examining the consequences of greed, of taking on way more than you can handle for the promise of riches, of the sacrifices you will make, and life-altering decisions with explosive impact. Its also a story of loneliness, friendship,and lost love. So good!
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