Iris's Reviews > Big Trouble
Big Trouble
by
by

This book did not age well, at all. At first I couldn't pin down what I disliked. I usually like zany, wacky hijinks with characters that get swept along for the ride. For example, I enjoyed Burn After Reading because an absurd chain of events unfolds and the characters don't have any idea how or why they are connected. However, this book just irritated me so much. About halfway through I realized I wasn't enjoying this book because of the style of humor it uses.
There are some characters that the reader is meant to dislike immediately and vehemently because they are racist, misogynistic, rude, self-centered assholes. The author portrays these characters in such a way that the reader hopes karmic justice comes for these jerks. My issue with this is that the author is still using these characters' awful behavior for comedic effect, to garner laughs. Look at this ridiculous person demeaning immigrants, or that idiot for saying dehumanizing things about women, aren't they being stupid and ignorant, hahaha. Except these things happen in everyday life. These transgressions shouldn't be trivialized and laughed away. Sure, one might argue that the writer is just creating a caricature, after all you're not meant to sympathize with these characters. But if I'm reading a book for fun and enjoyment, then I don't want to see these kinds of jokes. They're just not funny to me.
I don't want to keep ranting. I'll just mention one more point that really annoyed me. Some of the characters seem to have the same voice. For example, there were times when the dialogue between Elliot and Anna had them both using the exact same sarcastic, snarky tone. I would mix up who was talking and have to back track. Maybe it was meant to show that Elliot and Anna really clicked and understood each other. But to me it felt like lazy writing and character development. There is a lot more I could say about this book. But I feel I've already spent too much time thinking about how much it bothers me.
There are some characters that the reader is meant to dislike immediately and vehemently because they are racist, misogynistic, rude, self-centered assholes. The author portrays these characters in such a way that the reader hopes karmic justice comes for these jerks. My issue with this is that the author is still using these characters' awful behavior for comedic effect, to garner laughs. Look at this ridiculous person demeaning immigrants, or that idiot for saying dehumanizing things about women, aren't they being stupid and ignorant, hahaha. Except these things happen in everyday life. These transgressions shouldn't be trivialized and laughed away. Sure, one might argue that the writer is just creating a caricature, after all you're not meant to sympathize with these characters. But if I'm reading a book for fun and enjoyment, then I don't want to see these kinds of jokes. They're just not funny to me.
I don't want to keep ranting. I'll just mention one more point that really annoyed me. Some of the characters seem to have the same voice. For example, there were times when the dialogue between Elliot and Anna had them both using the exact same sarcastic, snarky tone. I would mix up who was talking and have to back track. Maybe it was meant to show that Elliot and Anna really clicked and understood each other. But to me it felt like lazy writing and character development. There is a lot more I could say about this book. But I feel I've already spent too much time thinking about how much it bothers me.
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