Invisible Monsters

Rating:
Summary: Camus s@#ks!
Review: This book is a very quick read that for any flaws, makes up with slick narrative, good concepts and an ability to be amusing while touching despicable subjects. Very good and highly recomended to those with an open mind. Especially if you like Nine Inch Nails.

Rating:
Summary: Give me farce, Baby - FLASH!
Review: I don't know if Mr. Palahniuk conjures these plots as he's writing or if he knows how it will end up all along, but I was a bit disappointed by this latest effort. Not that it wasn't entertaining...definitely a fun ride. But I thought the plot twists and identity revelations along the way were just too, too convenient. Maybe he was, as someone suggested before, rushing to the bank on "Fight Club". This story felt contrived and pat. If you're seeking pure mind fluff escapism, read "Invisible Monsters". If you're searching for a darker, more mind-twisting experience, definitely go with "Fight Club", and reserve "IM" for your next trip to the beach.

Rating:
Summary: a must read for all super models who want to escape...
Review: I read Palahniuk's Fight Club and Survivor and was fairly eager to check out this unknown book written by the author called "Invisible Monsters"..from the very beginning I was hooked...I finished the book some 8 odd hours later...It's a very thought provoking book on many different levels, one being our beauty (i.e. human beauty) and/or what we , as humans, perceive beauty and ugliness to be...that's just one of the many facets of this drug laced, energetic, highly melancholy book....a must read for all supermodels who want to escape from the trivialities of life.

Rating:
Summary: Not quite Fight Club or Survivor, but good
Review: For a Chuck P. primer, check out one of his first two novels. Then, perhaps, move along to this one which is engaging but not quite on the same level as the previous two (especially Survivor.) Some of his writing devices will be very familiar (perhaps to the point of becoming cliche) and one is left wondering if the book was rushed to capitalize on the movie release of Fight Club (you think?) Regardless, Chuck manages to come up with a fresh set of darkly humorous oddballs and send them on another existential, out-of-control exploration of a hopelessly superficial, consumer culture that created them.

Rating:
Summary: Fight Club Loses Decision
Review: Personally, I feel Invisible Monsters to be the better of the first two Palahniuk books despite the hype generated by the film. This is Palahniuk taking on three extremely complex, yet tri-polar characters, and making it all work extremely well against an ever-changing backdrop. It may have it's small gaps and a few questions to answer (as did Fight Club) but we must give the man credit... he's only began writing since 1993!

Rating:
Summary: Head Trip
Review: One thing that I really like about Palahniuk is the small detail he throws in when he's bashing you over the head. I honestly believe that his charaterization is second to none. I really can't say much about the plot without revealing too much. I read it from start to finish, and it held my attention to the very last sentance. When you find out about the protagonist you'll wonder how he has pulled it off.

Rating:
Summary: A good book, but a bit empty.
Review: I'll give this book interesting, and that's about it. It was a good read and the pages turned effortlessly, but the story was a little flat. It felt as if this was a quick effort to publish a book that would satisfy Fight Club movie hype, and, at the same time, was overdone in attempt to be more eccentric than Fight Club. Palanhuik's ideas and writing style will keep you interested, but the book is, overall, empty. Invisible Monsters, by no means, stands up to Palanhuik's 2 earlier novels.

Rating:
Summary: A fun read, but not as affecting as Palahniuk's earlier work
Review: Invisible Monsters had its moments. The characters were for the most part interesting, and the work is always witty and engaging... until the end. The "final" standing relationships of the characters feel extremely forced, like Palahniuk had to fabricate incredulous relationships between characters in order to validate his creating the characters themselves. However, I must say that the one thing I truly loved in the book were Shannon and Shane's parents and how happy they were at finally being "hate-crimed." People like this, who hypocritically turn their losses into their conceit, are so hilarious. In short, and fun read, but that's about all it is.

Rating:
Summary: Great read!
Review: I just finished reading Inivisible Monsters after reading Fight Club. Invisible Monsters doesn't have the dark humor of Fight Club, but it does have many more unexpected twists and turns. Just as soon as you feel that you've figured out the mystery, the story takes on a whole other slant. You'll rack your brain trying to figure out who is who and their relationships to one another. If you can guess even half of the ending then you must by psychic. As always, Chuck Palahniuk delivers a visual coup de force taht will leave you breathless and wanting to read the whole story over again.

Rating:
Summary: The Post-Modern Thelma & Louise (?)
Review: THIS is the Queen Supreme, Ms. Brandy Alexander. Chuck introduces some cool new characters in this book (though Manus really seemed under-developed to me) about role/gender reversal. There are some really inspired bits in this book, and though the plot seems disjointed at times (don't worry - enjoy the character study) it all comes together (or close enough.) If you can make it through the beginning, you'll be fine. This is really like the female version of Fight Club (which is the superior novel and definitely the first of Palahniuk's books to pick up if you haven't read him before.) Brandy is Tyler; the unnamed (almost) narrorator; the nifty flashback/bookend/framing device. Yeah, it's a cool book. Check it out, it's short like his other books. If you don't like it, the most you're out is a couple of nights. And it's definitely better than whatever's on TV.