Rating: 
Summary: Dark and lovely.
Review: This is one of the rare books about adolescents and mental illness that isn't cloying, smarmy, or obvious in its approach. Joi Brozek has a poet's ear and a painter's eye in describing the world of Lisha, a tormented teenager on Long Island in the late 80s. The "David Lynchian Brainrack" (to quote a friend) elements in the book are impressively handled. But what I really responded to was the lack of either sentimentality or cynicism (the latter of which is really just another form of sentimentality). Brozek is wise enough to realize that not everything can be fixed, closure is a myth, our minds play tricks on us...and we have to keep chugging along to our own weird muses. I look forward to reading more from this singularly gifted writer.P.S. It's actually quite funny in a lot of ways, too.
Rating: 
Summary: Sleeveless = Without sleeves
Review: Well... I have never before read a novel such as this. The way that the author writes and describes situations is truly unique. As I started reading the first few pages, I thought that this book was going to be another one of those novels that are scattered, unorganized and confusing, but I realized that as you dig deeper into the pages of this gripping book, it all comes together quite easily. This book describes to you what needs to be portrayed, and leaves a lot up to the imagination. But I believe this is the goal that the author wished to achieve. Sleevless was a haunting and challenging novel that is definately not for the squeemish, as mentioned in previous reviews. Its truly a book of discriptions and I have never before seen such a physcological book written in this manner. I really have nothing else to say except that Joi Brozek truly has a gift and anyone should definately give this book a read. Don't give up reading it on the first few pages, and even though there are a few dry spots throughout the novel, continue on reading, and it will all come together in the end. It is one of those books that leaves you thinking about the main charectar, Lisha and her situation, and the overall story even after you have closed the back cover and put the book back away on the shelf.
Rating:
Summary: Sleeveless = Without sleeves
Review: Well... I have never before read a novel such as this. The way that the author writes and describes situations is truly unique. As I started reading the first few pages, I thought that this book was going to be another one of those novels that are scattered, unorganized and confusing, but I realized that as you dig deeper into the pages of this gripping book, it all comes together quite easily. This book describes to you what needs to be portrayed, and leaves a lot up to the imagination. But I believe this is the goal that the author wished to achieve. Sleevless was a haunting and challenging novel that is definately not for the squeemish, as mentioned in previous reviews. Its truly a book of discriptions and I have never before seen such a physcological book written in this manner. I really have nothing else to say except that Joi Brozek truly has a gift and anyone should definately give this book a read. Don't give up reading it on the first few pages, and even though there are a few dry spots throughout the novel, continue on reading, and it will all come together in the end. It is one of those books that leaves you thinking about the main charectar, Lisha and her situation, and the overall story even after you have closed the back cover and put the book back away on the shelf.
Rating:
Summary: Gross Beauty
Review: _Sleeveless_ takes a second to grab you. But that's all - a second. And once you're in, you're in for a dark, twisted, eye-opening ride. The story is of Lisha, a manipulative Long Island teenager living with her religious zealot mother in the late '80s. To cope with the death of her sister after a botched closet abortion, Lisha begins to carve designs into her skin. Despite terse sentence structure, Ms. Brozek masterfully crafts wonderfully poetic prose. The narrative has a unique rhythm to it that flows like thoughts on cocaine. All the while she maintains a conversational tone, as if she's confiding in you. Wherever the narrative becomes disjointed, the style pulls it through. At times, you feel a certain brute force of will behind the narrative. Although that will wavers at times, it is never too long before the author powers the flow forward again. One of the more compelling techniques Ms. Brozek employs is when she alternates between the thoughts of the protagonist and the action of what's going on around her. All in all, this is a wonderful novel. Although certainly not for the squeamish, it is highly recommended. Phony Lid continues to produce visually appealing books.
Rating:
Summary: Gross Beauty
Review: _Sleeveless_ takes a second to grab you. But that's all - a second. And once you're in, you're in for a dark, twisted, eye-opening ride. The story is of Lisha, a manipulative Long Island teenager living with her religious zealot mother in the late '80s. To cope with the death of her sister after a botched closet abortion, Lisha begins to carve designs into her skin. Despite terse sentence structure, Ms. Brozek masterfully crafts wonderfully poetic prose. The narrative has a unique rhythm to it that flows like thoughts on cocaine. All the while she maintains a conversational tone, as if she's confiding in you. Wherever the narrative becomes disjointed, the style pulls it through. At times, you feel a certain brute force of will behind the narrative. Although that will wavers at times, it is never too long before the author powers the flow forward again. One of the more compelling techniques Ms. Brozek employs is when she alternates between the thoughts of the protagonist and the action of what's going on around her. All in all, this is a wonderful novel. Although certainly not for the squeamish, it is highly recommended. Phony Lid continues to produce visually appealing books.
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