Karoo

Rating:
Summary: Damn good writing style
Review: I read about 7 chapters in this book when i had to return it to the library i had borrowed it from. When I went back after a week, some reader had lost the book and the library has never gotten it back since. Its been 3 months. So, now i'm ordering it because I have to finish this book... it is so god damn interesting. Great writing style. Great character development. I have to know how it ends.

Rating:
Summary: Well worth the read
Review: It took me more than one shot to get through this book, but I was glad I did. I think that the hopelessness of the main character made it difficult to get into at first--it was hard to like him, and a little difficult to care what happened to him. But once I got into the story, I truly enjoyed it. Tesich does an amazing job of filling a book with characters that aren't really all that likeable--he puts you inside their heads and shows you their motivations. They are all full of crap, but they convince themselves that their motives are pure--this can be laughable and completely disheartening at the same time. The story gained momentum, and (knowing that it couldn't possibly end well) I was torn between digging my heels in and letting myself get swept up. The ending left me feeling like I was trying to swallow cotton balls. It was a redemption story without the redemption, a portrait of a possibly souless man...I highly recommend this book, but not to anyone who's looking for a warm-fuzzy feeling about humankind.

Rating:
Summary: Buy it, Steal it, Read it!
Review: Quite simply, one of the best books I have read. Tesichs' insights, observations, and descriptions of situations are so disturbingly real, you find yourself alternately hating/loving Saul Karoo, the subject of the novel. Karoo is described as something of an anti-hero, however 'Everyman' would be more apt as I defy anyone who reads this book not to identify with him in any number of situations - some humorous, others poignant, but all of them true to life. Follow the trail of (ex?)alcoholic Karoo from parties to restaurants to meetings and try and NOT see yourself in at least one of these cleverly written pages - some 'laugh out loud', others a bit close to the bone, but always an eye-opener in his slightly surreal world. A real page turner. One of those books that you hate to finish.