Snuff

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I don't think this book was a complete waste. Many twists and turns to enthrall the reader, but it certainly was not C.P.'s finest book. For the money and easy-to-read factor I think it was 1000 yen well spent. I only wished he would have made it grittier.

non ho ancora deciso se chuck palahniuk sia un artista, certo è che ha molto mestiere ed è per questo sempre molto piacevole. il suo inglese è scorrevole ma non banale. il soggetto del libro è molto intrigante e la sua scrittura rende molto bene l'atmosfera, al punto che si ha quasi la sensazione di sentire gli odori.

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There are many mixed reviews of this book here, it is certainly not for everyone, I for one really enjoyed it. I have to confess, Chuck Palahniuk is one of my favourite authors, so there was every chance I would like it. The story is certainly an interesting one, with a popular adult film actress Cassie Wright wanting to end her career on a high by breaking a very notorious world record. On hand to help her out are several volunteers, including the narrators of this book, numbers 72, 137 and 600, three guys from different backgrounds who all want to take part for different reasons, and Ms Wright's faithful assistant Sheila. So, the subject matter is not going to suit everyone. Now that is out of the way, what we have here is a book full of dark humour, some childish laughs but done well, some more dark and twisted, and some very unique writing. If this story in any way mirrors the real adult entertainment industry well forget any thoughts that this world being glamourous. The picture Palahniuk paints is one that is grimy, sleazy and stinking. And yet, despite this bleak picture and most of the characters being pretty unlikeable, I found the whole story gripping and was sorry to reach the end. The general consensus among reviewers seems to be that this is not one of Palahniuk's best books. I'm not sure I agree, but so far I have enjoyed each one that I have read and it is hard to pick a favourite. If you prefer long weighty novels then my only criticism would be that this book is pretty short, but I think the story was as long as it needed to be, any more would have been unneccesary bloating. In closing, if you are not offended by the subject matter dealt with here, and you enjoy dark humour, I think Snuff is well worth reading.

Cassie Wright, an aging porn star, is filming her finale in the industry with a whopping idea for her closure: to have sex with 600 different men in one movie. Cassie has been in the industry for years, made thousands of movies (the names of which, coming from Palahniuk's brilliant imagination, will leaving you laughing to tears), and with her once fashion-model good looks gone, she intends to go out with a bang. She's on the set, and downstairs in a roomy basement await 600 men ready to becoming noticed or re-noticed by participating in Cassie's spectacular event. The story is told through the eyes of four people. Sheila, the talent wrangler responsible for organizing the men into groups of three to attend Ms. Wright's performance; Mr. 600 who we discover is long time porn actor Branch Bacardi, an old pro with a deep history with Cassie; Mr. 72, a besotted young man named Darin bearing an armload of wilting roses and claiming to be Cassie's long lost love-child; and Mr. 137, an out-of-work TV actor who used to play detective Dan Banyon in a prime-time series until his previous gay porn work was uncovered. The men wait in the basement, covered in bronzing cream, snacking from a buffet that includes condoms, talking with each other and wondering if there's any truth to the rumor that Cassie could die from a vaginal embolism before the day is over. Chuck Palahniuk has written an exceptionally humorous novel with 'Snuff'. The chatter is filled with little known Hollywood gossip tidbits, leaving me to wonder how much is true or not. The clashing of personalities was exceptionally well-written, the thoughts of the characters interestingly tragic and comedic. There's enough deviant sex-talk involved that if that particular subject offends you, you probably won't see the humor and enjoy the book as much as I did. I read it in one sitting, unable to put it down until the twists and surprises at the ending. 'Snuff' is a highly enjoyable piece of "toilet humor" written by one of today's literary legends. I definitely think this is one of Palahniuk's best written novels, and the unique storyline keeps you reading well past bedtime. It's witty, funny, appalling, sarcastic, and amusing. I can't recommend this book highly enough. 10 Stars. Enjoy!