So a few months ago my husband suggested we watch this new Netflix movie starring Robert Pattinson. I was kind of on the fence about it, but that movie stayed true to the name. So when I was walking through my local bookstore, I found a copy of the book. I thought, "Well, if the movie was a huge mind-fuck, I can only imagine how descriptive the book must be." So, obviously, I bought myself a copy.
For those that have seen the movie, you know how rough this story is.
Take that grittiness and multiple it by 10 and that's how rough this book is.
Donald Ray Pollock created the fictional cities of Knockemstiff, Ohio, and Cold Creek, West Virginia. Two cities where bad things are bound to happen. The story follows a few different characters. Arvin, who lost both his parents in horrific ways. Carl who keeps pimping out his wife, Sandy. The town sheriff who happens to be Sandy's brother. Roy and Theodore, the traveling preachers. And of course, Preacher Teagardin who is grossly attracted to the younger girls in his new congregation.
Yeah, there's a lot going on in this book. But somehow, all the story lines intersect in tragic ways. Trouble has a way of following all these characters to their bitter ends. This is not a redemption story. This is a story of murder, suicide, and rape. There is nothing but grit dripping from the pages of this book.
I was also amazed at how closely the movie followed the novel.
But beware, there are some scenes in the book where it made perfect sense as to why they left those scenes out of the movie.
This book was pure tragedy.
But I loved it.
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