Permanent Obscurity: Or a Cautionary Tale of Two Girls and Their Misadventures with Drugs, Pornography and Death by Richard Perez

Dec 02, 2010

oriana rated it

Shelves: read-2010

Oh dear, I didn't mean to cause such a stink with this.

Here is the story: the author sent me his book & asked me to review it. I didn't like the book, and gave it a bad review, but also offered to take down said review if the author wished. I mean, shit, I didn't like the book, but I do like books in general, and I respect someone who is working to push his own book, and clearly I'm just not the right audience for this book, and surely there are lots of people who are the right audi...more

like 34 likes

· see review

Oct 27, 2010

Anna rated it

Facesitting. That's what this book is about. No lie. Well, it's about more than that. Maybe friendship. And betrayal. And BDSM. And Drugs. The story of Permanent Obscurity is the recounting of a "relationship." That being between Dolores and Serena, two drug abusing women (who often behave like teenagers) and get into trouble over drug money. Perez, the author, writes well: something like a cross between Quentin Tarantino and Hunter S. Thompson. Like Tarantino, his narrative is dialogu...more

like 15 likes

· see review

Mar 09, 2011

Beth rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like 4 likes

· see review

Jul 31, 2010

Lady Feral rated it

Recommended to Lady Feral by: Richard Perez

Shelves: 2010, good-reads, suggested-a-moi

In Permanent Obscurity, Richard Perez delivers with an impressive 'cautionary tale.' While it does contain explicit content, this character driven plot held my attention from beginning to end. In other words, it is not erotica even though there is erotic content. In the last half of the novel, the rising action and climax bring the characters to the boiling point, and while reading their shouting matches and Dolores' and Serena's friendship burn out, I found myself scanning the lines at triple ...more

like 14 likes

· see review

Jul 07, 2010

Patrick O'Neil rated it

I once went out with a Puerto Rican girl from New York City. She was loud, obnoxious, pushy, overbearing, and hot as hell. I had to be in the right mood when I was with her. If I wasn't feeling good, like if I was depressed, it was really hard to hang. Her comebacks, snappy retorts, loud mouth, and the constant need to put everybody else down was, at times, too much. Unfortunately, I was depressed a lot in those days and it wasn't easy and eventually we broke up and went our separate ways. And n...more

like 4 likes

· see review

Jun 28, 2010

Bonnie rated it

Recommends it for: open minded people

Recommended to Bonnie by: first reads

Shelves: first-reads, fiction, rather-vulgar-beware

I was not 'put off' by the graphic sexual content in this book. Infact, given the nature of the characters, it all made sense and it gave you more of an understanding of the main characters, Serena and Dolores. What made this book so enjoyable and the plot so realistic is the complexity of all the characters. They brought the book to life and gave it substance. This is the kind of book where you can really get into indepth discussions analyzing the characters.

My thoughts on Dolor...moreI was not 'put off' by the graphic sexual content in this book. Infact, given the nature of the characters, it all made sense and it gave you more of an understanding of the main characters, Serena and Dolores. What made this book so enjoyable and the plot so realistic is the complexity of all the characters. They brought the book to life and gave it substance. This is the kind of book where you can really get into indepth discussions analyzing the characters.

My thoughts on Dolores was, yes, she was a nonconformist. She was told how talented she was by many people and had choices, yet she chose to do nothing with her life. Was that because of her drug use? Was she lazy? Was she afraid of selling out? Or did it have more to do with the negative influence of her bestfriend Serena? Although, Dolores used drugs, she did refrain from them at certain times and as negative as she was, she did have a heart. She had empathy towards certain people and the baby she was carrying. In the beginning, she loved Serena. She got very jealous when Serena spent more time around other people. Perhaps Serena is the reason why she wouldn't take Raymond back? The outcome of this book could have been avoided entirely if Dolores had cashed the check that Raymond had given her. That would have paid off all the people Serena "beat", but she chose to follow Serena instead. Maybe she thought her and Serena could have a future together? Towards the end of the book though, she came to her senses and realized Serena wasn't who she thought she was, but by then it was too late. Some of Delores's negativity could have been a result of her age. She was young. Had a lot to learn about life (even though she may have thought she knew it all). If drugs and Serena weren't in Dolores's life, I think she could have had a good chance at becoming somebody.

Serena, on the other hand, no way!! She didn't strike me as a nonconformist for artistic reasons (like Dolores). She was a drug addict. She not only used drugs, but people too. It was obvious that she didn't have real feelings for Dolores. (She proved that in the end by selling her out). When given a choice, she chose to be with people who could provide her with drugs (Dolores lacked the funds). Had she known about Raymond's check, she would have talked Dolores into cashing it and spending it all on coke. She was also a liar. She never told the whole truth about stuff. There was also a lot of things that she did, but wouldn't admit to. I don't think there was much she wouldn't do, but acted the opposite so no one saw how pathetic she really was and how low she would go to get drugs. Selena was also very sneaky. She hid many things from Dolores. Im not even sure if Serena was really into "femdom". I think Baby was and because Baby could provide many things to Serena, she conformed to meet his needs to keep him around.

I don't think Serena impacted Baby negatively. I think Baby had very deep psychological issues that could only be resolved with therapy. As for Raymond, he loved Dolores. Yeah, he wanted to see if the grass was greener on the other side when "barbie" came along, but he realized his mistake. I think with a little AA he could have made a nice husband to Dolores.

This book was worth the read. The characters mentioned above brought the story to life. It dosn't have a happy ending and the main character's are plagued with one dissappointing set back after another, but then again, so is real life, which is what this book is modeled after. (less)

like 4 likes

· see review

Jun 12, 2010

Megan Harris rated it

Permanent Obscurity was a well written book considering what I expected. I normally do not like novels written in any sort of dialect or books about druggies (as I don't normally find them interesting - if not a bit annoying) but I really enjoyed this one.
I thought the characters were interesting and well developed. Especially the main character Dolores, who was likable but also believable. If not a bit 'out there.'
I gobbled up all 450 pages of this book in around ten hours because i...more

like 3 likes

· see review

Jul 20, 2010

the golden witch. rated it

Shelves: arc-galley, ebook, 2010, gay-and-genderqueer, first-reads-early-reviewers, reviewed

A very interesting take on what the Generation Y (children born in the 1980's) have had to go through in order to stay afloat in the current economic climate. Very visceral in its diction, this book made me smile in more ways than one; specifically in the way the two protagonists spoke to each other (incredibly insulting by regular society standards, but real love behind each f-bomb and four letter word). Also a refreshing look on the sex industry today and how women are starting to take the wor...more

like 2 likes

· see review

Oct 13, 2011

Anita Dalton rated it

Shelves: fiction, transgressive-sort-of, books-we-own

Okay, Permanent Obscurity is not a bad book but it is not a good book either. The protagonist, in addition to lacking self-awareness, is one of the most tiresome, irritating, foolhardy, aggressive heroines you will ever read. She is best friends with a sociopathic, self-absorbed sadist. Together, the two of them, in the bowels of New York, decide to escape from the terrible financial situation they find themselves in by making a porno. Oh yeah, they owe a ton of money to a drug dealer. That shou...more

like 1 like

· see review

Mar 06, 2011

Karenw rated it

In his book, Permanent Obscurity, Richard Perez tells the story of two girls in New York City, Delores and Serena. Living a Bohemian hand-to-mouth lifestyle, they are fairly aimless and fumble through their lives with little direction. Their alliance seems strong at the beginning, exceeding the bounds of usual friendship and wandering into physical intimacy at times. But, things are not as they seem, as is skillfully revealed as the story progresses.

Delores and Serena are drug users a...moreIn his book, Permanent Obscurity, Richard Perez tells the story of two girls in New York City, Delores and Serena. Living a Bohemian hand-to-mouth lifestyle, they are fairly aimless and fumble through their lives with little direction. Their alliance seems strong at the beginning, exceeding the bounds of usual friendship and wandering into physical intimacy at times. But, things are not as they seem, as is skillfully revealed as the story progresses.

Delores and Serena are drug users and people users who generally operate outside of the establishment. They hit on the idea of making their own S&M porn film to make money. Permanent Obscurity details their misadventures as they steal a camera, locate a willing submissive male actor, and do copious amounts of drugs. They are pursued by dangerous elements to whom Serena owes money. Their escapade turns into a tragedy as things take an unexpected turn for the ugly.

Richard Perez presents his characters with blunt honesty and no-holds-barred authenticity in this rowdy romp through the mismanaged lives of these two freewheeling young women. His writing style is clear, gutsy, and unapologetic. The dialogue is spot-on and the plot is well-paced, accelerating toward the end of the book into a tension that keeps the reader turning pages to find out what happens next. This talented author catches the reader with one hook (the sex and drugs), and then in an adroit bait-and-switch, transfers smoothly to another rail (genuine peril and death) before the complacent reader realizes what has happened. Suddenly, the story has shifted from what it seemed to be in the beginning to something else entirely. It is a masterful transition, tasty and surprising, as consequences and accountability finally rear their ugly heads.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable book, well-written and expertly handled. Warning for readers: it contains graphic scenes best suited for adults. Permanent Obscurity is edgy, hip, street-wise, and irreverent. I highly recommend this book.
(less)

like

· see review

Feb 12, 2011

Zhôngguó Jane rated it

Like a naughty child who only a mother can love, Permanent Obscurity is literature's naughty child; a mass-market delinquent considered either too experimental by commercial publishers or too commercial by experimental publishers. Is it Chick Lit? Romantic Comedy? Publishers don't like anything they can't slap a label on and neatly package, and that makes Permanent Obscurity label-less and unloved. PO author Richard Perez is to be commended for resisting genres and labels. His noir exploitation ...moreLike a naughty child who only a mother can love, Permanent Obscurity is literature's naughty child; a mass-market delinquent considered either too experimental by commercial publishers or too commercial by experimental publishers. Is it Chick Lit? Romantic Comedy? Publishers don't like anything they can't slap a label on and neatly package, and that makes Permanent Obscurity label-less and unloved. PO author Richard Perez is to be commended for resisting genres and labels. His noir exploitation novel easily could have been outfitted with a predictable, mass-market formula and accessorized with cliched characters to suit the corporate suits. But that's not Perez's deal. He obviously wanted to portray life in New York AS IT IS sans the glam and happy endings that Sex and the City gave it on television. Perez's first book, The Losers Club: Complete Restored Edition!, was hailed for revealing the reality of NYC's eclectic cast of characters. But instead of cashing in on his success, Perez "kept it real" with PO, penning what he lives and breathes in the barrio. In a way, Richard Perez is the Larry Clark of literature. I would not be surprised if filmmaker Larry Clark (of Kids fame) were to someday turn Permanent Obscurity into a cult movie, because PO has screenplay written all over it. The rapid-fire dialogue, comically brutal scenarios and down-tuned ending seem like the author might have initially intended for PO to be a treatment rather than a novel. I can see it now: Lindsay Lohan as Serena and Rosario Dawson as Dolores. The Hollywood brass would kick and scream at their inter-racial love affair! Serena (the attractive one) and Dolores the "Nuyorican" are two tough, Lower East Side grrrls struggling to get by on the lousy hand that life dealt them. They are NOT loveable - they have admittedly rancid breath, treat men like dirt and steal from third-world grocers when hungry. Aside from their filthy habits and fondness for narcotics, S&D really could be any Middle American female: "After watching some cop show on TV and picking the lint out of my belly button, I got up to go to the bathroom, then fell out." Our twenty-something heroines are ambitionless ("smoke, procreate, drink, puke, give birth, die") and in a perpetual state of periods and panic. They constantly spat with each other, hurling profanities that would make Sarah Silverman blush, and have lost all faith in America's corporate culture and its wage-slave working class ("pod people, not quite dead but not alive either"). Desperate for money to pay off their drug debts, the two bisexual babes decide to make a bondage film. Reality segues into hilarity and the book really takes off. Exchanging their panties for a script, stealing a video camera from the mafia, and hustling narcotics from is all part of an ill-conceived master plan to make a movie. Enter a depressingly funny cameo by the author himself as a writer-turned-masochist, though it doesn't end well for him nor his manuscript. An over-dose, car chase and homicide round out the entertaining story arc. Permanent Obscurity is not for everyone, and I'm sure Perez intended it that way. The New York street slang will be a challenge to decipher for anyone who doesn't use urbandictionary.com ("A'ight," "Mad Sexy," "Five-O") and the stream-of-conscious dialogue is written in brief single sentences like Twitter on crack:
"This was wrong.
This was bad.
We were wrong.
We were bad."
As an aside, the publisher might want to reconsider their choice of book covers for the second edition of PO; in an ill-conceived Dolores-esque move, they brazenly chose to use a vintage photo of two half-naked women. Ironically, even during the girls' pornoshoot-gone-bad, there is really nothing obscene about Permanent Obscurity. If we must give it a label, call it exploitation-light. To conclude, Permanent Obscurity is an absolutely, positively, completely, thoroughly, back-to-front, front-to-back, up and down, backwards and forwards, then and now, as well as in the future, good read. I look forward to seeing it on the silver screen. (less)

like 2 likes

· see review

Feb 08, 2011

Sarah Holt rated it

Permanent Obscurity: Or a Cautionary Tale of Two Girls & Their Misadventures with Drugs, Pornography and Death is the story of two girls living on the fringes of roughly-present-day New York City. As the title implies, their lives are filled with drug binges, violence and sex while their bank accounts are empty. Serena is an experimental musician who has recently been dabbling in fetish porn. Dolores is an aspiring photographer struggling through an underpaying day job and a painful break-up. To...more

like

· see review

Nov 22, 2010

Becca Salzberg rated it

This was the first book I read on a Kindle and it was more enjoyable than I thought it would be. Permanent Obscurity is not really a dirty book, though I saw it listed with porn stuff. It's the story of two young women who are very misguided. But that's the subject of the book. It's in the subtitle: "drugs, pornography and death." Like others have mentioned, this is a lot like the movie "Kids" and the protagonists are not much older. If I can remember back to my reckless year...more

like 2 likes

· see review

Nov 20, 2010

Birgit rated it

I honestly didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book. Yes, I was curious. No, it's not the type of book I usually read. And there I was, unable to put it down.
This is a fast-paced, and most importantly well told, story with excellent dialogues that bring the two main characters, Serena and Dolores, literally to life. You instantly get the feeling that the two girls are real and not just figments of an author's imagination. A raw and honest, at times brutal and in the next ...more

like 3 likes

· see review

Oct 23, 2010

Rachel rated it

If I tell you that it has very graphic pornography and drug use, you'll just shrug and say, "Seen it before." and pick it up and start reading. About 75 pages in, you'll come up for air, and need either a cigarette, or a strong shot of something, depending on your vice! All I know is I thought I knew what I was getting into, but then again, so did Dolores and Serena, and boy did it get pear-shaped for them!

This is a tale that starts out as a mis-adventure of two young girls i...more

like 5 likes

· see review

Oct 20, 2010

Kim rated it

Permanent Obscurity is written in the "as told by" style, which was perfect for the dark, psychosexual themes of the book. The author's disclaimer of vulgarity is accurate, but fully in keeping with the the story as it unfolds. Set in the East Village of NYC, Dolores Santana and Serena Moon are two chemically-dependent, struggling artists whose lives are spiralling out of control. Dolores is a photographer with a lot of skill but little ambition and motivation beyond scoring her nex...more

like 8 likes

· see review

Oct 05, 2010

Beth rated it

What a weird novel! In a lot of ways -- mainly because of the "fetish" sexual content -- this is one of the strangest novels I ever read, and yet I only feel that now, after some distance from having enjoyed it.
While I was reading it, the material wasn't that weird at all, and maybe this is because we enter the perverted little world of Dolores and Serena, and while we're inside we feel and see things as they do.
This is a great book. Not "great" in the classic lit...more

like 7 likes

· see review

Aug 19, 2010

Jennifer rated it

Wow, this book was really entertaining! I'm glad I purchased it -- after Amazon recommended it to me based on my shopping history. Essentially it’s a tabloid story of two mixed up East Village artists -- or wannabe artists -- who fall in way over their heads. What’s to blame? Drugs. It seems they’ve pissed off one to many people with unpaid tabs and now they find themselves in deeper and deeper hot water. They set out to make a female domination movie that will pay back their debt, but these two...more

like 9 likes

· see review

Aug 02, 2010

Liza Ans rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Permanent Obscurity

Permanent Obscurity: Or a Cautionary Tale of Two Girls and
Their Misadventures with Drugs, Pornography and Death
Author: Richard Perez
Published by Ludlow Press
ISBN: 978-097134154-8

Reading the title of the book…at first left me a bit shaky. “AM I FINALLY GOING TO BE heaving into EROTICA FILLED WITH NOTHING BUT unreal WRITING ABOUT JUST SEX”? But I love myself for giving Permanent Obscurity a try because Richard Perez b...morePermanent Obscurity

Permanent Obscurity: Or a Cautionary Tale of Two Girls and
Their Misadventures with Drugs, Pornography and Death
Author: Richard Perez
Published by Ludlow Press
ISBN: 978-097134154-8

Reading the title of the book…at first left me a bit shaky. “AM I FINALLY GOING TO BE heaving into EROTICA FILLED WITH NOTHING BUT unreal WRITING ABOUT JUST SEX”? But I love myself for giving Permanent Obscurity a try because Richard Perez brings and delivers this impressive 'cautionary tale' beautifully. Despite the fact that it does contain explicit substance in the tome; this character motivated scheme of the plot held my attention from the beginning to end. Heck, the drugs, pornography and death are what make this book so gripping to read.
This book is mainly what the title presents, “A Cautionary Tale of Two Girls and Their Misadventures with Drugs, Pornography and Death.” It's a dark comedy about the difficulties relationships go through and the rhetorical question about Fame over Infamy. It’s about two girls, Dolores Santana and her best friend Serena Moon whom when one of them ends up in dept for her favourite street product, the other stays by her side and together, they brainstorm the just the right idea to fetch in the green and be free of the debts. However, not all good things last and soon, they go into tunnel from which both of them cannot escape from.
What I find so great about this book is the way that the characters are developed and presented. Believe me, there are a few books that leave me hanging “Um…was he really supposed to be doing that or am I just reading crap now” kind of a feeling. I believe characters make books possible and this one just made me grip tight on it because the characters were very plausible and realistic. I’m no “Dolores” (one the main characters in Permanent Obscurity) but reading about her just makes you feel like your crawling under her skin, actually feeling her very emotions to the depth of actually coming out of your comfort zone and wanting to help her.
My only (short) complaint is the draggy 2/3 of the ending. It was an incredible read but I feel it could’ve been “shorter” near the end. But anyhow, out of all the books in this style I've picked up over the years, this one has delivered exactly what I expected of it. I finally understand the idiom "don't judge a book by its cover" because you should never. It is a deliciously seedy romp of a tale, well written and with characters that, while you may not relate to them, you certainly enjoy reading about. This is a feisty must read that leave you feeling unforgettable.
(less)

like 5 likes

· see review

Jul 31, 2010

m rated it

~blurb~

"My blood. Hot and red." When Permanent Obscurity's protagonist, Dolores, makes this statement, we're not sure just which source of blood she's referring to. Ready-made for Roger Avary or Robert Rodriguez, Richard Perez takes us on a blackly comedic romp that will have us laughing, gagging and crying in mostly equal measure as we frenetically turn the pages. Thanks for not pulling those punches, Mr. Perez; New York noir hasn't tasted this fresh in years.

~full...more

like 4 likes

· see review

Jul 30, 2010

Kathy Austin rated it

PERMANENT OBSCURITY: Or a Cautionary Tale of Two Girls and Their Misadventures with Drugs, Pornography and Death by Dolores Santana (as told to Richard Perez)

While this type of genre is way beyond what I would normally read, I was asked to do a review by the author and so agreed. WARNING: Adult content, sex and drug-use!

I was pleasantly surprised! The story is captivating and interesting. It is presented in a way that delves into the minds of people who follow this ...more

like 8 likes

· see review

Jun 27, 2010

Nicole added it

Here's your review: Honestly within the first 10 pages of the book I thought that it would take me forever to get through. I really did not like it at all. The conversations between the characters annoyed me to no end (I hate the yo yo homie, kind of slang). Now see I cuss extensively and frequently, but the dialogue between the two main people was just crass and uncalled for. OK so are you ready for my final verdict of this book now that I'm done with it? I really enjoyed it. The beginning seem...more

like 3 likes

· see review

Jun 22, 2010

Jennifer rated it

I have to admit, I wasn't sure I could read a book like this. But I was wrong. I actually really enjoyed it.

The plot starts off as intriguing: Dolores wants to be an artist (a photographer) but that won't pay the bills so she works a dead-end job as a temp. You almost feel sorry for her.
Then, as she blames everyone but herself for her problems, you just start to hate her. The plot takes off when she and Serena (another failed artist) decide to make their movie. After a certain ...more

like 5 likes

· see review

Sep 01, 2010

Andrea Quinn rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like 11 likes

· see review

Aug 21, 2010

Dan rated it

Shelves: freebies-for-reviewing, 2010

When Dolores and Serena end up down and out and owing money to damn near everyone, they conspire to make a fetish video for cash. Only things start falling apart immediately...

I gave this book a shot since Richard Perez seemed like a cool guy, especially for a Goodreads Author. Plus he said it was a sexploitation book, sexploitation being right behind blaxploitation as my favorite type of exploitation genre. I wasn't disappointed.

This book was definitely a page turner. Pe...more

like 7 likes

· see review

Jun 18, 2010

BookMarc rated it

He eased himself back into bed ready for a final session of pleasure. Already, earlier on, he had spent a couple of hours doing the exact same thing but sometimes you just have to go back for more...and so he did. Forty minutes or so later and it was all over. He had given his all and now it was time to move onto his next conquest. With a stretch and a yawn and an unspoken intrinsic pleasure he stepped out from between the sheets, scratched his ass, and ambled over to his bookshelf where he plac...moreHe eased himself back into bed ready for a final session of pleasure. Already, earlier on, he had spent a couple of hours doing the exact same thing but sometimes you just have to go back for more...and so he did. Forty minutes or so later and it was all over. He had given his all and now it was time to move onto his next conquest. With a stretch and a yawn and an unspoken intrinsic pleasure he stepped out from between the sheets, scratched his ass, and ambled over to his bookshelf where he placed the book he had just completed back on the second shelf...although not before giving the front cover one more admiring look. His only concern now was what novel to conquer next.
The book he had just finished reading in that forty minute session was 'Permanent Obscurity'. It had been a long read, the page count a chunky 464 pages, and he felt that it would have read better had it been a hundred pages or so shorter. The reason for that was because the novel relied on a huge amount of dialogue with a storyline that was lightweight. The storyline, he had noticed, was summed up quite perfectly on the back cover of the book...

"Dolores and Serena, two chemically dependent, down-and-out artists, set out to take control of their lives by making a fetish-noir/femdom movie.
Of course, things don't exactly turn out as planned."

Of course, he had reasoned when he finally reached the part of the story where Dolores and Serena finally set about making their movie, it backed up his reasoning that the novel was too long as he had been over three hundred pages into the book when that occurred. The build up to that event had covered nothing more substantial than Dolores' relationship problems and Serena's drug addiction problems which had ended up constructing the path they had traveled upon. However, even though much of the build up took place through dialogue it had been written very well and he realized that the author's greatest talent was conveying the story through the exchanges between the main characters.
The main characters. He had found it difficult to care too much about either Dolores or Serena...two females who were happy to give the middle finger to society. Both of them used a lot of recreational drugs but whereas Dolores had some essence of control Serena was an addict who was only getting worse. The admiration Dolores had for Serena somewhat clouded her judgement in relation to her and, added to that, they were both bisexual and intimately involved with each other. He could well understand the lure of a bisexual woman and so somewhat forgave Dolores' initial blind devotion to Serena.
The sex. Even though this was a sexual novel he was never turned on by it as the sexual acts weren't graphic and mulled upon until the climax of the novel. Even then it was not really portrayed in a way that was meant to stimulate although, he had admitted to himself, the thought of having his face buried in Serena's ass was a very pleasant one. He had also noticed that the quotation advertising permanentobscurity.com was, "What I wouldn't give for a punishing ass like Serena's!" so he knew he wasn't the only one who must have felt that way. Then again, he hoped that the lure of a woman's ass would never lead him to his death.
Had the story played out without some of the farcical elements towards the end he would have enjoyed it more than he had done. That's not to say he didn't enjoy it as he felt as if he was having an intellectual love affair with this novel for the week it had taken him to read it. Humor had been used well elsewhere in the novel and overall it had felt like a cross between, 'Zach and Miri Make a Porno', 'Trainspotting', 'Weekend at Bernie's' and any Russ Meyer movie you could care to name. He knew that people would find it to be an acquired taste (particularly the author's choice of no chapters but one long story broken up by frequent "page breaks") but, he recalled, as Dolores had said in the book "You better recognize this fact: People are complicated."(less)

like 1 like

· see review

Jul 27, 2010

Bookventures Book Club rated it

Permanent Obscurity is not for squeamish readers as the content is adult and thought provoking. In Permanent Obscurity, Richard Perez has opened up a whole different world unknown to us; one wrapped up in sex, pornography and drugs. The book is not just about porn but it is grounded in several themes such as loyalty and friendship and it even takes a jab at sensationalism in the media and the ills of a capitalist society. The tile is really appropriate when you think about it since Perez is exa...more

like 8 likes

· see review

Nov 22, 2010

Becca Salzberg rated it

· review of another edition

This was the first book I read on a Kindle and it was more enjoyable than I thought it would be. Permanent Obscurity is not really a dirty book, though I saw it listed with porn stuff. It's the story of two young women who are very misguided. But that's the subject of the book. It's in the subtitle: "drugs, pornography and death." Like others have mentioned, this is a lot like the movie "Kids" and the protagonists are not much older. If I can remember back to my reckless...more

like

· see review

Nov 22, 2010

Heatherly rated it

· review of another edition

There isn’t anything to spoil it in my review, but since I thought it was terrible you can just skip to the end and read the last paragraph or two, my summary of the book and final thoughts.

At first look the book purports itself to be a satire of Bohemia and and 60s “sexploitation” films. In my opinion it was a story about a couple of girls who never grew up and decided to try to find an easy way out of the hole they had dug themselves in.

Dolores and Serena, main characters,...moreThere isn’t anything to spoil it in my review, but since I thought it was terrible you can just skip to the end and read the last paragraph or two, my summary of the book and final thoughts.

At first look the book purports itself to be a satire of Bohemia and and 60s “sexploitation” films. In my opinion it was a story about a couple of girls who never grew up and decided to try to find an easy way out of the hole they had dug themselves in.

Dolores and Serena, main characters, are about as different as they come. Dolores is an average sized, average looking, average photographer addicted to drugs and alcohol. She works at a temp agency because she’s too afraid to really get out there and try to publish her art. Serena is pure feminine perfection with a selfish demeanor. She has no job and no real skills other than her looks and her ability to manipulate those around her.

To put it simply, I hated the characters. Serena was a manipulative bitch from word one and never changed. She was always out for herself and never stopped to question consequences. She was ruled by her id. When she wanted drugs she manipulated and weaseled drugs out of someone. When she wanted to feel powerful, she found someone willing to play her submissive. She exploited those around her for her personal gain. I wanted to strangle her on a regular basis through the story.

Other than hating the characters, I hated the dialogue. Talking in such dialect and slang through the whole story set my teeth on edge. I realize that the characters are uneducated and uncouth in every way, but at least some of the narrative should have been in standard, grammatically correct, English. The volgarity of the language (and some of the plot) left much to be desired as well.

I can boil the story down in a few lines: Dolores and Serena are friends with no life outside of whining about their problems and getting high. Dolores and Serena realize that they have a problem with their lives when people start stalking them. Serena decides to make a femdom porno and steers Dolores into the plan. Things go horribly wrong because they can’t keep themselves from getting drunk and high and self-sabotaging. Someone dies and they have to decide to ‘man up’ and take responsibility or not. The End.

The only reason I finished the book is that I was asked to read and review it and I gave my word. Otherwise I’d have stopped half way through and asked for a refund. I was not impressed at all. If you still feel like reading it, be aware that it does have sexually explicit material in it that might not be for everyone.(less)

like

· see review

Oct 19, 2010

Cassie rated it

This book really had everything I expected, and more. I would like to say it could have been more condensed, but I think it would have taken away from the development of the main character. Even though I didn't care about all of the drama surrounding the main character delores (who was shallow in my opinion), she did and to remove or ignore those details would make the main character unrealistic. The book was very well written save some typos. The characters are believable and the plot is wearis...more

like 3 likes

· see review

topics	posts	views	last activity
PERMANENT OBSCURITY: Kindle vs Hardcopy editions ...	1	6	Jun 27, 2010 01:36pm
PERMANENT OBSCURITY : Too Perverted?	1	6	Jun 26, 2010 07:59pm

title link	preview: Permanent Obscurity: Or a Cautionary Tale of Two Girls and Their Misadventures with Drugs, Pornography and Death
avg rating	preview: Permanent Obscurity: Or a Cautionary Tale of Two Girls and Their Misadventures with Drugs, Pornograp Goodreads rating: 3.87 (120 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7641383-permanent-obscurity?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328765476m/7641383.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7641383-permanent-obscurity?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Permanent Obscurity: Or a Cautionary Tale of Two Girls and Their Misadventures with Drugs, Pornography and Death by Richard Perez[/url]

Permanent Obscurity: Or a Cautionary Tale of Two Girls and Their Misadventures with Drugs, Pornography and Death

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (3)

Videos About This Book

Popular Shelves

Readers Also Enjoyed

About Richard Perez

Books by Richard Perez

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Permanent Obscuri...

Groups That Shelved Permanent Obscuri...