So I've only owned this book a day and I can't stop holding it up to the light and watching the title flash at me. SHINY!

Joey Comeau is one of my favourite living writers today and One Bloody Thing After Another is my favourite of all of his books. I didn't think anything was going to displace Lockpick Pornography but I was wrong. This is amaaaazing. Wait it doesn't feel right to type that not in capitals. This is AMAAAZING. It's got zombies! Ghosts! Death! Sexuality! And coming of age elements that made me cry! The way it all came together was so satisfying and perfect. I can't even tell you what it's about because I tried to describe it to like three different people today and there is so much going on and I just can't do the story justice but I will tell you that it is worth your time. It's dark and funny and sad and and crazy and awesome.

Anyway, one of my favourite things about Joey's writing is that it so understands, well--people! He just gets secrets and longing. He writes about the stuff you're afraid to say out loud but maybe it's not so bad to say out loud but you just can't bring yourself to say it out loud--even if it would set you free--and then he wraps it up in total want and longing and it is impossible not to connect to it in big ways and small ones. And then he sets all those secrets and longing in these fantastical, strange and unsettling, practically impossible situations and presents them in a way that makes them NOT SEEM IMPOSSIBLE! I fucking love that. I mean it is a story about zombies and ghosts and it never seems out of reach. It's like, "Aah! It's my next door neighbor! No wait, oh my God, it's ME!" That type of feeling! And that is a crazy writing magic all its own. And it is just very genuine and sincere. I believe in it! And it's clever and sharp.

What else. OH! I love the way Jackie was violent. I thought it was fantastic. Actually that is one of my favourite things about Joey's writing--the way his characters are violent and the way they internalize/process that violence, how it comes out, how they react, how they justify it. It's got all the exhileration behind it, but it's so thoughtful too and that makes it so so good. The writing style itself is just yeah. I said it before and I'll say it again--Joey Comeau does not waste a word. I can't wait for his next book. And now that I am finished with this one I just want to pick it up and read it all over again.