What do you think?
Rate this book
TITLE 13: A Novel
A timely investigation into the heart of a despotic faction within the government, TITLE 13 deftly blends satirical comedy aimed at the hot-button issues of modern culture with the gut-wrenching reality of an intensely personal descent into addiction.
Heald Brown might be responsible for the loss of highly classified TITLE 13 government documents—and may have hopelessly lost himself as well. Since leaving his home in Detroit for Chicago during the recession, Heald teeters anxiously between despondency and bombastic sarcasm, striving to understand a country gone mad while clinging to his quixotic roots.
Trying to deny the frightening course of his alcoholism, Heald struggles with his mounting paranoia, and his relationships with his concerned family and dying grandmother, all while juggling a budding office romance at the US government’s Chicago Regional Census Center. Heald’s reality soon digresses into farcical absurdity, fevered isolation, and arcane psychological revelation, hilarious though redoubtable in nature. Meanwhile the TITLE 13 secrets remain at large, haunting each character and tangling the interwoven threads of Heald’s life, as the real question looms: Is it the TITLE 13 information that Heald has lost, or his sanity?
Heald Brown might be responsible for the loss of highly classified TITLE 13 government documents—and may have hopelessly lost himself as well. Since leaving his home in Detroit for Chicago during the recession, Heald teeters anxiously between despondency and bombastic sarcasm, striving to understand a country gone mad while clinging to his quixotic roots.
Trying to deny the frightening course of his alcoholism, Heald struggles with his mounting paranoia, and his relationships with his concerned family and dying grandmother, all while juggling a budding office romance at the US government’s Chicago Regional Census Center. Heald’s reality soon digresses into farcical absurdity, fevered isolation, and arcane psychological revelation, hilarious though redoubtable in nature. Meanwhile the TITLE 13 secrets remain at large, haunting each character and tangling the interwoven threads of Heald’s life, as the real question looms: Is it the TITLE 13 information that Heald has lost, or his sanity?
398 pages, Paperback
Published February 1, 2018
2 people are currently reading
329 people want to read
About the author
Michael A. Ferro
2 books228 followers***TITLE 13 IS A POWELL'S STAFF PICK***
TITLE 13 has been named a "Best Book of 2018" by the Emerging Writers Network and is a Literati Bookstore bestseller!
"Affecting and inventively funny... Ferro's work is an eclectic mélange."
-- Kirkus Reviews
"A wonderful experience and a terribly compelling character study... sometimes fun, sometimes dark. For a first-time novelist, (Ferro is) very knowing about the emotional territory of life. A very, very ambitious book."
--Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune
Michael A. Ferro's debut novel, TITLE 13, was published by Harvard Square Editions in February 2018. He was named as a finalist by Glimmer Train for their New Writers Award, won the Jim Cash Creative Writing Award for Fiction, and been nominated for The Pushcart Prize. Michael’s writing has appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies, including Juked, Monkeybicycle, Michigan Quarterly Review, Poets & Writers, Heavy Feather Review, BULL: Men's Fiction, Crack the Spine, Vulture, Entropy, Splitsider, Duende, Fiction Writers Review, Weekly Humorist, and elsewhere.
Born and bred in Detroit, Michael has lived, worked, and written throughout the American Midwest. He's not a big fan of other Midwests. Additional information can be found at: www.michaelaferro.com.
TITLE 13 has been named a "Best Book of 2018" by the Emerging Writers Network and is a Literati Bookstore bestseller!
"Affecting and inventively funny... Ferro's work is an eclectic mélange."
-- Kirkus Reviews
"A wonderful experience and a terribly compelling character study... sometimes fun, sometimes dark. For a first-time novelist, (Ferro is) very knowing about the emotional territory of life. A very, very ambitious book."
--Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune
Michael A. Ferro's debut novel, TITLE 13, was published by Harvard Square Editions in February 2018. He was named as a finalist by Glimmer Train for their New Writers Award, won the Jim Cash Creative Writing Award for Fiction, and been nominated for The Pushcart Prize. Michael’s writing has appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies, including Juked, Monkeybicycle, Michigan Quarterly Review, Poets & Writers, Heavy Feather Review, BULL: Men's Fiction, Crack the Spine, Vulture, Entropy, Splitsider, Duende, Fiction Writers Review, Weekly Humorist, and elsewhere.
Born and bred in Detroit, Michael has lived, worked, and written throughout the American Midwest. He's not a big fan of other Midwests. Additional information can be found at: www.michaelaferro.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 3, 2018
NOTE: I'm putting in this review not as the author of the book, but for my mother, who doesn't use Goodreads. She said, and I quote: "Oh, my dear, sweet son. I loved your book. It was the best book ever. I may be your mother, but I also know good books, and this here is one of them. You are so tall and handsome, and not short and ugly like everyone says. I want you to put five stars on that internet thing for your book." Then she gave me a freshly baked apple pie and pinched my cheek. Thanks, mom!
Personally, as the author, I think the book is "meh." 2 stars.
Personally, as the author, I think the book is "meh." 2 stars.
July 9, 2018
Writing humor is REALLY HARD, and Michael Ferro does it REALLY WELL, in the course of a tragedy, no less. It's a combination that seems uniquely suited to our times, as does the author's close portrait of Michael Heald, a guy who manages to keep it together at work even as he's dying inside. How do we lie to the world? How do we lie to ourselves? And what the hell are these Title 13 documents anyway, and what diabolical power do they hold??? A funny/sad and surprising debut from a writer to watch.
April 2, 2018
For a book that started out with a lot of breezy and absurdist humor, Title 13 takes a sharp dive straight into heartbreak and sorrow. Heald is an office cog with a fierce sense of humor, slogging away at the census bureau; he's half in love with a coworker, somewhat inconvenienced due to a recent security breach, and desperately casting about for some meaning in his small life. When there's an illness in his family, Heald returns to his childhood home, and things begin to seriously fall apart.
Exploring themes of addiction, loneliness, self-protection, and the facade we present to the world, Title 13 packs a much bigger punch than I originally expected. The best of authors would be hard pressed to write such a painful account of a life slipping into alcoholism, but Ferro does a beautiful and wholly devastating job. Heald's story carries with it an urgent hope of redemption; it's intense going, but Ferro will hold your hand to the end. Do not miss this gorgeous read.
Exploring themes of addiction, loneliness, self-protection, and the facade we present to the world, Title 13 packs a much bigger punch than I originally expected. The best of authors would be hard pressed to write such a painful account of a life slipping into alcoholism, but Ferro does a beautiful and wholly devastating job. Heald's story carries with it an urgent hope of redemption; it's intense going, but Ferro will hold your hand to the end. Do not miss this gorgeous read.
March 3, 2018
I had the pleasure of writing some words for the cover of this fantastic debut. I recommend it very highly. It was quite a struggle reigning in my blurb--because I could rave about this book for a *long, long* time. Here's what I had to say:
With fierce wit and precision, Ferro paints a riveting portrait of a mind unraveling—ravaged by addiction, and rattled by the paranoia lodged in the beating heart of our government and seeping out into society. The gripping mystery driving TITLE 13, and the deeply troubled yet often hilarious psychology of the novel’s protagonist, are mesmerizing and brilliantly rendered. Ferro is a writer in possession of rare and unique talent—wise, agile, and bold.
-Emma Smith-Stevens, author of The Australian
With fierce wit and precision, Ferro paints a riveting portrait of a mind unraveling—ravaged by addiction, and rattled by the paranoia lodged in the beating heart of our government and seeping out into society. The gripping mystery driving TITLE 13, and the deeply troubled yet often hilarious psychology of the novel’s protagonist, are mesmerizing and brilliantly rendered. Ferro is a writer in possession of rare and unique talent—wise, agile, and bold.
-Emma Smith-Stevens, author of The Australian
March 19, 2018
Not only does Michael Ferro employ his unique style to create the types of biting sarcasm, dry wit, and outlandish satire that keeps readers racing through his pages, but he also introduces a protagonist to the world in Heald Brown that is at times complex, at times surprising, and always memorable and enduring. In Title 13, what begins as a fast-paced conspiracy thriller that shines a bright spotlight on government corruption and espionage flows seamlessly into the absurd complexities, the despotic crutches, and the curious imbalances of Heald Brown's sometimes hilarious, sometimes quite depressing life. Ferro's debut is brilliant, inventive, and affecting. Ladies and gentlemen, you're looking at a young writer on the rise.
July 24, 2018
I really enjoyed TITLE 13! A wildly inventive novel that satisfies and surprises, blending artfully the funny and dark, satire and heartfelt. I found myself instantly invested in the young protagonist Heald, and Ferro's poetic prose perfectly brings the Chicago backdrop to life. I look forward to reading more from the very talented Ferro.
June 20, 2018
Dark and yet very funny. Wasn't expecting the sharp turn in the plot but I liked it! An interesting satire in the age of Trump and sad people. Reminded me of Catch-22!
August 4, 2018
This review originally appeared at https://medium.com/the-coil/book-revi...
Heald Brown has a secret. A Chicago transplant from Detroit working for the Chicago Regional Census Center in a struggling economy, Heald has struggles of his own. While, on the outside, it appears that his difficulties lie with tensions within his office, particularly the 37 pages that have gone missing from TITLE 13, highly classified government documents.
The missing pages are only vaguely described in TITLE 13, though their disappearance maintains a grip on his colleagues who are quick to absolve themselves of blame and point the finger at others:
“Thirty-seven whole pages of enticing and quantified knowledge spending its time out there in the great foreboding dark. It’s possibly growing even more powerful in each moment that it is out of my grasp.”
(p. 130).
While Heald feigns concern for the lost documents, he is distracted by the midday shakiness in his hands, bouts of sweat, and fixation on the bottle of vodka in the freezer of his tiny studio apartment, all symptomatic of his worsening alcoholism.
Is Heald responsible for the missing documents? Did he misplace them in a distracted or hallucinatory state or did he squander them away as a symbolic turn of events that foreshadows his own demise?
“Heald had often thought about death and dying. From times when he was a child lying in bed in sheets soaked through with his own sweat, shaking and crippled with fear, to days when he could think only of the fast-approaching night and restless dread. He had been petrified by the thought of dying — slipping noiselessly into a thinning nonexistence.”
(p. 245)
When Heald receives a phone call from his mother that his beloved grandmother is dying, he skips out early on a Friday to take a bus back to Detroit to visit her. The return to his childhood home reads like a love letter to the city that is both the epicenter of the recession and a reminder of an innocence lost:
“Tired of the so-called ‘ruin porn,’ America tapped Motown as a land of renaissance — a place ready to be reborn, ready to rise from the ashes, as was foretold by the city’s longstanding motto: Speramus Meliora; resurget cineribus (We Hope for Better Things; It Shall Rise from the Ashes).”
(p. 216).
Heald’s physical craving for alcohol doesn’t allow him to stay in Detroit for very long. With the hopes of an office romance becoming less and less likely, he returns to Chicago without prospects for hope of any kind. What was once a man who appeared overly confident and socially functional is now someone who may be past the point of no return in admittance and recovery. The novel’s focus drifts further away from the lost TITLE 13 documents and instead focuses on Heald’s loss of self, a broken man living in a broken world at the hands of a broken government.
Rich in dialogue and description with a delicate balance of foreboding and satirical humor, TITLE 13 serves to caution all of us in the trust of our hearts, our memories, and the supposed security guaranteed by government and technology in the hands of fallible citizens.
Heald Brown has a secret. A Chicago transplant from Detroit working for the Chicago Regional Census Center in a struggling economy, Heald has struggles of his own. While, on the outside, it appears that his difficulties lie with tensions within his office, particularly the 37 pages that have gone missing from TITLE 13, highly classified government documents.
The missing pages are only vaguely described in TITLE 13, though their disappearance maintains a grip on his colleagues who are quick to absolve themselves of blame and point the finger at others:
“Thirty-seven whole pages of enticing and quantified knowledge spending its time out there in the great foreboding dark. It’s possibly growing even more powerful in each moment that it is out of my grasp.”
(p. 130).
While Heald feigns concern for the lost documents, he is distracted by the midday shakiness in his hands, bouts of sweat, and fixation on the bottle of vodka in the freezer of his tiny studio apartment, all symptomatic of his worsening alcoholism.
Is Heald responsible for the missing documents? Did he misplace them in a distracted or hallucinatory state or did he squander them away as a symbolic turn of events that foreshadows his own demise?
“Heald had often thought about death and dying. From times when he was a child lying in bed in sheets soaked through with his own sweat, shaking and crippled with fear, to days when he could think only of the fast-approaching night and restless dread. He had been petrified by the thought of dying — slipping noiselessly into a thinning nonexistence.”
(p. 245)
When Heald receives a phone call from his mother that his beloved grandmother is dying, he skips out early on a Friday to take a bus back to Detroit to visit her. The return to his childhood home reads like a love letter to the city that is both the epicenter of the recession and a reminder of an innocence lost:
“Tired of the so-called ‘ruin porn,’ America tapped Motown as a land of renaissance — a place ready to be reborn, ready to rise from the ashes, as was foretold by the city’s longstanding motto: Speramus Meliora; resurget cineribus (We Hope for Better Things; It Shall Rise from the Ashes).”
(p. 216).
Heald’s physical craving for alcohol doesn’t allow him to stay in Detroit for very long. With the hopes of an office romance becoming less and less likely, he returns to Chicago without prospects for hope of any kind. What was once a man who appeared overly confident and socially functional is now someone who may be past the point of no return in admittance and recovery. The novel’s focus drifts further away from the lost TITLE 13 documents and instead focuses on Heald’s loss of self, a broken man living in a broken world at the hands of a broken government.
Rich in dialogue and description with a delicate balance of foreboding and satirical humor, TITLE 13 serves to caution all of us in the trust of our hearts, our memories, and the supposed security guaranteed by government and technology in the hands of fallible citizens.
February 6, 2018
A Visceral Tale of Addiction, Satire, and Gut-busting Humor
TITLE 13 feels as if it were written with 2018 in mind. The story is one of emotional realism surrounding one man's descent into addiction, all while utilizing humor as an effective tool of redemption. The author has a knack for weaving an affecting tale of timely concern and displays a talent within a wide range of styles. In both his rich dialogue and philosophical musings, Ferro has captured a unique tone that will both make you burst out in laughter and break your heart.
A thought-provoking and exciting read, I would recommend TITLE 13 to fans of Don DeLillo, Thomas Pynchon, Zadie Smith, and David Foster Wallace.
TITLE 13 feels as if it were written with 2018 in mind. The story is one of emotional realism surrounding one man's descent into addiction, all while utilizing humor as an effective tool of redemption. The author has a knack for weaving an affecting tale of timely concern and displays a talent within a wide range of styles. In both his rich dialogue and philosophical musings, Ferro has captured a unique tone that will both make you burst out in laughter and break your heart.
A thought-provoking and exciting read, I would recommend TITLE 13 to fans of Don DeLillo, Thomas Pynchon, Zadie Smith, and David Foster Wallace.
April 24, 2018
A Stunning and Timely Debut
The paranoia and confusion experienced by Heald Brown, TITLE 13's protagonist, provides the perfect metaphor for the State of the Union in 2018. Despite his flaws, you cannot help but root for Heald throughout. Michael Ferro tackles dark and heavy topics with masterly ease, providing biting wit, satire, and a healthy dose of absurdity to provide perfect balance throughout. Life, after all, is absurd, and you will find yourself constantly nodding in agreement with Heald's musings. Thought provoking, compelling, vivid, unique. An incredible debut from an author with a very bright future.
The paranoia and confusion experienced by Heald Brown, TITLE 13's protagonist, provides the perfect metaphor for the State of the Union in 2018. Despite his flaws, you cannot help but root for Heald throughout. Michael Ferro tackles dark and heavy topics with masterly ease, providing biting wit, satire, and a healthy dose of absurdity to provide perfect balance throughout. Life, after all, is absurd, and you will find yourself constantly nodding in agreement with Heald's musings. Thought provoking, compelling, vivid, unique. An incredible debut from an author with a very bright future.
February 21, 2018
This novel is unlike anything I've read...it gets right to the heart of human desperation in a way that feels unsettling in all the right ways. It is gripping with its mesmerizing descriptions of the main character's difficult descent into addiction and uniquely observational in the ways he takes in the world around him. Heald Brown is an "everyman" that you quickly find yourself rooting for as you follow his dark, devestating turn into addiction and his desperate fight to try and break free. I cannot recommend this novel enough - you will not be disappointed.
February 11, 2018
What appears, at first blush, to be a story of bureaucratic government misery turns out to instead be a journey into the inner turmoil of Title 13's protagonist Heald Brown. It's not expected, certainly not based on the first handful of chapters, and admittedly at times I wanted to get back to the action, or lack thereof, at Heald's place of work. However, that's not what Ferro's main intention is, and once that becomes clear you can recalibrate your expectations. Ferro clearly put a lot of thought and passion into crafting his protagonist, and it largely pays off.
Like many a first-time novelist, Ferro fills Title 13 with seemingly every clever turn of phrase that had ever rattled around in his brain. However, for every one that falls flat or feels overwrought there is one that will stick with you after you are done with the novel. Title 13 has a lot on its mind, much of it searing, and most of it interesting.
Like many a first-time novelist, Ferro fills Title 13 with seemingly every clever turn of phrase that had ever rattled around in his brain. However, for every one that falls flat or feels overwrought there is one that will stick with you after you are done with the novel. Title 13 has a lot on its mind, much of it searing, and most of it interesting.
February 20, 2018
Ferro creates a world not too far from our own...a cautionary tale for our times, infused with a hearty dose of wit and satire. A novel-length "Black Mirror" episode, with undercurrents of David Foster Wallace, Bradbury, and Salinger mixed in for great measure.
September 16, 2018
A quirky, interesting read. The subtle use of animal spirits in a novel so focused in a city setting works very well; it adds a delicate grounding to the book.
My favorite sentence in the novel: "Somewhere over the lake the sky boomed."
My favorite sentence in the novel: "Somewhere over the lake the sky boomed."
April 28, 2020
I learned of Michael Ferro's Title 13 via him coming to my school and talking about his writing and publication process. Since he was a smaller author, and especially since I could put a name to the face, I felt strongly inclined to read and review his book. I'm happy to say Title 13 is a powerful tale detailing perceptions of self, written with both biting wit somber candor.
Title 13 follows Heald Brown, a government worker at the Chicago Regional Census Center. At the office, when he's not trying to focus on his work, he's pining for his colleague, Janice, socializing with his co-workers, and just generally being the office clown, donning a comedy mask to hide the tragedy mask of his spiraling alcoholism which serves as a crux for his anxiety. His world is upended when Title 13, an apparent vital census document, goes missing, necessitating the members of the census center to furiously begin looking for it. This development is what begins to cause Heald's not-so-tightly bound life to begin unraveling at the seams.
The blurb at the top of this page probably exemplifies this better than I can, but on paper, there is a lot going on in Title 13 (plus there's one OTHER major element of the book), so much so that it might feel daunting going in. Luckily, it really doesn't feel like this when reading the book. The elements of the novel don't really feel like they're "too much." Ferro, like a good juggler, knows that even if multiple balls are in play, only one can be in hand at once.
In regards to the swath of topics this book covers, I find it a bit curious that the genres listed on the back are literary fiction and suspense. Taking "suspense" to mean "thriller" as opposed to the book being suspenseful in a way that any work can be, it's a bit misleading. Readers expecting a political intrigue-laden thriller will be quite disappointed. The eponymous Title 13 serves more as a jumping off point for the character study. I have to admit that I really would have liked to see more of the Title 13 crisis, because that's what originally drew me into the book. The fact that I was engaged despite this fact is a testament to Ferro's chops as storyteller.
If you care about deep-cutting character studies, I implore you to stick around. Heald can be an ass at times, but by the end of the book, you really feel for him and if you're anything like me, you'll relate to his struggles and empathize with him, even if you've never so much as drank a drop of alcohol. There's just something so supremely uncomfortable about watching someone spiral down the drain. As I said, Ferro is quite somber in his depiction of Heald and it makes for a read that is laced in sadness, yet empathy. After a particular section of the book, I called my older family members to check on them. Yes, that's how powerful this book was for me.
That isn't to say this book was a total downer, Michael Ferro's webpage states that he's a satirist and that fact was clear as day whilst reading Title 13. The proceedings at the office (particular whenever Ms. Flohard is involved) are hilariously bizarre and I loved them immensely.
I enjoyed how relevant the setting was in this novel. Many stories certainly make their settings clear by showing landmarks, but they could otherwise take place anywhere. Title 13 earns its setting. For one, it's important that Title 13 takes place in a bustling metropolis — once, for Heald, it was a symbol for endless possibility but now it feels disgusting and a testament to human excess and absurdity. Heald contrasts Chicago with both Detroit and Gary, delving into what the midwest as a whole means to him. I really enjoyed this trinity (though I'll have to get back to you on which is the Son, which is the Father, and which is the Holy Ghost). Even the "obligatory landmarks" are used thoughtfully here: the Art Institute being the beauty of the city that the jaded Heald has stopped seeing, the smokestacks of Gary being the march of productivity in the face of lost hope, and the seemingly landmark-less Detroit being Heald's disinterest in his home city.
The ending of the story was good, I was afraid it would be a bit too happy, but it was depressingly realistic. Despite that, I still found the ending quite hopeful and beautiful.
There really isn't anything I actively disliked, just things I would have liked to see more of or things I questioned. To start, I understand that it's a book about Heald's experience, but I still would have liked to see more of other characters. That's a bit hard given Heald's lifestyle, but it made the book feel empty at times. Again, I get that this is the point, but it's still something I wasn't too thrilled about. Part of this meant that I was a bit confused why Janice got to be the person to reach out at Heald towards the end. Prior, I didn't see much between them, but apparently they were good friends. It just felt a bit unearned. I also wanted to see more of the Title 13 situation, including the satire that surrounded it. I won't go as far to say that it was my favorite part of the book, but these sections really shined and I have loved if they were around more. As I said, I know this book isn't about political intrigue, but I can't help but feel it could have had more of it while still not being *about* that.
But don't be mistaken, I still am of the opinion that this is a *very* fine novel, one that might tug at your heartstrings if you let it. If you're only interested in thrillers and dislike literary fiction, then you can sit this one out. If you're a fan of bitingly real fiction that still has some jokes up its sleeve, then this might be the novel for you.
7.8/10
C+
Title 13 follows Heald Brown, a government worker at the Chicago Regional Census Center. At the office, when he's not trying to focus on his work, he's pining for his colleague, Janice, socializing with his co-workers, and just generally being the office clown, donning a comedy mask to hide the tragedy mask of his spiraling alcoholism which serves as a crux for his anxiety. His world is upended when Title 13, an apparent vital census document, goes missing, necessitating the members of the census center to furiously begin looking for it. This development is what begins to cause Heald's not-so-tightly bound life to begin unraveling at the seams.
The blurb at the top of this page probably exemplifies this better than I can, but on paper, there is a lot going on in Title 13 (plus there's one OTHER major element of the book), so much so that it might feel daunting going in. Luckily, it really doesn't feel like this when reading the book. The elements of the novel don't really feel like they're "too much." Ferro, like a good juggler, knows that even if multiple balls are in play, only one can be in hand at once.
In regards to the swath of topics this book covers, I find it a bit curious that the genres listed on the back are literary fiction and suspense. Taking "suspense" to mean "thriller" as opposed to the book being suspenseful in a way that any work can be, it's a bit misleading. Readers expecting a political intrigue-laden thriller will be quite disappointed. The eponymous Title 13 serves more as a jumping off point for the character study. I have to admit that I really would have liked to see more of the Title 13 crisis, because that's what originally drew me into the book. The fact that I was engaged despite this fact is a testament to Ferro's chops as storyteller.
If you care about deep-cutting character studies, I implore you to stick around. Heald can be an ass at times, but by the end of the book, you really feel for him and if you're anything like me, you'll relate to his struggles and empathize with him, even if you've never so much as drank a drop of alcohol. There's just something so supremely uncomfortable about watching someone spiral down the drain. As I said, Ferro is quite somber in his depiction of Heald and it makes for a read that is laced in sadness, yet empathy. After a particular section of the book, I called my older family members to check on them. Yes, that's how powerful this book was for me.
That isn't to say this book was a total downer, Michael Ferro's webpage states that he's a satirist and that fact was clear as day whilst reading Title 13. The proceedings at the office (particular whenever Ms. Flohard is involved) are hilariously bizarre and I loved them immensely.
I enjoyed how relevant the setting was in this novel. Many stories certainly make their settings clear by showing landmarks, but they could otherwise take place anywhere. Title 13 earns its setting. For one, it's important that Title 13 takes place in a bustling metropolis — once, for Heald, it was a symbol for endless possibility but now it feels disgusting and a testament to human excess and absurdity. Heald contrasts Chicago with both Detroit and Gary, delving into what the midwest as a whole means to him. I really enjoyed this trinity (though I'll have to get back to you on which is the Son, which is the Father, and which is the Holy Ghost). Even the "obligatory landmarks" are used thoughtfully here: the Art Institute being the beauty of the city that the jaded Heald has stopped seeing, the smokestacks of Gary being the march of productivity in the face of lost hope, and the seemingly landmark-less Detroit being Heald's disinterest in his home city.
The ending of the story was good, I was afraid it would be a bit too happy, but it was depressingly realistic. Despite that, I still found the ending quite hopeful and beautiful.
There really isn't anything I actively disliked, just things I would have liked to see more of or things I questioned. To start, I understand that it's a book about Heald's experience, but I still would have liked to see more of other characters. That's a bit hard given Heald's lifestyle, but it made the book feel empty at times. Again, I get that this is the point, but it's still something I wasn't too thrilled about. Part of this meant that I was a bit confused why Janice got to be the person to reach out at Heald towards the end. Prior, I didn't see much between them, but apparently they were good friends. It just felt a bit unearned. I also wanted to see more of the Title 13 situation, including the satire that surrounded it. I won't go as far to say that it was my favorite part of the book, but these sections really shined and I have loved if they were around more. As I said, I know this book isn't about political intrigue, but I can't help but feel it could have had more of it while still not being *about* that.
But don't be mistaken, I still am of the opinion that this is a *very* fine novel, one that might tug at your heartstrings if you let it. If you're only interested in thrillers and dislike literary fiction, then you can sit this one out. If you're a fan of bitingly real fiction that still has some jokes up its sleeve, then this might be the novel for you.
7.8/10
C+
November 4, 2018
What starts off as a comedic/gripping thriller, slowly sheds its initial plot lines into something much different. If what you are really looking for is a government privacy spy conspiracy book, put it down immediately, it isn't that.
The writing itself is very fluid, making page turning quite easy. Not all comedic notes hit, but the ones that do offer a nice respite from the slowly deteriorating condition of our protagonist. The book connects with its reader, and by the end, I was surprising invested emotionally with the book as a whole. I think some pages could have been shed, some sections go on for perhaps a bit too long, but overall this is a book worth inhaling.
The writing itself is very fluid, making page turning quite easy. Not all comedic notes hit, but the ones that do offer a nice respite from the slowly deteriorating condition of our protagonist. The book connects with its reader, and by the end, I was surprising invested emotionally with the book as a whole. I think some pages could have been shed, some sections go on for perhaps a bit too long, but overall this is a book worth inhaling.
March 25, 2019
Beautiful, dark, and appropriately funny look at a man who graduated from university and entered the American working world at a very troubled time. Anyone between the ages of 8-88 would benefit heavily by reading this modern masterpiece.
March 16, 2018
Very interesting reading. Some parts straight story and some parts just off the wall. Maybe it is me but expected more resolution. Would read other writings of Michael, but maybe not soon.
October 23, 2018
A poignant study of addiction’s alienating effects, couched in a Kafkaesque satire of government bureaucracy.
January 22, 2022
Starting with satirical humour, this story quickly descends into a dark and troublesome place. As someone who has seen firsthand what alcohol can do to a person, I was deeply moved by the main characters battle with his sickness and ultimate decline, as well as the pain and helplessness felt by his friends and loved ones.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews