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This one's something of a local legend, so it seems imperative to my Portland education to read it. Unfortunately, it falls into that camp of "I can see why other people like it, but it's not for me." The embrace of grotesquery is similar to A Confederacy of Dunces (another miss for me), but I like Dunn's take somewhat better in that she's not trying to play for humor in the same way that Toole is. That said, I feel like Oly especially is somewhat absent - so much of what happens is driven by he
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Wow! Definitely a memorable book and like NOTHING I've ever read. The writing was exceptional as she managed to make unbelievable characters believable and the unforgivable, in some cases, forgivable. I will be thinking about this one for a long time.
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Oct 12, 2012
Chantal
marked it as to-read
Karen Russell said this book was a source of inspiration.

Should have been titled "freak love" , as the carnie owner father and mother use psychotropic drugs and various teratogens during pregnancy to create their own sideshow inhabitants. I only finished it to find out who impregnated Oly and how Arturo died - still not worth the time. I know life is horrible and gross, and people suck, but I would rather read something less depressing. I am in hospice currently, I see enough bag people in real life
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Apr 25, 2010
Oana
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Apr 29, 2010
SandyC
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May 26, 2010
Tracyene
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Jul 03, 2010
Lisa
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Aug 29, 2012
Sam
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Feb 01, 2013
Kim DeCina
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Mar 06, 2013
Curlysue
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Jan 03, 2014
Meghan
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Apr 03, 2014
Tammy AZ
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Dec 02, 2014
Steve Anderson
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Feb 24, 2015
Kent Winward
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