Okay, let me try this...

[David]

I've been ordered to report on my results from one of my recommendations. Missy Brissy recommended Patrick Hamilton (without seeing that I had already had success with Patrick Hamilton), but it was a good reminder, so I read his Hangover Square (and I'm currently reading another).

It was a glorious, spastic, sperm-gushing five-star success, I'm happy to report. Therefore, this process is (at least anecdotally) successful (in one statistically insignficant instance).

Let me tell you how/whether the book matched my criteria... because I know you've been kinda wondering.

PACING! I had no strong preference because I'm an easygoing guy. I did specify that the pacing had to allow some breathing room for strong characterization, and boy-howdy did Hangover Square ever have some strong characterization. (Well, stick me in a bread box and call me a loaf! Tarnation!) Success, success, success!

STORYLINE! Well... I suppose this book qualifies as melodrama, so... BUT there aren't really many/any of those melodramatic happenstances that I hate so much, like when Colonel Fitzhugh, who's supposed to be in Burma slaughtering pigeons, (surprisingly) wanders into Lily van Pewton's drawing room in Southhampton to catch his lover Amy Beescox in the arms (er, rotted stumps) of the leprous infantry man who saved Fitzhugh's life in the Great Burmese Pigeon Wars! (Holy Coincidence!) The melodrama (gripping as it is, as I was fully gripped) is tempered by Hamilton's bleak humor. He really underscores the absurdity of these people.

FRAME! I wanted bleak? Bleak I shall have: alcoholism, loneliness, mental illness, gray winter days in London, deception, manipulation, crime... ad infinitum. This ain't Mitch Albom, bitches. Also, per my request, the characters are vivid and real. Success, success, and more success.

CHARACTERIZATION! Yes!

Unfurl the banner on the ship's deck: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

Thank you, Missy Brissy.

[karen, future RA queen]

i will take your (albeit qualified) success! i fond it statistically significant!

[karen, future RA queen]

my plan was to read the "trilogy" last summer. but then i didn't because i am the worst. i thought greg read the one he got at the brooklyn book fair last year, but i guess not. he is also the worst. david - yup, the worst. esteban?? well, he's pretty bad, but i don;t know about the worst. probably though.

i know i will love him when i read him.
thanks for the kick in the ass.

[karen, future RA queen]

really?? i thought that was the most favorably received! wellllll those three books are the only ones i own already, so i am going to probably throw caution to the wind and read them first...

[karen, future RA queen]

yeah, my plan was to read 'em all in a row.

but... no zombies?? no essplosions??

[karen, future RA queen]

definitely. i was going to read them that way like i did with the kjaerstad books, which i think are also very important to read all in a row like that. i just reread that sentence and it is wicked awkward, but i am making peanut butter balls and i am distracted and covered in PB

[karen, future RA queen]

i have more than 2 hours to get ready!! never fear - this week's adventure is going to be the best one yet.


promise.