Status Updates From The Cleanup

Will finish this tomorrow. This last part of the narrative I read was a mixed bag. Billy seems a bit drunk with power.He is distancing himself from friends and loved ones. This is going to be a novel that invoked a whole range of emotions, some not favorable. It may tie together in the end if I am more patient.

Billy embraced his role as a vigilante, calls the cops with details, partly to amuse himself. The press and the citizens honor Billy with his own moniker. This part was very entertaining with Billy feeling the after affects of his big "clean up" in Central Park. The landlord hired muscle to destroy the boys' personal belongings. Retribution is beyond the pail (and you need one!) Billy is close to the bad guys now.

Billy goes full vigilante justice on the street with no regrets killing the bad guys and enjoying it. Christopher not altogether happy. Diane's feminism brigade went full throttle on a large porn emporium. Lisa stressed and worried over Mona's condition.

Billy learns the scope of his super powers when Mona is brutalized. He begins to behave maturely and consider his responsibilities to the innocent people of the city. The narrative has become fun and exciting with Billy honing his abilities and using his maturity to plan his strategies to do a proper "clean up".

Stopped at 49% which is Part Three of the novel. Billy is still having problems adjusting to his new role in the universe. It made me want to punch him around. Oops! Mortals cannot punch Billy. Plan to persevere and see where this goes.

Read for a good while tonight and I was surprised by the improvement in the descriptive prose, the tempo of the plot, the increase in the savage violence and strikes by the serial murderer, and the toughening of Billy and his quest for justice. The romance angle is written more seriously and overall it is has morphed into a markedly more interesting novel. Halfway mark and I am hopeful about finishing it.

A third of the way into The Cleanup and the writing is not bad, the storyline is a tribute to young love when the two of you can prove it to each other all night long. It is about a ruthless sadistic serial killer loose on the streets, the sheer power of a magical rock band to lift your eyes to the light and your heart to the music. It is a book that a guy in his 20's should be reading.

Billy Rowe has been visited by an Angel, informed he has the power to do anything. Special since birth and assigned an Angel from Heaven for supervision. At this point it appears that "The Cleanup" is assigned to a what? Superhero? Third person POV not helping. Billy not a sympathetic hero. Impression written for YA. But nasty beat up and rape scene noted. Not YA then? Potential political opinions by Billy. Hmmm.

"The Clean Up" by John Skipp breathes life onto the dark and dangerous streets. An avenger is ready to be born. Plan to post pertinent progress notes at 25% intervals. Exciting beginning.