What is the linchpin of a novel’s success? Depends. A sense of truth is crucial to some novels; a sense of artifice to others. In the case of experimental novels, it boils down to how well the experiment comes off.
Patrick deWitt’s debut, Ablutions, isn’t even written as a novel, but rather as “notes for a novel”. The narrator is a thirty-two-year-old barback at a seamy Hollywood joint, where he downs Jameson and observes the grimmest pack of characters this side of Day of the Locust.
Arranged as it is in fiery shots of prose, the book lends itself well to a variety of reading styles, being equally suited to those who nurse their novels as well as to those who shotgun them. DeWitt is also kin to We Love You So tight buddies Nick deWitt and Cali deWitt. Nice trio.
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I’m really enjoying watching the introduction video on Patrick deWitt’s Web site. I really like narrations for some reason, maybe it’s because of that child feeling of having a book read to you. But for me, it really brings out a lot of the authors true emotion about the prose. Very much enjoyed that, thanks for writing!
a barback author? Sounds AWESOME!!
Read it. Dug it. He had to live some of it to get the details down. If you think you drink hard and heavy, read this and then re-assess.
Seriously
[...] you were curious, yes, he is of the same DeWitt family that brings the world acclaimed novelist Patrick and Teenage Teardrops impresario/Hope Gallery co-owner Cali. It must be something in their [...]