RaveFeral MachinesI honestly don\'t think I\'ve ever read anything funnier. Comedy, the kind that gets you laughing til your eyes water, the kind that gives you the hiccups, is a really difficult thing to do in a novel. I think I\'ve only read a handful of books that really nail it. So many little things have to be right for it to work, and Darryl delivers the whole kit and kaboodle ... Jackie Ess takes her characters seriously. She gives Darryl all the room in the world to make a fool of himself, but she never sneers at him, never hides behind cynicism. And it\'s thanks to that that we\'re able to glimpse what he sees, for a moment. From start to finish, there\'s never any doubt that what Darryl\'s doing matters, that he\'s looking for something real, even if he can\'t put his finger on it, that he\'s digging for fire ... Darryl\'s narration is reflective and searching, spoken by someone still in the thick of things ... It may seem to veer close to cringe comedy, at times, but the book has a way of remaining warm and scornless. And unlike cringe comedy, Darryl\'s humiliations invite us in. They disarm us ... His meditative moments intensify the action, deepening its meaning and mystery. These are real stakes he\'s playing for ... Darryl is a character who will be living in your head for years ... there\'s so much of Jackie in this book! ... her sense of humour, her searching seriousness, and the brilliance that comes through in just about everything she touches.
