a.n.smith (ansmith@netdoor.com)
Thu, 30 Dec 1999 14:38:09 -0600
> A lot of people have mentioned James Ellroy. I have
never read Ellroy but
> the reason is that a well-read friend told me that
the books were
difficult
> to get into because of Ellroy's quirky narration,
descriptions of scenes
> are cryptic and hard to follow, and that Ellroy
seems more interested in
> style rather than the story. Reviews of Ellroy's
books on Amazon.com (and
> else where) have backed this statement up by saying
that Ellroy writes in
a
> way that shouts to world, "Hey! Look at me! I'm
writing!". Can anyone
> convince me to pick up my copy of BLACK DAHLIA and
dive in?
I'm a fan of this more fractured style, I guess. I don't
think it's so self-indulgent, but just a different way to
tell the story, one that I think works nicely. I mean, I like
the rule-breakers in writing, not ones making it difficult to
read, but rather ones that compell me to keep going. BUt go
ahead with Black Dahlia. Ellroy didn't start the experiment
until L.A. Confidential, so you're safe before that. But I
recommend giving LAC and American Tabloid a try.
NS
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