I respect this book much more than I enjoyed reading it. The central character is an asshole and it was tough to stomach his take on life over hundreds of pages. He treats his friends and partners like dirt and discards them the moment his scams turn to shit. Likewise, few of the remaining characters are worth any compassion or consideration. The tone of the story is bleak and the ultimate turn of events depressing. I can see why this is considered a big player in the noir genre; sadly, it didn't get under my skin like "The Big Clock" or "Thieves Like Us." I am glad, at least, that I visited this stop in the literary landscape. Incredible novel, mixing noir with the circus sideshow, vaudeville and spiritualism of the early 20th century. The main character definitely had a Jim Thompson vibe, a cold-blooded and calculating character, skilled but ruthless, also made sympathetic by showing us the formative and traumatic events of his childhood and youth. Add in a pitch-perfect recreation of carny life and language, as well as that of mentalists and spiritualists--it's fantastic. I will definitely re-read this one. It also reminded me of Geek Love (a little) and On the Ropes (a lot).
What do You think about Nightmare Alley (1946)?
Lives up to its name. Version I heard wasn't abridged.
—love
I loved the way this came full circle in the end.
—Vanna
