Fight Club fans will recognise Chuck Palahniuk’s recurring themes and jet-black humour as sex addict Vincent explores the world of self-help groups, mental illness and random, petty criminality.
The forthright narrative swings between realistic grit and surreal farce as Vincent chokes on his own sh*t, both literally and metaphysically. It is hilarious and heartbreaking by turns.
Palahniuk loves a modern American loser and hurls the reader deep into the messed-up psyche of another hero trying to redefine masculinity in a world of adverse rules and chaos. It’s not for the easily shocked, but it’s a gem.