Love Me Paperback – July 26, 2011

I've read about a dozen Bizarro books by around a half dozen different authors, so I'm familiar with the Bizarro genre to a point. I'm no expert and it's not my absolute favorite type of book. It's not the one I grab off my shelf without a second thought, but I think I can read a Bizarro book without any special advance preparation or warning. I mention this because, for some reason, several times throughout the first third of "Love Me" by Danger_Slater, I had to remind myself that I was reading a Bizarro book.That could be my fault, but I think I'll blame it on the style of writing. There were a number of instances where I thought things got childish, when the narrator goes on and on, his attitude and actions devolve from amusingly strange to awkwardly juvenile. And then what makes that all the more out of place is that there are moments and plot turns and callbacks that stun with their insight, foresight and brilliance.I won't give you a synopsis because it won't help you understand this book. "Love Me" tackles a lot of big issues but few are hit upon or resolved in a significant way. I can't help but think if it were a little more focused if it would have kept my interest higher.There are a few pages of artwork by Shawn Vales to go along with the book that actually fit quite well. They are a bit haphazard and crude but they catch the eye and the first one, with the animals, is pretty funny.The book itself is funny, but it's also haphazard and crude. You're notified of this if you read the back cover. I didn't laugh out loud during my read, but humor is subjective and difficult to convey in print. For me, this wasn't a great read, but the back cover does say it won't "ever be considered for any serious academic curriculum," which means it's goofy and fun and strange and all over the place.Okay, maybe I'll take a little more of the blame for not letting go enough. But at the same time that this book is all over the place, there is a plan within. For example, I think if you were to look closely, you may find parallels with the Bible's storyline. Bizarre parallels. I mean, that's probably not an accident. I liked the book, okay? Just not a lot. Others will. All I'm saying is that those dating shows have three potential suitors for a reason. You don't make a love connection every time.

Let's get one thing out of the way immediately. I'm not taking this novel any more seriously than it intends or desires to be taken. I'm well aware that it's self-aware and that the over-the-top macho masculinity and nihilism are self-parodies of such more than anything. What other reviewers have said about it being a twisted parable of searching for meaning and purpose in life is, I think, largely true, but I still can't say that I really agree with the ultimate messages at the core, once you've stripped away all the shock humor devices they're delivered in.I do find it really interesting that the author seems aware of the ultra-privileged position of straight white cis men and how that influences/harms their self-perception, as the protagonist is quite literally a god. For that reason alone this novel is worth skimming for unexpected insight (whether intentional or not, I suppose) into the mentality of, well, dudebro types.I have a real problem with the way exploitative perceptions of marginalized groups are used so casually, no matter how 'necessary' to the authenticity of the voice and perspective they might seem. If you're going to whimsically trot out the tired douchey 'satire' tropes (and dick jokes, for that matter) at all, there better be a damn good reason, and again, I don't think the payoff is really worth it. Even though the 'point' is clearly to be gratuitous, this is what makes the novel seem to be ultimately from the perspective of what it's supposed to be satirizing and examining critically, which IMHO undermines its message.This novel is highly reminiscent of bizarro, which is probably a bit of an insult to the bizarros. I'll say it reads like a bizarro novel someone wrote during NaNoWriMo, a book that adopts the feel, style and approach of bizarro without doing what bizarro does all that well or effectively.When it comes to a star rating, I'm conflicted on this one. 3 stars feels like I'm condoning it, while 2 stars seems like I just didn't 'get it' and I'm taking it too seriously, unable to see past the silly humor and shock value. So, 2.5 stars. Closer to 3 if I'm in a really, really generous mood and probably 2 if I were to read it again.

If you haven't read a bizarro book before, do not start with this one. Why? Because it is the best one and no others will be as good. It's the best because it is simply written by the best bizarro author there is. Not the most famous. Not the most successful. Just the best.Danger Slater could write a book in any genre and it would still be awesome. It's seldom I read a book of prose where every single line flows like poetry. I will also note that I've read all three novellas that make up the author's book DangerRama, and all three were equal in flow and quality.What makes a great bizarro novel? I think the answer is...a lot of different criteria. For example: A story told by a lonely guy who wears a viking helmet and gets in fist fights with the moon, and yet somehow touches and relates to a reader who isn't lonely and doesn't wear viking helmets or fight the moon. Little treasures are in here too, like references to such obscure 80's nostalgia like that robot that told kids that a peanut is neither a pea not a nut.Usually I try to make my reviews funny, but here I'm just telling you that this book is ridiculously good, and not reading it is robbing yourself of one of the most fun and hilarious adventures that are available to the general public with eight or so bucks to spare. When you read the synopsis you're going to say "how can this be that crazy and be such a good book?" Just read it and find out.