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The Devil All the Time is our first in the modern 'neo-pulp' genre mixing elements of horror, southern gothic and more how will this book stack up compared to the Noir and Hard-Boiled genres we normally read

Finished The Devil All the Time. One helluva read. My review just vanished into cyperspace. Re-write tomorrow. I'll be looking for a fellow group readers' responses to this one. They are in for a ride.

Just finished this - has been on my radar for a while now. I gave it 5 stars. Pollock sure knows how to write messed up individuals that's for sure!

You can check out the review here:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

This book sounded very good and i looked forward to reading it. Until the copy i found in the library was in a library that didnt loan books to libraries outside Stockholm.

Knowledge Lost wrote: "The Devil All the Time is our first in the modern 'neo-pulp' genre mixing elements of horror, southern gothic and more how will this book stack up compared to the Noir and Hard-Boil..."

KL, I thought Pollock fit into this group's reading with pure perfection. This is modern noir at its best. For my thoughts on the books, I am simply posting the link to my review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

No reads, likes, or comments are require (though appreciated--I'm not dead. I ascribe to the legal theory that a useless act is not required--hence, why review? Grin).

I finished this last night. Wow! What a ride!
Pollock walked a fine line with this one. He wallows in the depths, throws in loads of violence and some truly despicable characters, yet I didn't feel all sullied after reading. No need for brain bleach. I just wiped the dust off and kept going. If we're comparing him to other authors, I was reminded of Larry Brown.
Don't miss this one!

I really need to read this some more; I've been procrastinating by reading another book

Here's mine:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Sorry, had to miss this one out. I just couldn't get my hands on it :-(

Nice reviews! I didn't read it but I'm curious because on the GR list that shows books that are supposed to be similar it has Divergent, Daughter of Smoke and Bone and 11/22/63, but to me it doesn't seem similar, seems much darker, depressing, from what everyone says.

Flash Beagle wrote: "Nice reviews! I didn't read it but I'm curious because on the GR list that shows books that are supposed to be similar it has Divergent, Daughter of Smoke and Bone an..."

I'm still reading it; it is very dark, I wouldn't say it would be anything like those books

I agree, I'm not going to pay attention to those lists, maybe I just don't understand the connection - I just added The Troubled Man and on the list with it was The Night Circus! No way.

I normally pay more attention to the "Readers Also Enjoyed" section on the right under "Genres"

Let me just start by saying, those of you whom are unable to obtain a copy of this book via your usual conventional-means, I.e. Library. DO NOT end your search there.

If you must; get a second job, take up a paper-route, wash windscreens at traffic-lights, sell a kidney! Buy the book from - it's FREE SHIPPING anywhere, worldwide!

If you are a fan of the genré, or macabre fiction of any sort, you are depriving yourself of a sensational story delivered by means of sensational storytelling if you overlook this book.

This was the first book I've read as a member of this group and I thought it was great! Really loved how Pollack developed the characters and how all their stories intersected. Gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

Just curious, how did this book differ from this group's usual selections? Also, has anyone read any of Pollack's other works? If so, how were they?

Glad you liked the book, Jeremy. Most of the books we've been discussing here were published quite a while ago, so doing a group read of a book that came out just last year was a bit unusual, but I'm sure it won't be the last time we read a neo-noir title.

Our current Hard-Boiled poll features titles written from 1945 - 2008.

I've read Donald Ray Pollock's only other book, Knockemstiff. It is a collection of short stories about the residents of that sad Ohio town. If you liked The Devil All the Time, you should like that one.

Melki wrote: "Glad you liked the book, Jeremy. Most of the books we've been discussing here were published quite a while ago, so doing a group read of a book that came out just last year was a bit unusual, but ..."

Cool. I'll have to check it out!

I read this novel in August 2011 and thought it was in the top three books I read last year. It has been called horror and noir, but it holds up to some of the best novels written by Southern writers. Also, the author didn't start writing until his late 40s, and the quality his produced it quite amazing.

Okay, so, I'm going to be the grumbler who disagrees with everybody else. This book lacked coherence up to the very latest moment when the writer suddenly decided to take all of his disparate (but kinda cool) episodes and link them together so he could call it a book. This, I suspect, is a generation thing. I grew up reading tidy little stories with tidy little endings, so my comfort level is the programmed plot. I suspect that he does better (by my lights) with the short story, as this novel felt to me like an anthology, so I am going to read _Knockemstiff_ if I can find it.

His character development, while unpleasant, was quite thorough and interesting. Not many people can write about this segment of society (of which I happen to be a member by birthright) without going over the top or softening it up. People really do go that apeshit over religion, and their counterparts really are that stupid and clever at the same time.

As with EVERY book; it will appeal to some more than others. Personally I cannot fault the book. I give extra credit to Donald Ray Pollock because it is his very first novel.

The story I find to be entwined with melancholy genius. He captures the very essence of depravity and produces a story using nothing but despicable characters. it's a very rare delight to read a book lacking characters with any sort of admirable quality.

I just got this book from the library. They were nice enough to buy in a completely new copy from 2011.

So far the writing has showed promise, it feels authentic from the start. Southern feel the prose. If it keeps being this good it might remind of Jim Thompson type noir prose.

Great book !
Here's a pretty interesting interview with the author too: