#321 Tough, Tough Toys, for Tough, Tough Boys- Will Self

#321 Tough, Tough Toys, for Tough, Tough Boys- Will Self

Thoughts while driving a fast car, I guess this is supposed to be a road story (until its not). It gives a nod to Kerouac, mentioning both him and "some dharma," but this reads like the author never read Kerouac. It reads like the author thinks this is what other road stories are about.

This story lost me quickly, then slogged on for another thirty pages, containing nothing that aided to the story. Between the random thoughts dropping from the driver’s head, the story suffered from Self’s relentless attempts at cleverness, most of which fell flat.

Good sentences ruined by forced word play or shoe-horned-in metaphors. Take a look at these few clips:

“…there was the sense that as the car plunged south—switch backing over spurs, and charging down hillsides—it was taking Bill out of the unimagined world and into the world that was all too clearly conceived of, fixed in its nature, hammered into banality by mass comprehension.”

“The wands of memories interleaved themselves with the sprigs of scenery, and then the whole hedge of impressions was further shaped and molded by the music which poured from all four corners, before being flattened by the mantra of impulsion.”

I really like rich language, but this is tiresome and feels forced. Self’s writing style is not a voice that hits my ear naturally, but his story telling usually makes the read worth while. This one is a miss for me.

Rating: 6-5-3-5 Total= 19