Title: High Hopes Fade Fast
Product review: I had the pleasure of uncovering this book at the AWP conference a few years ago, and, with all the praise it received there and all the reviews which gave it Faulknerian comparisons, I grew excited about having time to read it. I began it immediately and my disappointment was almost as immediate. Though the language did in fact remind me of Faulkner and, more recently, of Cormac McCarthy and Jeffrey Lent, in "Bloodroot" it was forced and the hand of the author is too present. Also, the dialogue shifts are abrupt and the obvious use of dialogue to propel the narrative weakens its read, for the speech doesn't appear natural. Ultimately, I'm surprised it won its award and that it received such praise. Though the plot is thoughful, it is awkwardly presented and the rough language overshadows the narrative.
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