Pygmy -- a young adult from a totalitarian state, disguised as an exchange student -- plans a terrorist attack and depicts U.S. Midwestern life through the eyes of a hateful, indoctrinated little killer, in a satire of American xenophobia.
Chuck Palahniuk is rhe only person I'd trust to write in this style about this content. There's sort of a lot going on, between the satire, the pidgin engrish, the bathroom scene and the uhhhhh imitation united nations meet. I let this book flow over me, trying to get used to the rhythm of the prose and worries less about what it was trying to say and what the plot was. I'll admit, I had to look up the plot summary on wikipedia.
I feel like this is the sort of book that's more comprehensive on repeat reading.
Palahniuk has to be one of the strangest writers around. I don't even know what to say about this book, other than it is profane, violent, X-rated, funny, crazy, indescribable. Told in a fractured English dialog (so well narrated by Paul Michael Garcia!), it tells the story of Agent 67 from an unnamed authoritarian regime, slipped into the Midwest as an exchange student, but indoctrinated against the United States as an evil empire and with his fellow exchange students planning a huge terrorist strike.
Pygmy offers up crazy interpretations of Midwestern evangelical life (well, maybe not so crazy!) and describes his indoctrination into his belief system and how the evil Western empire of the United States needs to be toppled. But he does it in an incredibly naive and open eyed way, where you just have to laugh so many times. He gets himself into strange predicaments and ends up …
Palahniuk has to be one of the strangest writers around. I don't even know what to say about this book, other than it is profane, violent, X-rated, funny, crazy, indescribable. Told in a fractured English dialog (so well narrated by Paul Michael Garcia!), it tells the story of Agent 67 from an unnamed authoritarian regime, slipped into the Midwest as an exchange student, but indoctrinated against the United States as an evil empire and with his fellow exchange students planning a huge terrorist strike.
Pygmy offers up crazy interpretations of Midwestern evangelical life (well, maybe not so crazy!) and describes his indoctrination into his belief system and how the evil Western empire of the United States needs to be toppled. But he does it in an incredibly naive and open eyed way, where you just have to laugh so many times. He gets himself into strange predicaments and ends up becoming a hero, much to his discomfort.
Much like the other Palahniuk book I read, [b:Damned|9912994|Damned (Damned, #1)|Chuck Palahniuk|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1296236310l/9912994.SY75.jpg|14805540], it is the product of an unbelievably febrile imagination and you just never know which bizarre situation the narrator will take you to next, one that can either make you gasp or laugh or usually both. I still don't know what to make of it!
Is the author a genius or is he having a row with his publisher? If the works of Shakespeare is considered to be examples of perfect form of English, Pygmy is the exact opposite. It's a fun story, and a fun format, but fortunately it's a short book.
One of the weirdest books i've ever read. I'm amazed at how much i liked the book, even though it's almost impossible to read because of the unique grammar. It's not for everyone, and is definitely in the same vein as Fight club. Makes me want to go and read other books by the author.
