Review of Snuff

Snuff
Written by: Chuck Palahniuk

If you are familiar with the writings of Palahniuk, you will know all too well the twisted characters, ridiculous plots, and graphic writing that fill the pages of his books. Snuff, is no exception to his normal writing style.

The story is told in the first person view from four different characters. These characters are known as Mr. 72, Mr. 137, Mr. 600, and Sheila. So what is the deal with the numbers you might ask? Those numbers are to correspond with their place in line....for a 600 person gang bang. That’s right, the story is about a porn actress who is going to break the world record for having sex with the most men in a video. Typical Palahniuk.

However, also typical of Palahniuk, the story is very well written and it definitely kept me interested and on the edge of my seat for the whole book. This book is just kind of something you have to throw yourself into. Palahniuk does a great job by showing happy characters at the beginning, just excited to have sex with their favorite porn actress, but as the story progresses, their own personal problems come to the surface and you can see the steady decline of each of the characters into the more depressing side of their life that Palahniuk is so good at doing.

The story contains the typical plot twists that any Palahniuk fan can appreciate. And what he does really well in this book is bring four characters that seemingly have nothing in common at the beginning, and as the story progresses, you see how each of them has an influential part in each other’s life.

Overall, I would recommend this book if you are looking for something a little darker to read. I found this to be a book where I was able to just let go and immerse myself in the story. Palahniuk fans, this is a book that shouldn’t be missed. As for those who are new to his writing style, expect a book where anything can happen and let him draw those pictures in your mind.

On a scale of 0-10:
Character Development: 8
Plot: 6
Writing Style: 9
Overall: 7

Pros: Good character development, short enough for a good weekend read, plot twists, typical Palahniuk.

Cons: Story is farfetched for those not used to his writing style, may be too dark for some readers.