Community Reviews

Rating(4 / 5.0, 99 votes)
5 stars
29(29%)
4 stars
42(42%)
3 stars
28(28%)
2 stars
0(0%)
1 stars
0(0%)
99 reviews
July 15,2025
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This book was truly an oddity, yet it was also highly entertaining.

I find myself in a bit of a quandary when it comes to writing a review.

Anything I might pen down seems insufficient and could potentially detract from the strange, surrealistic, and magical allure that this novel possesses.

The story within its pages is like a mysterious web that ensnares the reader, pulling them into a world that defies convention and logic.

It's a world filled with vivid imagery, unexpected twists, and characters that seem to leap off the page.

The author has managed to create a unique and captivating atmosphere that lingers long after the final page has been turned.

Whether you're a fan of the strange and unusual or simply looking for a book that will transport you to another realm, this one is definitely worth checking out.

It's a literary gem that will leave you both bewildered and delighted.
July 15,2025
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A horror story unfolds, centering around a group of the most unlikely monster hunters.

Tasked with dispatching a menacing monster that lurks beneath a woman's house, they embark on a journey to her abode. There, they encounter her twin sister. Soon after, their father mysteriously vanishes. Strange and inexplicable events begin to occur. Minds become clouded, warped, and manipulated.

This story is concise, and I'm reluctant to reveal too much more. You might think I'm being evasive, especially since I'm supposed to review books.

However, this particular tale is still in the process of being digested. It's the kind of story that one might envision Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright collaborating on. Similar to "Shawn of the Dead," it adopts the guise of a horror film while infusing it with copious amounts of comedy, resulting in something entirely unique.

My description thus far is rather unpolished. For that, I ask for your forgiveness.

Imagine a playful take on horror. It doesn't induce creepiness but rather teeters on the edge of the uncanny valley.

It's definitely a book worth picking up. I haven't come across another quite like it.

You'll either find it incredibly refreshing or despise it and question its classification as gothic in any sense. Nevertheless, I firmly believe it's well worth a try. It commences like "Lolita," transitions into a romance/mystery, then delves into the dark and sinister, and ultimately concludes with profound philosophical musings, leaving you wondering if the author didn't piece together four novels, chop them up, and reassemble them in a random order.
July 15,2025
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Richard Brautigan is truly an underappreciated treasure.

His writing style is entirely unique, yet it somehow reminds me of something familiar.

There's a similar feeling that I get, perhaps from reading Vonnegut or Murakami.

This particular work of his is not only funny but also tender, sublime, and exciting all at once.

It's one of my favorite westerns, and the reason is simple.

He took the traditional western genre and made it 100% absolutely his own.

Bravo, you beautiful freak! His ability to blend different elements and create something so original is truly remarkable.

It's a pity that he doesn't receive the recognition he truly deserves.

Hopefully, more people will discover his works and appreciate his genius in the future.

July 15,2025
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The Hawkline Monster is an utterly captivating and surreal tale that masterfully combines elements of the Western genre, the spine-tingling horror, and a significant dose of pure fantasy.

Set within a desolate and unforgiving landscape, the story unfolds, following the adventures of two drifters. These wanderers find themselves irresistibly drawn into a most peculiar job offer. The offer comes from none other than the mysterious Miss Hawkline, who owns a mansion that seems to hold countless secrets.

The job at hand? To kill a monster that allegedly lives beneath the house. On the surface, it might sound straightforward enough, but as the drifters soon discover, nothing is as it seems. The events that unfold are a strange and often hilarious mix of the unexpected, leaving the reader both entertained and on the edge of their seat.

Overall, this unique and engaging story earns a solid 3.5 stars, rounded up for the numerous grins and moments of sheer delight it provides. It's a must-read for anyone looking for a truly original and unforgettable literary experience.
July 15,2025
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I was browsing through the bookshelves when my eyes were immediately drawn to a particular one. The reason? It had the words "Gothic Western" emblazoned on the cover. Intrigued, I grabbed it. As I started reading, I realized it was a truly odd piece of work. The writing style was simplistic, yet it possessed a certain hypnotic quality that kept pulling me in. Despite its simplicity, there was something about it that made it captivating. I found myself lost in its pages, eager to see what would happen next. I think I'll definitely read more of Brautigan's works if I happen to come across them again. There's just something about his writing that piques my interest and makes me want to explore more of his literary world.

July 15,2025
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"خاص و جالب و باحال" can be translated to "Special, interesting and amazing".


This phrase describes something that is unique, captivating and astonishing. It could refer to a person, place, event or object that has qualities that set it apart from the ordinary. For example, a special talent, an interesting story or an amazing discovery.


When we encounter something that is "خاص و جالب و باحال", it often piques our curiosity and makes us want to learn more. It can bring excitement and wonder into our lives, and leave a lasting impression.


Whether it's a rare species of animal, a beautiful work of art or a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the things that are "خاص و جالب و باحال" are what make life丰富多彩 and worth living. We should always be on the lookout for these special things and cherish them when we find them.
July 15,2025
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Can I describe a book as annoying?

Well, this particular book was thoroughly annoying. From the very beginning, it seemed to lack a clear direction. The plot meandered aimlessly, making it difficult for the reader to engage and follow along.

The characters were also rather unappealing. They lacked depth and complexity, coming across as flat and one-dimensional. Their actions and decisions often felt forced and unrealistic, further detracting from the overall reading experience.

Moreover, the writing style was less than engaging. The prose was dull and uninteresting, lacking the vividness and creativity that would have made the story come alive.

In conclusion, this book was truly a disappointment. It failed to capture my attention or spark my imagination, leaving me feeling frustrated and annoyed. I would not recommend it to anyone looking for an enjoyable read.
July 15,2025
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The Malafakas brought me here, for the first encounter with this form of American underground. It's a surreal western that blows in the wind and incorporates elements of American reality.

Here, you can feel the unique atmosphere. The desolate landscapes, the old buildings, and the people with their own stories.

It's like stepping into a different world, a world that is both familiar and strange.

The sounds of the wind, the creaking of the doors, and the distant gunshots all add to the sense of mystery.

You never know what might be lurking around the corner.

It's an adventure, a journey into the heart of the American underground.

And I'm excited to see where this path will lead me.

Maybe there are more surprises waiting for me.

Maybe I'll discover something new about myself and this place.

Only time will tell.

But for now, I'm just going to enjoy the ride.

July 15,2025
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How many gothic westerns are there?

This is a question that has intrigued me for a long time. I read about gothic westerns a while ago and remember it fondly.

The combination of the gothic and western genres creates a unique and captivating atmosphere.

Gothic elements such as dark castles, mysterious figures, and supernatural occurrences are juxtaposed with the wild west setting of cowboys, deserts, and frontier towns.

This contrast adds an extra layer of excitement and mystery to the stories.

Some of the most famous gothic westerns include "The Searchers" and "High Plains Drifter".

These films not only showcase the beauty and brutality of the west but also explore themes such as revenge, redemption, and the human psyche.

In conclusion, the number of gothic westerns may not be large, but they have left a lasting impression on me and many other fans of the genre.

I look forward to seeing more of these unique and fascinating stories in the future.
July 15,2025
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At this juncture of his career, Brautigan was blatantly succumbing to the pernicious effects of alcoholism and an overinflated ego. These were elements that had been conspicuously absent in his earlier literary endeavors. He embarked on an ambitious project to pen five novels within a five-year timeframe, with each novel aiming to blend two distinct genres into a novel form of creation. Prior to this particular novel, he had already produced The Abortion: An Historical Romance, which artfully blended the romance novel format with the modern. This current text endeavors to merge the Gothic form with the Western. Regrettably, it fails abysmally as there are no discernible features of either genre evident in either the plot or the characterization.

The story centers around the Hawkline girls, who reside in a frozen mansion perched above ice caves in the midst of the Oregon desert. They engage two cowboy hitmen to rid their ice caves of a purported monster that lashes its tail against the steel doors separating the ice caves from their basement. One must overlook the fact that they have never actually seen the monster, and it has apparently done nothing more menacing than make a racket on occasion. In reality, the monster is merely a light and its attendant shadow that can insinuate itself through the door and roam freely throughout the house, typically just observing the girls and the hitmen. Unlike Brautigan's other works, this book lacks any genuine point or even a Zen-like quality. The characters are thinly drawn and engage in nothing remotely interesting. If there is a point of conflict that drives the narrative, it is concealed beneath a litany of improbable and utterly absurd events.

July 15,2025
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A Gothic Western?
Really? What were you, Brautigan? Were you one of those writers who said, “I write so-and-so books, but with a so-and-so twist”? I mean, seriously, give us a break — oh! Hey, so yeah, a gothic western. Spot on. Who knew one could be so apt in labeling their work. My apologies. Well done.


Having A Go at One of Those Superficially Clever, Show-offy-but-in-reality-rather-hokey-and-stilted-and-at-bottom-irrelevant Mash-up Comparative Descriptions That Critics Tend to Enjoy Implementing:
Imagine if Cormac McCarthy and Kurt Vonnegut travelled back in time to assassinate Jesse James only to find that Mary Shelley had already travelled forward in time and was using his body for scientific experimentation, and Robert Louis Stevenson was… probably somewhere near… like in the basement, with his chemicals… hearing bits and pieces… eh, forget this. It does have in common some of the comic simplicity of Vonnegut, dreary dialogue involving cowboys, sort of like McCarthy, and indeed a science-gone-wild gothic aspect not entirely unlike Frankenstein, but those are just some things that came to my mind. Viz. it doesn’t smack of a rip-off at all. It’s easy to read, elegant in its lack of verbose adornment, and it is wonderfully entertaining.


Main Characters and About Them:
Cameron counts. Greer fucks. Cameron fucks too though. Cameron and Greer also both kill people. Miss Hawkline fucks. Magic Child fucks. Miss Hawkline and Magic Child also both want to be rid of an evil (or at least highly inconsiderate) entity that dwells beneath their house. Cameron and Greer also both want to kill this entity because they will get paid. But sometimes both Cameron and Greer and both Miss Hawkline and Magic Child would rather fuck or eat than kill the entity. Cameron counts everything; shots fired, hoof clops clopped, silverware. If there are amounts of things, he’ll count them. When he is counting the amount of times someone does something, he always anticipates it to be done 1 more time. He expects to count to infinity, all the time. There is no expectation of a cut-off point for Cameron, and numbers are everything.


The House, What Surrounds it, and What is Contained Within it:
Multiple chimneys of billowing smoke make the Hawkline house appear as a mini-factory of industrial dread. Frozen ground surrounds it on account of the ‘ice caves’ beneath it. Chemicals-cum-shadow/light-cum-monster inadvertently originated by professor-cum-elephant foot umbrella stand. Seemingly more inconvenient than dangerous, such a creation can cause reality not to fit its definition. In the end, we have confirmation of what we all know already; whiskey solves all problems.


Writing this review is preventing me from getting fucked. I’m going to go get fucked.
July 15,2025
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At first, I liked it okay with its impressionistic, snapshot-like chapters.

However, as I delved deeper, I realized there’s not much substance here.

The attempts at humor are rather lame, failing to elicit even a slight chuckle.

Similarly, the attempts at crudity are equally unimpressive and seem forced.

There is a distinct lack of atmosphere or any real interest to engage the reader.

The tone, which is a sort of terse, repetitious wink-winkness, quickly grates on the nerves and wears thin.

To be honest, I highly doubt I will ever bother to finish it.

It simply doesn’t have the elements that would compel me to continue reading and discover what might come next.

Overall, it’s a disappointment despite its initial promising start.
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