Wolf in White Van by John Darnielle

Wolf in White Van by John Darnielle. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2014. Hardcover. 208 pages.

This is a really hard book to review. I mean, I generally loved it and gave it five stars, but somehow it still left me not knowing what to think just uncertain in general. I know that sounds confusing, so let me try to explain.

Wolf in White Van is not your average story. This book is narrated by Sean Phillips, a man disfigured by an accident when he was 17 who also created a game called Trace Italian, "a text-based, roleplaying game played through the mail."* Much of the content of this story has already happened in the past and Sean is now retelling it to us through bits and pieces after two of his customers take the game a bit too seriously. 

Initially, I was a little confused about the game - Trace Italian - itself. It felt odd to consider the idea of playing a game in which you write down your chosen move in a creative (or not creative) letter and send it to the creator of the game, who then writes down what happens after that move and mails it back; it's hard for me to imagine that it would appeal to very many people, but apparently it did! I have to admit, though, that I really came around to the idea, and found the entire concept pretty interesting. 

What I loved about this book and what pushed me to give it five stars was because of frequent moments in Sean's narrative when I felt as if I understood exactly what he meant. Not in a simple, 'oh, that's relatable' sort of way, but almost on a deeper level, a level that tells me that Darnielle is an incredibly gifted writer who can capture some intense, often difficult to describe emotions and feelings. I was so blown away with Darnielle's writing and his ability to craft such an odd book in such a fascinating manner. On the one hand, the plot and story is simple, but on the other, it's is so dazzingly (is that a word?) complex that I just don't know how to describe it.

Sean is a compelling character. He's undergone an immense tragedy, which gives him a unique perspective on the world, yet even when he discusses his childhood it is apparent that he was a particularly unique child. I held onto his every word with immense interest, making it hard to step away from Sean and the thoughts he shared and enter back into my everyday life.

Wolf in White Van is a quick, engrossing read, and I recommend it to anyone who wants a more thoughtful, out of the ordinary book. This book is only about 200 pages, and it goes by fast, so it is definitely doable. Oerall, I am giving it five stars!

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

*Quote from book synopsis on Goodreads.

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First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday: Double Feature ft. Wolf in White Van by Josh Darnielle + The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis

First Chapter Tuesday is hosted every Tuesday by Diane over at Bibiophile by the Sea. Join the fun by making your own post and linking up over at Diane's blog, or simple check it out to find more new books to read!

Wolf in White Van by John Darnielle

Chapter 1

"My father used to carry me down the hall to my room after I came home from the hospital. By then I could walk if I had to, but the risk of falling was too great, so he carried me like a child. It’s a cluster memory now: it consists of every time it happened and is recalled in a continuous loop. He did it every day, for a long time, from my first day back until what seemed like a hundred years later, and after a while, the scene blurred into innumerable interchangeable identical scenes layered one on top of the other like transparencies."

I'd had my eye on this book for quite a while before I finally decided to pick it, and I'm certainly glad I did! At this point, I'm not about 3/4 of the way in and I am just completely enraptured Darnielle's style and storytelling. This is a different sort of book, but it is right up my alley.

The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis

Chapter 1

"This is how I kill someone.

I learn his habits, I know his schedule. It is not difficult. His life consists of quick stops to the dollar store for the bare minimum of things required to keep this ragged cycle going, his hat pulled down over his eyes so as not to be recognized.

But he is. It’s a small town.

I watch these little exchanges. They evolve in seconds, from I get paid to smile at you to the facial muscles going lax when recognition hits, the price scanner making a feeble attempt to break the silence by making a beep-beep when his food goes past."

I've always been reading this incredible book known as The Female of the Species and it is incredible, so I had to share it as well. 

What do you think? Would you keep reading either one of these? (And feel free to join in and make your own post!) 

If you're enticed by this chapter, be sure to check out the full synopsis on Goodreads!

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*Excerpt taken from the novel itself; I do not claim to own any part of the excerpt.