[the book fiend]

Source.

Can I confess something? One of the first things I did after finishing the Bar was dive into a good book (after drinks with a friend and a SVU marathon that involved lots of yelling about Fourth Amendment violations & other inaccuracies). You think I'd never want to read again, but no. I simply couldn't wait to read something that was entertaining instead of educational. Naturally I finished one book and am 3/4 of the way through a second.  Let's dive into that first book, shall we?

Summary
Rachel Kushner's The Flamethrowers follows the story of Reno, a young artist who left her hometown of Reno, Nevada to move to New York . There's not much of a plot (more on that in a minute); it's more of a glimpse into the art scene in 1970's New York.

Review
This has to be one of the most interesting books I've ever read. Like I said, there's not much of a plot. We're all familiar with how a novel should be structured. You learn it in middle school, you read it in every book. That doesn't exist here. Instead, it's a meandering exploration of Reno's life. Heck, you never even learn Reno's real name and you barely learn what she looks like. Things aren't wrapped in a neat little bow & ends are left loose. Despite all of that, I absolutely loved this book. Loved it. The writing is incredible. The characters are complex, fascinating, and quite realistic. There are characters you love, ones you hate, ones that you just can't understand. The events around them are fascinating. So is the environment they move through. Read this book. It's artsy. It's different. But it's beautiful. And I would read it again in a heartbeat.