Recently Read: Liquor by Poppy Z Brite

[ellyssian]

Poppy Z. Brite: Liquor

If this had characters that weren't interesting and didn't have descriptions of delicious dishes (and delicious-sounding-but-untried things,) it could probably be filed as a thriller and would become a best seller. Of course, the writing would have to be dumbed down to be as bad as some of the other best sellers.

In other words, I really can't find a legitimate reason for why this isn't on those lists. The story grabs you, interest in the characters keeps you there, and, despite all the warnings, it still leaves you with an interest in opening up a restaurant. I would think people would be fighting over copies of this, especially with the increased interest of late in all things food and cooking, such as Iron Chef, Hell's Kitchen, Emeril, and all. It still has the feeling of a best-kept-secret, when it really should be getting much more attention.

Although I read this after the next book in the series, Prime, and it wasn't totally spoiled by reading out-of-order, there are things hinted at here that have a great impact in Prime. I actually found I had more sympathy and interest in the antagonist here than I had from reading about him as a past-event. Not that I liked the guy, but he was much more the product of a tragic confusion (mostly on his own part, due in part to extreme misuse of controlled substances) then the completely malicious and evil psychopath he seemed to be to Rickey's memory. There was a reason for what he did - a flawed reason, but one he believed in.

I'm definitely looking forward to future works with these characters, and the menus they create! =)