#knockemstiff

[kreta-kano]

Just got knockemstiff home so I can read it when I travel.

I also just finished reading The Devil All the Time, and i absolutely loved it. Anybody got anything else in the same style they can recommend? Im gonna swallow knockemstiff in one day lol, so any recommendations would be appreciated <333

[sharpmouth]

Knockemstiff, Donald Ray Pollock

[gothicrepetitions]

Sam-core

[themonstrousother-moved]

Knockemstiff, Donald Ray Pollock

[livingfictionsystem]

RATING: 8/10

I'm from Appalachia. In fact, I grew up in Athens, not too far from Knockemstiff. And man, this is a hard one to review. It's much like Southern Ohio itself---an isolated purgatory where resilience and authenticity are hardened into gems or crumble into coal. There's SA, there's a lot of drug mentions, there's disease, death, murder, and definitely some characters you don't get elsewhere. For better and for worse. Mostly worse. This is such a hard book to recommend. It's not for everyone. I actually wondered for myself whether this is furthering Appalachian stereotypes or helping us. I think the answer is 'Yes.' Keep in mind, this shows a pretty bleak lens on it, but it's not out of the realm of lived experiences. It felt like going to my relatives' houses and having them tell me family stories. Not everyone's going to like it, but it's important that it's out there. And the narratives are so haunting in the best and worst ways. Related: My buddy from Portsmouth and I had no idea this was a real town. And when Portsmouth hasn't heard of you, you're really out in those hills. -Sparrow Harvey, host

TW: Everything. Literally everything.

[wiltedhumanskin]

segment from Knockemstiff, one of my favorite books I've read til now

[loosejournal]

Because of who we were, I already knew what we would do.

Donald Ray Pollock, Knockemstiff

[grimini]