A beautiful novel that follows the main protagonist Angel who is an albino and observes the light with great precision, although, can barely be exposed to it due to his sensitivity. Angel is born into a rich family that supports him, although, views him ultimately as a failure as he mopes in his dark West Hollywood apartment watching a mute movie on repeat and writing a screenplay about his situation whilst taking drugs his psychiatrist throw at him and drinking. The book becomes twisted and alludes to many stereotypes within the cultural phenomenon that is Los Angeles; the failures, the freaks, the Beverly Hills Housewife, the fame-whores and the executive figures who keep the films rolling. Angel's insight is beautiful even as he becomes psychologically incompetent and the screenplay within his mind and on reams of paper scattering his apartment harmoniously close as he recollects his own life.Well worth the read.
There are a lot of things to love about this book. I read it based on the blurb by Will Christopher Baer, but it certainly doesn't have the prose of Baer, and I did question the believability of certain aspects of the novel. The dark/light metaphors were a bit heavy-handed at times, and the plot was predictable at times. BUT there were moments of brilliance, the ending was solid, and I actually felt some emotion there, some sympathy, and it moved me. I enjoyed this book. It's a book I liked, but didn't love. For others, this book may have a stronger appeal. Maybe my expectations of Baer were too much. Maybe the Blade Runner quotes bugged me more than most. Pick it up, read a sample chapter, see if you dig his style. It's a good book.
Do You like book Los Angeles (2005)?
This mystery novel has some of the best writing I have ever seen. It's fluid and fast-paced and cinematic. Maybe sometimes you'll gloss over the words, not really reading them due to their irrelevance to the story, but by the end, even if none of it is memorable, it feels like you just rode a wave. The mystery at the heart of the story concerns a 34 year old college dropout named Angel Veronchek, who becomes infatuated with the girl in the apartment next door. Her name she says is Angela, but af
—Dan
