Diary (original 2003; edition 2003)

Excellent mind-fuck, such as Palahniuk is wont to write. ( )

Some funny stuff in there, but the plot was not that engaging to me. ( )

I am usually weary of authors attempting narratives from the perspective of main characters of the opposite sex, but Palahniuk delivers. This book is about a woman dealing with the attempted suicide of her husband and the unravelling of a lifestyle she spent her entire life dreaming of and trying to obtain. She is sometimes infuriating in her relentless bitterness and sometimes pitiful and worthy of a reader's deepest sympathies, but she never stops being Misty, so kudos to Palahniuk. Woolf would be impressed, I'm sure. This isn't a nihilist fiction, but it is fatalist in its presentation and message. It's straight to the point, a bit terrifying in places, and thoroughly entertaining. I could not put it down. Long-time fans and new readers alike should enjoy this novel. ( )

Diary
By Chuck Palahniuk

After Misty Wimot’s husband attempts suicide and ends up in a coma her mother in law suggest she keep a diary for him, writing down all of the mundane things she can think of so that when he wakes up he will know what he has missed. Misty’s diary is full of anger at her husband as she finds messages he has sealed away in houses all over the island they live on, but soon her diary takes a dark twist as the islanders push her to paint again and once she does she soon winds up regretting her decision.

This is the first novel by Chuck Palahniuk I have read so I didn’t know quite what to expect. I wouldn’t exactly classify this as a horror novel but it is twisted and demented that there cannot be another genre so fitting. The novel starts off sarcastic and mean but when your husband calls you a fat cow in messages he has left before he tries to kill himself, well needless to say you’d be pissed off too. When you hear about a woman who is surviving such an incident you would think there is no way I can understand how that character feels, but the author manages to bring each character to life so vividly you completely sympathize feeling each emotion she feels and wanting to play her drinking game right along with her. But the best part of the novel is the ending; with a spectacular twist that is sure to leave you going “What the heck?” this author definitely saved the best for last. I had thought I figured it out and then Chuck Palahniuk came out of left field with such an amazing twist I can’t wait to read more of his work.

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This is a story written in diary format from Misty's perspective, but it's a letter to her husband, so there is second-person narrative element to it, which I liked. Basically, this story is about Misty, a girl who fell in love with a guy and ended up getting pregnant. So, she quit art school. She quit art, period. Though her husband comes from a rich family, they fall on hard times, so she gets a job as a waitress. He gets a job remodeling houses. We come into the story after the husband has tried to kill himself and is now in a coma; Misty gets calls from her husband's clients and finds that his remodeling jobs held secret messages; and Misty's mother-in-law keeps trying to get her to paint. For some reason, this will save all the residents of the island on which they live, and island that is being overrun by tourists.

To describe Diary in two words: deliciously weird.

This was my first foray into Palahniuk's mind. I have quite a few friends who are in love with him, but I have to admit, for the better part of this novel, I just wasn't sold. The beginning is just strange. Costume jewelry seems to be a big issue, and I just didn't get. Everything was surreal; the way Misty was able to find hidden messages that led her exactly where she needed to go; the way Misty's mother-in-law, daughter, and doctor treated her; really, everything about it was simply strange.

None of it seemed to connect, and I thought I was reading a story that was strange just for the sake of being strange. However, it still intrigued me and I kept on going. I wanted to know what would happen to poor Misty. Would she start painting again? Would her husband wake up? Would her mother-in-law lay off? I had all these questions, and I wanted them answered.

Thank goodness for those questions, because Diary comes together beautifully. Don't get me wrong, it's still strange. But it's strange with a purpose. Everything is happening for a reason, and once that was made clear, I fell in love. The narrative is expertly done. I was taken on the journey with Misty, who also had no clue about what was going on. Along with her, I discovered the island inhabitants' strange beliefs and their even stranger plan for saving their livelihoods.

There were some times where I thought the story was too drawn out, but for the most part, I enjoyed it. It's horrific, terrifying, and intriguing all at the same time. For those who like their books weird, definitely pick this one up. You won't regret it. ( )