ARC REVIEW : Days of Throbbing Gristle by Kevin Cole

SUMMARY :

Does Heaven know you're miserable now?

It’s 1987. Sam Henry Hay, a 17-year-old exchange student from Sheffield, hops into Texas, USA, with one burning ambition: Manipulate his gullible host parents into funding his university, and leave his dead-end life in Yorkshire behind.

But is Sam manipulating America or America manipulating Sam? The clever lad schmoozes his way into many a bed and purse, yet can’t get rid of anyone. He executes careful plans, only to watch them disastrously fall apart. Worst of all, this once proud nihilist watches in horror as he reveals a conscience, in a world growing ever darker around him.

Days of Throbbing Gristle is not your typical teenage tale. It’s a razor-slashing journey through a time and place that really was as bad as you’ve heard. For some, high school is the best time in their lives. For others, it’s a miracle they make it to the other side.

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REVIEW :

Days Of Throbbing Gristle is a very unusual read indeed. I haven’t read anything like it ever before. This book left me with mixed feelings. I really can’t put this story in a particular category, as it contains many layers. 

The writing style is not what I’m used to, so it took me a while to get in the hang of it. When I read the summary of this book , I was like yeah okay, I can guess, along the way where the story is going and boy was I wrong, right until the last page. 

DOTG is the story of Sam Hay, an exchange student from England who comes to America and lives with his host family as he finishes his last year of school and try and get into a uni.

I couldn’t really understand Sam’s character. I found him to be really complex. He could be sweet one minute and downright cruel the next. What was his deal? I hung in the balance of deciding whether Sam’s character was good or bad. I still haven’t decided. Whenever I thought okay, so he might have some redeeming qualities to him, he had to do something for me to take my though back. Although sometime I found his humor placed at the right place. I really loved his sarcastic butt than.

The other characters such as Jill or Chelsea were realistic enough and well written.  Donna, I absolutely loathed. She was horrible. Ugh! And Heather, that poor girl. I feel for her. Then there was Paul Chase. He was one of my favorite characters in the book and the ending he got was absolutely tragic. I felt terrible.

The book also deals with sensitive topics such as religion, drugs, sex, suicide and so on.  Some scenes were too vivid and abusive for my taste. But that could be just me. You could always read the book yourself and decide. You might enjoy it. I know I did, for the most part. Also the length of the book was long, as I don’t really go for such long books. If it was shorter I feel I could have enjoyed it more. Some parts just seems unnecessary for the story and led to being a drag.

And the climax, I wasn’t happy with. But leaving my happiness aside, this book was real. We all know real life isn’t all rosy and lovely. This book makes you deal with the hard truth of the world. I respect this book for that and all that it portrays. This is the kind of story that makes you stop and just think.

All in all, I wouldn't say I loved the book, but I also wouldn't say I hated it. I would without a doubt give the next book of Cole’s a try.

 I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review. And I thank the author for this opportunity.

RATINGS : 3/5 STARS