| | Snuff |  | Author: Chuck Palahniuk
Publisher: Anchor
Category: Book
List Price: $13.95
Buy New: $11.16
You Save: $2.79 (20%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  101 reviews
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 208
ISBN: 0307275841
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780307275844
ASIN: 0307275841
Publication Date: April 7, 2009 (In 90 Days)
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Not yet published
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| Customer Reviews:
 The great palahniuk never fails to amaze May 21, 2008
8 out of 14 found this review helpful
Though I must be honest and say that this isn't quite as good as my favorite book by Palahniuk, Haunted, it was still wonderful.
Palahniuk's blend of narrative and his own personal view of the world, which is fascinating, makes for a great story. This book is very sexual, being about the pornography industry and all, and I made the mistake of reading it in a public place; I do not want to know what my face looked like during some especially shocking parts. Overall, if you're a palahniuk fan, this is great, as to be expected from him, and I give it five stars, though I do not reccomend making it the first book of his that you read. Start off with Fight Club, which is fail-proof, I think.
 Light, Breezy, Adult Entertainment May 22, 2008
8 out of 11 found this review helpful
The pink book jacket and brown lettering let you know immediately that this is not your usual Palahniuk book. At just under 200 pages, "Snuff" is Chuck Palahniuk's shortest novel. It's more focused than his previous works, and, instead of being "darkly funny," ends up being just plain funny--think David Sedaris or Augusten Burroughs. The subject matter--the adult film industry--is mined here for most of the comedy beats, although the details aren't as graphic or sexual as you might expect for such a risque topic. (There are better books about the industry anyway, such as Jenna Jameson's enthralling How to Make Love Like a Porn Star: A Cautionary Tale.) If you're looking for a light, fun summer read, though, "Snuff" will suffice.
Something missing... May 24, 2008
8 out of 14 found this review helpful
I am a big fan of Chuck Palahniuk. I have read just about everything this man has written. His books are engaging, well-written, and have a tendency to punch you in the face when you least expect it....
And that may be part of my letdown with this book. While I think that the writing is usual Chuck Palahniuk, there is just something missing. The characters, Mr. 72, Mr. 137, Mr. 600, and Shelia, are all well-developed and interesting characters who interact well with each other. The way in which the story is narrated, from multiple perspectives in both present time and flashbacks, works very well. The plot twists were subtle, but effective. Even the ending was typical Chuck Palahniuk.
"Snuff" didn't give me the "oh my God, he did not just do that!" moment I usually get from his books. The last few pages didn't grab me the way his endings usually do. I suspect that part of it is the fact that the novel is really an expanded short story, coming in at just under 200 pages. I didn't want the book to end, and it did. And I found it wanting. It's certainly a good book, although a bit pricey for the length. It just doesn't work for me the same way his other books do. And I wish I could put my finger on it.
 Nihilism Revisited June 3, 2008
8 out of 13 found this review helpful
I remember once seeing a review for one of Palahniuk's earlier novels which said something like "He makes nihilsm fun!"
And so he did, once, but now we're beginning to understand just what happens to this "wise" nihilist in the end; this know-it-all who always had a "smart," "shocking," or "in-your-face" comment for the rest of us poor delusional slaves. One day the trivia runs out, the in-your-face commentary isn't shocking or new anymore, and the "surprise endings" don't surprise anyone. Most of us have started to wonder why we ever thought the cheap, gratuitous gore and filth was all that entertaining to begin with. We start to think that whatever "shock value" his earlier work had was just a cheap trick that we're ashamed we fell for. And Palahniuk, the Great Nihilist, is finally revealed for the fraud he always was. He's performed his little trick too many times, and his audience sees that it - and he - have become utterly irrelevant.
All that to say, don't buy this worthless piece of garbage. We could attempt to explain the non-existent plot, or talk about the contrived and transparent attempts at characters, and even give away the "surprise" ending (which, I assure you, will not surprise you), but frankly, it would be a waste of time. There's nothing here to analyze; even tearing it to pieces would be tossing pearls to swine. Suffice to say, if you're one of the simpletons who is impressed by shallow shock-value that everyone else finds transparent or just juvenile and repulsive, like 8th-grade attempts at sex jokes, you might enjoy this book. Otherwise, you'll be wasting money on something that is guaranteed to disappoint you, and the realization that this author isn't (and never really was) all that talented after all may cheapen your enjoyment or pleasant memories of some of his other work.
WOW June 13, 2008
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
I can easily say this book was an utter disappointment/disaster. Perhaps it was high expectations or the genius viral marketing, but I was left unfullfiled. Obviously tackling the subject matter at hand is difficult to say the least but I genuinely expected more. The one thing from his other books is that no matter how dispicable the characters are they are all redeemable and likable in the end. I cannot say the same for the charaters in "Snuff". If anything, they all seemed one dimensional, and the woe is me got very annoying. This is to say nothing about the ending. Most of Chuck's books have some element of outrageousness to them but this is just ridiculous. I felt it was absolutely stupid and pointless. I got you, no you got me, but we got them, no I got you, now I am ok with everything. Just RIDICULOUS. I would pass on this and re-read "Fight Club" and/or "Choke". If you feel compelled dust off the old library card and save the $20.
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