Purple America

Rick Moody's work, Purple America, has one of the most exciting and at the same time seemingly pointless plots. Though the book is drawn out for many pages and it feels as if time is passing at an incredible rate, the author manages to make a years worth of hardships fit into a single weekend for one poor young man and his family. Moody throws in some interesting descriptions and perspectives to make time seem to have passed, or to relate to the past in such a way that time seems to flow just as easily backwards as forwards. In some scenes the book takes on a weird narrative perspective, in one point there is a page long sentence written entirely as a doctor's report. This young man, Hex (Dexter, who goes by Hex because of a fairly bad stutter that prevents him from saying D's and T's with ease) is summoned home by his long-time ailing mother who is only capable of speech and almost no movement. He is summoned home because Lou Sloane, his mother's husband recently became fed-up with her inability to talk, dress herself, or move, has left her to hit the road. Hex's problems all seem to revolve around alcohol, and he can't help himself especially when he comes to face the problems that he inherits by agreeing to take care of his mom. As he gives up his old life and prepares for a new one filled with dirty diapers and bathing his own mother, he also awakens a host of problems that time after time leave the reader with a feeling similar to "oh, so much has happened already, there's no way anything else could happen." However it does, and it continues to happen throughout the book. There are many ridiculous scenes, Hex up in a tree. Hex going to a bar with a sudden girlfriend who feels sorry for him. Hex attempting to have sex with this girl, and at times the book can be rather disgusting. The book also focuses on Lou's point of view and his own problems working at a nuclear power-plant, and the struggle in his mind about running away from a woman who cannot take care of herself. Billie Raitliffe also has a say in this book as it jumps from perspective to perspective, shedding light on what each character feels and thinks, and the problems they have in their own lives. The story ends with a wonderful gathering of the members of the family, a police officer, and the young girl that Hex spent the night with.
Overall the book left a fairly good impression on me, and there were some moments where I laughed out loud(received a few strange looks), something that is rare for me. It has the feel of an interesting literary read while at the same time following an exciting and intriguing plot. The narrative perspective adds an interesting flair to time, and also allows the characters, who at times are, or seem vocally handicapped an ability to share their thoughts. It incorporates such a strange plot that from the first moment on feels like a documentary in bad fortune. I recommend the book to people who are in to things that are a bit off the beaten path plot wise and at the same time enjoy some interesting literary switches. The reader must also have an ability to deal with strong language and a very strange sex scene. But the requirements for this book are few and most readers will probably enjoy this book and likely laugh out loud as well.