'Waiting Period' by Hubert Selby Jr. is a dark and intense novel that delves into the mind of a man on the brink of suicide, who decides to seek revenge on those he deems responsible for his suffering. The protagonist's journey is filled with themes of violence, desperation, and a deep-rooted sense of injustice, portrayed through a stream of consciousness writing style that traps the reader in the fractured mind of the main character.

The book explores the protagonist's internal struggles and his descent into darkness as he navigates through a world filled with bureaucracy, violence, and moral dilemmas. Selby Jr. weaves a narrative that is both disturbing and thought-provoking, challenging the reader to confront themes of societal injustices, individual morality, and the thin line between sanity and madness.

Characters:

Characters are largely one-dimensional, with the protagonist representing a simplistic view of societal frustrations without much depth or complexity.

Writing/Prose:

The prose is characterized by a tedious stream of consciousness style that some find entrapping yet cumbersome, lacking the finesse seen in other works by the author.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot revolves around a man's shift from contemplating suicide to plotting violence against the bureaucrats he blames for his problems, ultimately lacking meaningful development or resolution.

Setting:

The setting captures a contemporary landscape filled with bureaucratic frustrations, embodying themes of societal angst.

Pacing:

Pacing is uneven, beginning with a strong premise but gradually becoming slow and laborious as the narrative progresses.

Notes:

The novel has no chapters and follows a stream of consciousness style.

The protagonist considers suicide but decides to kill others instead.

He faces bureaucratic delays at a gun shop which influences his actions.

Selby is compared to Dostoevsky, but the comparison is unfavorably noted.

The book is described as tedious and redundant by some readers.

The main character is portrayed as lacking depth and insight.

Readers report a sense of purposelessness in the narrative.

Themes include frustration with bureaucracy and societal evils.

The narrative voice is compelling yet unsettling for some.

The book is said to lose impact in the second half of the story.

Selby is regarded as a cult figure and is known for other influential works.

Some readers find the constant internal monologue entertaining, while others find it exhausting.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book contains themes of suicide, violence, mental illness, and social critique, which may be distressing.

From The Publisher:

In this highly polished and slightly twisted moral tale, a man pulls back from the brink of suicide when his application to buy a gun with which to shoot himself is delayed. Instead of throwing his life away, he decides to spend all his time and effort disposing of those who he feels deserve to die. Targeting a bureaucrat in the Veterans' Administration, he devises an ingenious method of murdering people without trace. With a renewed zest for living he embarks on a joyful killing spreeI>

Hubert Selby Jr. was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1928. After a career in the merchant marine cut short by illness, he achieved international recognition for his acclaimed cult classic, Last Exit to Brooklyn. Darren Aronofsky's film adaptation of Selby's Requiem for a Dream, starring Jared Leto and Ellen Burstyn was one of independent cinema's biggest hits in 2001.

[box]

Also available:

The Room

TP $14.95, 0-7145-3038-7

CUSA

The Demon

TP $14.95, 0-7145-2599-5

CUSA

Song of the Silent Snow

TP $14.95, 0-7145-3050-6

CUSA

The Willow Tree

TC $25.95, 0-7145-3024-7

CUSA

Ratings (1)

Liked It (1)

Reader Stats (3):

Read It (1)
Want To Read (2)

What can you read after
Waiting Period?

See the list (16 books)

Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.

Waiting Period

Hubert Selby Jr.

Characters:

Writing/Prose:

Plot/Storyline:

Setting:

Pacing:

Genres:

Tropes/Plot Devices:

Topics:

Notes:

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

From The Publisher:

Ratings (1)

Reader Stats (3):

What can you read after Waiting Period?

What can you read after
Waiting Period?