Winner of the National Book Award

 
Winner of the National Book Award
By Jincy Willett (336 pages)
Published by Picador
Bookish rating: 4

My friend Molly suggested the wryly titled Winner of the National Book Award to me. And I'm glad she did. I don't think I've read anything like it.

This is a completely weird novel in which a cranky old broad, Dorcas, who lives entirely within the mind holes herself up in the library she manages as a hurricane approaches. With her is the just-released book of her twin sister's sordid saga of killing her husband.

Dorcas reads while editorializing to us, the actual real-life readers. It's effing hilarious. HILARIOUS. And smart! So, so smart! And ironic!

But it's also sort of tender. Her twin lives in the body, sleeping with anyone, enjoying food, denying herself never. So, when she falls in love with a douche canoe who is emotionally abusive, she begins to lose herself. The douche in question makes his move on Dorcas, who obsesses over what his sadistic little plan is.

This is a complex novel.

Alas, I finished it more than a week ago and have a trillion things on my mind, so my review is not as thoughtful as this book deserves it to be. Recommended, though. Just read it.