Paint It Black: A Novel by Janet Fitch
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Book Reviews of Paint It Black: A Novel
Book Review: Second time's the charm
Summary: 5 Stars
I loved loved loved white oleander. It's one of my all time favorite books and because of it I simply adore Janet Fitch which is why when Paint it Black was released I went right to Barnes and Noble and bought it (I usually only buy books second hand or from library sales) I suppose my expectations where too high because I was barely able to finish it through the first reading. I even stopped half way through pretty livid with the whole story line and every single one of the characters. I only grudgingly finished then lamented the fact that I hadnt just checked it out from the library instead. Months went by before I picked it up again and honestly the second time through I felt for Josie more, I still didnt like Michael, he was selfish and weak and spoiled, Mereddith felt like bad imitation of Ingrid but at least I was able to identify with and care about Josie. The book started to feel comfortable, easier to get into like white oleander and now I love it just as much.So I suggest just definitely forgetting about white oleander when reading this book or pretend its a different author, I guarantee you'll love it.Book Review: Passion of Youth
Summary: 5 Stars
"Paint it Black" captures that throbbing ache that is being a young girl faced with a great tragedy...made worse by the fact that the tragedy is a Prince Charming-ish first love. Josie, the art model main character, longs, pines, grieves with keen intensity. Her process of mourning is set against a vibrant back drop of 80s punk/alt Los Angeles. Plenty emo. Though the backdrop is vibrant and exciting, the reader can't help but feel the emptiness of this scene when reminded of the heroine's loss. When you don't have that special person to keep sharing life with, is anything worthwhile?
Fitch also crosses into territory that is much in need of exploration in terms of class. This book delineates class differences in America in a very real way...no one talks about this enough. We blindly pretend it doesn't matter. Josie finds out in subtle ways how it does and when it doesn't.
In all, an excellent read for those who dare dive into emotional waters and Angelenophiles.
Book Review: Raw and charged with emotion
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a truly beautiful book.
You feel every weighted emotion Josie goes through, your heart taken by a hold so strong that you almost understand what it would feel like for your one true love, the one thing you cherished most, to commit suicide unexpectedly. How do you put together the pieces of a world fallen apart?
But the real basis of this story is passionate and unwavering love. A love the guides you in the understanding of life and the people that make up the world around you. A love that teaches you to see the world in color after only seeing black and white. A love that will never fade even though the body does.
Whole and complete, fulfilling in every way, Paint it Black is my favorite book and one of the most worthwhile reads you will ever encounter. It's true art and Janet Finch never ceases to amaze me with the exquisitely crafted stories she tells.
Read it, you will not be disappointed.
Book Review: Does not DISAPPOINT!
Summary: 5 Stars
Janet Fitch has done it again! If you were mesmerized by her previous work, White Oleander, you will be thrilled to have another taste of Ms. Fitch's captivating writing style. This is the book I have wanted to write for 20 years. Ms. Fitch captures the spirit and soul of those devastated from loss of through suicide. I had started a fictionalized account of my own struggle to cope after the loss of my best friend; Ms. Fitch captures the essence of the daily struggle to rebuild your life after the devastation. Her finesse in transiting between past and present keeps the book moving at rapid pace. If I lived in California, I would sign up for her writing class!
If you want a book that will keep you from sleeping, getting your house work done or dealing with reruns, you found it!
Book Review: Powerfully poetic
Summary: 5 Stars
A truly intoxicating novel. Janet Fitch has a formidable command of the English language. As I got deeper into Paint it Black, I was captivated. Not only while I read, but the days between. Very rarily are my thoughts hi-jacked this way; skewed, to a different, yet fascinating angle. The reason is that her writing is so uniquely descriptive it takes you there, makes you think, and holds you long after you've finished.
True to its title, it is a darker novel and is not for someone looking for an "easy read." Like a movie which does not insinuate the murder scene; you are not spared the details, both physical and emotional. It is an experience that challenges the reader to absorb. I have never read anything quite like it.