Sarah: A Novel by J. T. LeRoy
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Book Reviews of Sarah: A Novel
Book Review: Heartbreaking
Summary: 4 Stars
I will have you know first that I read this book with absolutely no knowledge that there was any scandal surrounding J.T. LeRoy, and I have to say, I'm still not all too clear on what it is. Ignoring the author's life, I am going to review the actual BOOK.
I was immediately struck with the heartbreaking story of Cherry Vanilla, She-Rah, Sarah, or any other name he goes under. His desperation for love, his clearly irresponsible mother whom he still loves...it all was agonizing, painful, beautiful, and, as I've said many times before, heartbreaking. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the last 100 pages or so, reading it in two days.
My only complaint is the occasional grammar mistake, really. The author consistently uses "then" in place of "than" and there is an occasional typo or mistake.
Generally, I can't say it's going to go on my favorite books list, but I can't say that it was honestly bad.
Book Review: good stuff
Summary: 4 Stars
So predictable to read the cult of enthusiasm in the reviews before the "scandal" hit, and the snotty rejection afterwards. First everyone gushed over Sarah - a good time was had by all. After the scandal, everyone was suitably scandalized. "What kind of person... how dare she... HIV, child rape and drugs... if this was written by a molested 16 year old, bravo, but... amateurish and repulsive blah blah blah". The dust, I think, has settled. I revisited the LeRoy books I bought years ago, and still enjoy them. They are original, dark, and highly entertaining. I say congratulations to Laura Albert, on and off stage.Book Review: A Twisted and Delicious Fairy Tale
Summary: 4 Stars
Sarah is the edgy and engrossing tale of a cross-dressing pre-pubescent prostitute in rural West Virginia and the surreal world he/she inhabits of truck stops tricks and pimps and the meaning of family and redemption. Almost like a modern day Flannery O'Connor in the strange symbolism and religious connotations. Harrowing and hilarious and rich with an abundance of folklore as well as superb idiomatic flourishes. Wholly original.Book Review: Smoke & Mirrors
Summary: 3 Stars
Here are the facts: J.T. Leroy is the invention of Laura Albert, a woman who is, indeed, talented. She, Laura not J.T., was/is a member of the band Thistle under the name Speedie (someone else now performs as "Speedie" for the band while Laura persumably continues writing as J.T. full time), and she also pens the band's lyrics under "J.T."s name. Besides hiding behind the identities of Speedie and J.T., she also has gone by Emily Frasier (the woman who supposedly found J.T. on the streets of San Francisco) and "Emily" has been known to praise "J.T."s books from time to time here on Amazon. Confusing? You bet. But much less confusing than it was just a year ago.
But what really should matter is the writing and the books. As a work of pure imagination, SARAH is very enjoyable and, at times, both funny and horrible. In fact, the same could be said about the other "J.T." books (the too short HAROLD'S END & the half realized stories in THE HEART IS ...). Good writing? Sure. Very good, in fact, for a once boy hustler, ex-junkie who is using fiction as a means to heal himself and reconcile his past. Less wonderful, however, when it comes from the very agile and fertile imagination of someone who isn't even close to what she claims to be. Had these books been published under Laura Albert's real name, they probably would have had a hard time finding an agent or publisher, and, upon publication, would have sailed quietly under the radar; that's not to say the the books aren't worth the time or effort it takes to read them, but, rather, it's a sad reflection on the cyncial and base nature of the publishing game today: an unknown writer would need to go to such great lengths to fabricate a "hook" in order to interest publishers, agents, celebrities, and, yes, the reading public.
Lastly, there has been talk in some circles that Laura Albert does, in fact, believe she is all the people she pretends to be. If that is the case, her own story might rival "J.T."s when it comes to a messed up childhood and background. The very idea, too, of a multi-personality writer wafting from one identity to another in order to create carries its own appeal, and I wouldn't be surprised to see that angle as the next marketing ploy for those involved in what has become the best literary hoax of the new century.
So read the books if you're so inclined, but do make sure you have something "great" to say about them in this forum, or you just might find them mysteriously removed.
Book Review: Oliver Twist from Hell...
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a very disturbing book. It is difficult to separate the novel from the myth of LeRoy himself. It is autobiographical fiction, but I'm not exactly sure where the autobiography ends and the fiction begins. LeRoy was a fourteen year old street-hustler whose therapist recommended he turn to writing in order to deal with his issues. He was put in touch with figures in the literary community, such as his hero, Dennis Cooper. He was first published at 16 and at 19 he wrote the novel Sarah. The book reveals a world I never knew existed (and now that I know, I'd like to forget). Apparently, there is quite a trade in child prostitution for truck drivers in West Virginia. The narrator is just one of those characters. Pre-pubescent, his mother Sarah is a prostitute and soon he (known as Cherry Vanilla) is indoctrinated as well. (This is nothing new to him as his mother's Johns have been molesting him as well.) The wrinkle is that he has to dress up to look like a girl. The story does bare a resemblance to Oliver Twist - instead of child pickpockets, they are child prostitutes. However, the drama of this story merely entails the escape from the "bad" pimp to the "good" pimp.
Don't expect an overly happy ending for the book, but at least we know LeRoy's own life is turning out better. If you are interested I highly recommend viewing his homepage at www.jtleroy.com to get a better understanding of him (there is some speculation as to the veracity of his claims). LeRoy is now friends with many people in the entertainment industry and both his books are being made into movies.
I was troubled with some of the cavalier blurbs on the book, as if it were a lighthearted romp. True there are funny moments but the world described is hell. I had trouble sleeping at night considering the implications of Sarah. Anyone who's seen Mystic River knows that victims of child abuse never really escape. If the author of this book really went through something like this, then the powers of human healing are truly miraculous indeed.