Diary takes the form of a 'coma diary' kept by one Misty Tracy Wilmot as her husband lies senseless in hospital after a suicide attempt. Once she was an art student dreaming of creativity and freedom; now, after marrying Peter at art school and being brought back to once quaint, now tourist-overrun Waytansea Island, she's been reduced to the condition of a resort hotel maid. Peter, it turns out, has been hiding rooms in houses he's refurbished and scrawling vile messages all over the walls. Angry homeowners are suing, and Misty's dreams of artistic greatness are in ashes. But then, as if possessed by the spirit of Maura Kinkaid, a fabled Waytansea artist of the nineteenth century, Misty begins painting again, compulsively. The canvases are taken away by her mother-in-law and her doctor, who seem to have a plan for Misty - and for all those annoying tourists...


Received as a Christmas present from a friend in America who first introduced me to Chuck Palahniuk.

To be read then released.

Received yesterday as part of a lovely Burpday Package :O)

I'll be sending this off on a Bookring while it sits on Mt Tbr.

Playing so far:

kll (UK).
marko167 (Austria).

I posted this off to kll, yesterday.

Received this morning - thanks very much! I'm looking forward to reading it.

The first Chuck Palahniuk I've read (tho I've seen 'Fight Club') and I really enjoyed it. I loved the writing and the way the mystery slowly unravelled. All the art theory and other random facts Palanhiuk includes really makes the book much richer. I thought the (very) ending was unnecessary - it would have been better to leave the reader wondering a bit, rather than spell it all out with the final letter. However, will definitely be searching out more Chuck P!!

Will PM marko167 and send it off...

Posted to Marko today :-)

Received safe and sound. It goes into second place on mount TBR.

Thanks.

This is going to be difficult to review without giving huge spoilers.

A very different type of book from Palahniuk. I usually love his acid style and was surprised by his style here. Reminded me of Peter Straub a lot.

It is basically a re-writing of the old urban myth of a girl moving to an island to marry, and discovering the island community has a huge secret, they are all witches, devil worshippers or vampires etc. Although the style is different in style, it is still a very good read. Paced well and the cloying paranoia was very well handled. I actually found myself feeling uncomfortable and creeped out by the writing.

Very, very good.