What an unholy mess this comic book sequel to Fight Club was.
Set 10 years after the events of Chuck Palahnuik's ground breaking novel, the story's narrator is now going by the name Sebastian. In order to be allowed back into the public, Sebastian must take a butt load of drugs. It's made him and his sex life with now wife Marla fairly dull. Though it has produced a son who has a rather alarming interest in bombs like his old man did- while as Tyler Durden!
I said earlier that Tyler Durden lives. Is he still hiding somewhere in the recesses of Sebastian's mind? Or has Tyler come home to roost somewhere inside of Junior?
I really hadn't much interest in the sequel to Fight Club. I had to read the book and seen the film in college. It was okay but it wasn't that life changing work of fiction that others have seen this Palahnuik work as. But the reason I read it was because someone in my life was changed by it.
A couple of weeks ago, one of my students lost her lengthy battle with lung disease. Knowing how much a fan of this book and it's predecessor was to her, I checked out the books from my local library to use as part of a memorial to my former pupil.
Since that memorial, this book has sat in my car. I've needed to get it back to the library. But it just didn't feel right. Then yesterday, I had a good hour or so to burn, so I gave Fight Club 2 a read. I kinda want that hour back...
A large majority of the dialogue in this book is covered up by images of medications, roses, and other items. So, I feel like a bunch of the mysteries in this book were meant to never be revealed. But about halfway through, something changed and the book got really good. Then there was the ending...
The conclusion on this book was one hot mess. The author, Chuck Palahnuik, actually becomes a character in the story. Then the world ends or is it merely a fake-out? Then there's the whole issue with Tyler's existence. It wasn't that it was confusing or anything difficult like that. I just felt that the finale was a massive cop-out!
Honestly, did Fight Club need a sequel? That confined, never to be free from the influence of the club he created ending for our narrator, Sebastian, was perfect. I didn't need to have this contrived, partially hidden continuation of a story that paints itself into a massive corner. Some people, such as my former student, loved this comic series. I did not.
Not Worth Consuming!
Rating: 4 out of 10 stars.
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