If you’re going to read this, don’t bother.

After a couple pages, you won’t want to be here. So forget it. Go away. Get out while you’re still in one piece.

Save yourself.

This is how Palahniuk’s Choke begins. It is a fair warning. Having never read any of his works before, I decided to begin with this one based on positive reviews from friends of mine. But I’ve also heard some downright nasty opinions of this book as well. Suffice it to say that this is not for everyone.

It would be difficult to give a brief summary any better than the back cover provided, so here it is:

Victor Mancini, a medical-school dropout, is an antihero for our deranged times. Needing to pay elder care for his mother, Victor has devised an ingenious scam: he pretends to choke on pieces of food while dining in upscale restaurants. He then allows himself to be “saved” by fellow patrons who, feeling responsible for Victor’s life, go on to send checks to support him. When he’s not pulling this stunt, Victor cruises sexual addiction recovery workshops for action, visits his addled mom, and spends his days working at a colonial theme park. His creator, Chuck Palahniuk, is the visionary we need and the satirist we deserve.

This book is unique. It is a quick read, and somehow I am surprised I didn’t pick it up sooner. I really enjoyed it. His writing style is definitely original, although a bit grating at times. The phrase “for serious” pops up a few too many times for my liking, as does “[Insert word here] ... isn’t the right word, but it’s the first word that comes to mind.” After a while though, it becomes humorous - almost as if Palahniuk is writing sarcastically to no one but himself. The way he writes is in short bursts of thought. There are no long paragraphs or drawn out character thinking bubbles. Instead, you get one line after another. What’s interesting is that nearly each phrase packs a punch.

One of the few things I didn’t like about Choke is its overall predictability. From a lot of the negative reviews I’ve read about Palahniuk, his plot- and character-development seems recycled after reading a few of his books. That definitely seems like something that I could potentially experience, but looking at his list of completed works, it seems like there should be something in at least one of the books for just about any short fiction fan.

This isn’t one for the lighthearted. Approach with caution if squeamish, prudish or morally judgmental. But definitely give it a go if it sounds interesting, because for its brevity, it’s worth a try.

4/5 Stars. 292 Pages. Published 2001.