Exile

by Blake Nelson

Book Overview

Fiction - A Downtown Baudelaire of the 90's. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684838389
• ISBN13: 9780684838380
• Release Date: June 1997
• Publisher: Scribner Book Company
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

Poets on Drugs

I checked this out because everyone likes Nelson's first novel Girl so much. I liked this better. It was more real and more something I could relate to. Both of Nelson's books are very fresh and original and highly readable. I like his characters. They are both very sympathetic but not too politically correct or obviously "cute". Most new novels are so bad and so uninspired. Freshness matters.

totally different from "Girl", obviously

As I read the reader reviews for "Exile," everyone mentions how it isn't as good as "Girl." First of all, you can't even compare the two. For all I know, it was a totally diff. writer speaking about totally diff. subjects. I thought the character is very real and even though I am a teenage girl, I could even relate to the 30-something male in the book. Blake's choice of subjects is so interesting. I really enjoyed "Girl," but I also enjoyed "Exile," I've read it more than "Girl," and it still remains to be one of my favorite books. Give him a chance, and just because it isn't the wanted sequel to "Girl," don't go into the book with such high expectations, just read, and enjoy it.

a really good book!

I read this book before I read "girl" I thought it was better than "girl" but "girl" was really good too. As for this one, I really enjoyed it! So much so that I would read it again, and there aren't too many that I would say that for. I am anxiously awaiting the release of the newest one, "user" and like another reviewer said, I am also gonna buy that one, "sight unseen." That's how good Blake Nelson is!

Youth Culture

I'm giving this book five stars more for what it represents than my actual enjoyment of it. It's not as good as GIRL and that was disappointing. But what it is is another accurate representation of an aspect of youth culture and Nelson as usual gets it dead on right. I have been a fan of his since his Details magazine writing and he simply never misses. sometimes it's not the most pleasant things to read but he is a real talent, a necessary talent and I don't know why his books are coming to us so slowly--since there are never any author pictures on his books perhaps he's shy and wants to avoid the spotlight. But I wish he would write more. I will buy USER sight unseen.

The Genius is in the Details

After "Girl" this was a big change in terms of subject matter. But I think Nelson is such a good writer he could probably write about anything and make it interesting, plus both of his books are extremely readable and engaging. I like this better than "Girl" even though I can see that "Girl" is a more "classic" novel, this book had more things I could relate to, being a guy and having spent some time doing open mikes and such. (And I thought the poetry was good and very slyly made fun of typical "street" poet types.)