Not Forever, But For Now
Written by Chuck Palahniuk
Narrated by Raphael Corkhill
3.5/5
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About this audiobook
Meet Otto and Cecil. Two brothers who grew up privileged in the Welsh countryside. They enjoyed watching nature shows, playing with their pet pony, impersonating their Grandfather…and killing the help. Murder is the family business after all. Downton Abbey, this is not.
However, it’s not so easy to continue the family legacy with the constant stream of threats and distractions seemingly leaping from the hedgerow. First, there is the matter of the veritable cavalcade of escaped convicts that keep showing up at their door. Not to mention the debaucherous new tutor who has a penchant for speaking Greek and dismembering sex dolls. Then there’s Mummy’s burgeoning opioid addiction. And who knows where Daddy is. He just vanished one day after he and Mummy took a walk in the so-called “Ghost Forest.”
With Grandfather putting pressure on Otto to step up, it becomes clear that this will all end in only two ways: a nuclear apocalypse or just another day among the creeping thistle and tree peonies. And in a novel written by Chuck Palahniuk, either are equally possible.
Editor's Note
‘Fight Club’ author…
Otto and Cecil are tied by blood — literally and figuratively. Living on the fringes of upper-crust Welsh society, the brothers carry on the family traditions of murder and violence. Soon, they’ll have to take over for their grandfather, whose gruesome track record is linked to some of the most notable celebrity deaths in history. Palahniuk (“Fight Club”) dishes out the gore with abandon in this novel for fans of unreliable narrators and horror satire.
Chuck Palahniuk
Palahniuk is the author of fourteen novels, among them Fight Club and Choke which were adapted as feature films. His work also includes a travel guide, a collection of short stories, two graphic novels, a writing advice book, a collection of essays, and two coloring books. Yes, coloring books. He lives in the Pacific Northwest.
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Reviews for Not Forever, But For Now
38 ratings9 reviews
What our readers think
Readers find this title to be a mix of comedy and horror, with a unique and different voice from the author. While some reviewers found it disturbing and distasteful, others appreciated the social commentary and the way it pushes boundaries. The book explores dark themes and challenges societal norms, making readers reflect on their own lives. The narration is praised for its convincing voices and emotional range. Overall, readers who enjoy Palahniuk's work and are open-minded will find satisfaction in this book.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A narrative worth picking apart and examining from different angles. Though it goes beyond what you might think is the end.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Couldn’t finish. 3 hours to go and it was still just one vile scene after another. I couldn’t be convinced that there was an actual story or point to all of this by the time I gave up. I’m not easily offended but I think I just had enough.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5If you’ve read any of Chuck’s numerous novels, short stories, coloring books, or non-fiction titles, you know already that his work must be approached with an open mind. He means to take you into the darkness, so that when you emerge into the meager light of reality it is brighter than you thought before. We are all the kid in the alleyway with the revolver pressed to his skull, and after we flip that last page and close the book, we can savor our lives more, and look forward rather than back. There are many ideals tied into this narrative if you choose to see them. And keep in mind, the intro card does describe it as a horror/comedy/satire. Three outta three ain’t bad. If your only expectation is Palahniuk at his best, you’ll be satisfied.
P.S. I hope you love British colloquilism as much as I do. - Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Could not finish. Chapter after chapter of sexual abuse. I’ve read other Palahniuk books and know that he can push boundaries, but this seems to have little to no point. The “family business” part only seemed to serve as opportunities to write about more sexual abuse. Foul, vile, and utterly distasteful.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Chuck’s back in his best form, obliterating all social norms with abysmally damaged characters, snowballing in decrepitude and of course, somehow tied to the most impactful celebrity deaths and domestic disasters of our time. Not his best but faaaaaaaaaarrrr from his worst, the absolute inanity of circumstance portrayed by the central figures harkens back to his his early works. Every group is on blast, true to Palahniuk’s form, and as uncomfortable as some of the targets may be in our modern sociopolitical climate, it’s comforting to know this one’s fiction. Lose yourself in the offensive and enjoy(?) the ride.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5What did I just listen to? This was dreadful, not sure why I finished it .
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book is an absolutely mad mashup of comedy and horror, pitched somewhere between Gormenghast, The 120 Days of Sodom, and Withnail & I. A revolting and magical tale of two brothers in an incestuous relationship, infantilised by their aristocratic family, while being raised to be contract killers and conspirators. If you are looking for gritty realism, look elsewhere. If you want to be appalled and entertained, walk this way.
The narration, by the way, is utterly brilliant. Every character has a convincing voice and emotional range. The narrator even makes the deliberately unedited Americanisms work in the voice of the fey British protagonist.
I can't believe this is the same author who wrote Fight Club. This book has its own, very different voice, and deserves to become equally iconic.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I’ve enjoyed many of Chuck’s other books and appreciated the social commentary in them. I wasn’t offended by the content so much as failing to see where he was going with the rich, privileged incestuous gay theme. As this combination of social categories or predilections is rarely encountered together in real life (good thing) , I’m not sure which social group he was trying to aim at with the satire- incestuous siblings? Rich boys who never grow up and steal cars to ride around with blow up dolls or gay pedophiles ? I tried to finish this book but with 2 hrs of audio to go, I realized I just didn’t see the point. I didn’t foresee any brilliant insights or denouement. So just a meh for me. Others may like if they’re just looking for a weird perverted kind of read.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I just had trouble connecting with this one like I have with Palahniuk's other works. It felt like he was just trying to one-up the outrageous descriptions for the shock value, with not much of a bigger point to it. I'm still a big fan, but this one just didn't do it for me.