Reviews

Grimmish by Michael Winkler

causticcovercritic's review against another edition

5.0

Strange and playful and funny semi-novel about a prodigy of turning obdurate incompetence into a sort of success. I know little and care even less about boxing and I still love this book. Tthe funniest book about suffering and pain you'll ever read. If more Australian fiction was half this interesting and peculiar we'd all be much better off.

henryfork's review against another edition

challenging dark funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

conquixote's review against another edition

4.0

4.5. A testament to what we can now do with fiction/exploded non fiction

drillvoice's review against another edition

5.0

Five stars means "it was amazing" and I think that's fair. It's just such a great experiment of a book, so zany, but still highly readable. And I think that's hard to achieve: to write something literary and also something that's actually a good time to read.

Superficially, this book is about boxer Joe Grim and his time in Australia around 1909. It's about pain, masculinity, those sorts of things. But it's also a weird journey into the narrator's (author's?) own psyche, and for a reason I don't fully understand there is also a goat that swears alot and a pig/human hybrid that kills people with its skull. Don't ask me why.

bobthebookerer's review against another edition

4.0

Delightfully weird.

firmino_g's review against another edition

adventurous funny reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

micahaw's review against another edition

adventurous funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

gg2023's review against another edition

adventurous challenging tense fast-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

katehow11's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny informative reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

A blend of fiction and nonfiction. This book is everything.. literally. It’s a whole lotta philosophy with a plot that moves. Very funny and resonant and so so original while being built off poetic insights from other writers (the footnotes = delightful and genius).

Anywho, I have joined the cult that surrounds this book and will be rereading. 

stewreads's review against another edition

funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.25