You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by matt2thefuture
A Dance at the Slaughterhouse: A Matthew Scudder Crime Novel by Lawrence Block
4.0
There's little I can say about Block that hasn't already been said, but A Dance at the Slaughterhouse is a great example of why he's worthy of such praise.
Imagine pulling a chair up to a tableful of world-hardened, loquacious guys with bruised reputations. They're not going to be beholden to your timeframe, they'll raise their eyebrows (or their fists) if you suggest maybe they're wandering far off topic, but sooner or later, if you'll just keep your mouth shut, you'll hear such stories of excitement and life wisdom you'll never want to push back your chair and leave. Dance felt a lot like that.
Block creates this kind of atmosphere while still maintaining his usual brisk read. There are stories and discussions, that while interesting, seem to not fit the story, and while most of them end up tying in in some way, it's quite a feat to not only make the reader not mind a side excursion, but enjoy it. I felt wiser hanging out with Scudder and his acquaintances, shady pasts or not. For fans of the entire series, Dance features some pivotal moments for Scudder that continue the evolution of a fictional landmark.
Dance, like several Scudder books before it, gives a real sense of spending time with its protagonist, living his life with him, not just checking for the high points of a story. It's an audit course on perseverance, sorrow, and the PI life. If you're not changed a little reading a book like Dance, you'll at least get those endorphins of deep thought.
Here is another example of how it's easy to take a writer like Block for granted because his bibliography is so vast. But novels like Dance are a small treasure and should be enjoyed that way.
Recommended for all mystery/PI readers, Block fans, and those who just can't get enough fiction that makes them not only dig deep into a story but into themselves. Block does all this without the weight of extra words. For a book this brisk to be this deep is a wonder.
Imagine pulling a chair up to a tableful of world-hardened, loquacious guys with bruised reputations. They're not going to be beholden to your timeframe, they'll raise their eyebrows (or their fists) if you suggest maybe they're wandering far off topic, but sooner or later, if you'll just keep your mouth shut, you'll hear such stories of excitement and life wisdom you'll never want to push back your chair and leave. Dance felt a lot like that.
Block creates this kind of atmosphere while still maintaining his usual brisk read. There are stories and discussions, that while interesting, seem to not fit the story, and while most of them end up tying in in some way, it's quite a feat to not only make the reader not mind a side excursion, but enjoy it. I felt wiser hanging out with Scudder and his acquaintances, shady pasts or not. For fans of the entire series, Dance features some pivotal moments for Scudder that continue the evolution of a fictional landmark.
Dance, like several Scudder books before it, gives a real sense of spending time with its protagonist, living his life with him, not just checking for the high points of a story. It's an audit course on perseverance, sorrow, and the PI life. If you're not changed a little reading a book like Dance, you'll at least get those endorphins of deep thought.
Here is another example of how it's easy to take a writer like Block for granted because his bibliography is so vast. But novels like Dance are a small treasure and should be enjoyed that way.
Recommended for all mystery/PI readers, Block fans, and those who just can't get enough fiction that makes them not only dig deep into a story but into themselves. Block does all this without the weight of extra words. For a book this brisk to be this deep is a wonder.