Is Chris Lynch really a 'Young Adult' author? The thought boggles my mind, as I am far from a Young Adult, and find his work tremendously captivating and cutting-edge, much in the vein of Stephen King in his early days or Poppy Z. Brite, but Lynch's work is not in the "Horror" genre. It teeters on the edges of the Abyss, explores the darker, more absurd, moments of the human condition, not unlike filmmaker David Lynch...I draw the parallel in that Chris Lynch's work is certainly visionary and almost surreal, while speaking about the realities of everyday, smalltown America. It certainly would captivate anyone who loves great literature, regardless of age.
I first discovered his work in "Whitechurch", the brilliantly twisted novel about a girl and two boys in a small, stagnant, semi-self destructive whirlpool of a town. The novel just sucked me in, and 'All The Old Haunts' is certainly following in that type of atmosphere.
In this collection of 10 brilliant short stories, Lynch covers the gamut, from a difficult father-son relationship, to abortion, grandparent-grandchild generation gaps (of a sinister nature), the boredom of a daily reality, death, stalking, semi-voyeurism.
His style in itself is gorgeous, and he doesn't wrap everything up in a tidy ending. If anything, I can say that if a reader wants a tightly wrapped story that has a definite beginning, middle and completed conclusion, this isn't for you. Lynch wants us to read between his lines, to fathom for ourselves what the true meaning or outcome of the story is or may be. His verbal style is sharp, witty, it made me laugh out loud at times, when I felt I shouldn't be laughing.
I can't really even begin to describe the stories, since they are somewhat surreal, but the typical book reviews seem to miss the point. They tend to 'dumb down' the themes...was the protagonist of 'Off Ya Go, So' an innocent figure, or a slightly incestuous 2nd cousin? Was he speaking of abortion?
Is 'Womb to Tomb' really about an 'evil brother', or is it a single teenager coping with Schizophrenia or some other mental illness that causes him to see himself as two different people?
What about 'Good-bye is Good-bye'? Is it really a friend visiting his friend's funeral, or is it about the suicide (or accidental death??) of one person? Lynch's work is so gorgeous in this way...there's a subtext that ripples underneath and forces you to think...
And this, I believe, is the sign of a truly great writer. 'Horror Vacui' really reminds me of Stephen King also, the surreal quality of a single person stuck in a small, hot July town, with almost no neighbors around, his thoughts, memories and senses the only thing that exist in his world, besides the buzzing 'buggy' bugs...
On a silly side note, Lynch seems to be a Beatles fan and works this into a few places, in both "Whitechurch" (through the 'Ophelia Lennon' character, a chapter in that novel titled 'Love Me Don't', and in 'Off Ya Go, So' in this collection)...and for me, as a Fab Four fan, this is really cool!
Hope to see much more from this electric author! I'm hooked!

Chris Lynch is one of the most brutally honest young adult authors out there.

Mick, an Irish-American kid living in a racially-segregated neighborhood, struggles to define his identity and break away from the hatred and ignorance that plagues his family. Mick faces opposition from every side as he tries to leave the bigotted ways of his neighborhood behind. Terry, his alcoholic, bigotted, and violent brother believes that family honor is dictated by the fist; Mick's parents stand idly and blindly by as Mick is mentally and physically abused by Terry and his friends (ironically, his parents end up buying a bar); even Sully, Mick's best friend, is unable to break away from the ignorance that traps him in his own cowardice.

This book does not make escaping from deep-rooted prejudices and family ties look easy, which is why it seems so real. With each step forward, Mick slips back two or three. Mick does not face an easy challenge, but readers will want to see if he is ever able to break away from the hatred and terror.

As a beginning filmmaker I am totally not interested in academic analysis about the films of David Lynch. Most books I read about Lynch before this one, were like that. This book with interviews gave me an insight in the personal drive (to which I can relate very much) behind his ideas for his films and the concrete circumstances under which they were made. I found it very inspiring to read, anecdotal warm and funny and I'm thankful to Lynch and the editor.

This book provides a great insight into the mind of David Lynch, without getting too heady or intellectual about it (like other books can). It's an easy read, and presented in an interview question and answer style.

If you are a Lynch fan, you will enjoy this book which covers Lynch's history and some if his thought processes. Lynch realizes that his art should (and does) speak for itself so he keeps his ground and never talks about exactly what he meant in a particular shot in a film. Instead, he talks about the evoking of feelings and ideas as the genesis for his art.

I would certainly recommend this book as a more entertaining read than the competing texts, some of which are nearly ridiculus in their over-intellectualiztion.

Faber & Faber's someone on someone series continues to jump to the peak of its market. Here Chris Rodley interviews David Lynch, writer/director of such cult classics as Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks and Eraserhead to find out exactly what makes the Lynch lad tick. Truth be told, this can't top Cronenberg on Cronenberg but still benefits because Lynch himself is a true genius and a man who is genuinely interesting. Rodley's questions prove to be entertaining and although Lynch is from time to time somewhat evasive, we can see why. "The mystery lies in the unknown" is one of Lynch's favourite comments and perhaps explains why he does not reveal everything. All over though it is a highly informative book that provides great insight into Lynch's background, works and inner motivation.

Shadow Boxer by Chris Lynch was a great book for the younger teenage audience. This heartfelt story is about an older brother trying to guide and show his younger brother the way because their father is not around to do it. Their father died several years before from boxing and Monty, the youngest of the two brothers had caught the boxing bug. George, his mother, and the boys uncle Archy do everything they can to get Monty out of the ring. In the end they expose him to the truth to bring him back to reality.
The story takes place in inner city New York and deals with many of the hardships that inner city youth face. The boys are introduced to a 'big brother' because there mom fears it may be the only way to save Monty and that it may do the boys some good. George takes this offensively because it makes him feel as though he has screwed up on raising his younger brother who assumes responsibility for.
I would recommend reading this book because it is an easy read for the high school level and it is a really great book. From the beginning you connect with the characters and really get an understanding for why they are the way they are. As an older brother I really enjoyed seeing how George felt the responsibility for his younger brother and always wanted to protect him.

This book is about a courageous boy named George, who goes through many hardships in his life. When he was just a little boy, he knocked his father, and made him drip blood. But his father wasn't mad, he was happy. This is an excellent story to move your heart. When hardships and friendships intervene with each other. Monty, Geoge's little brother is a young little man, who want to be just like his father was. A great boxing hero. But George doesn't want Monty to die a tradgic death like his father. But the spirit of Monty is too strong. Will George stop Monty? Or will the past repeat itself?

Shadow Boxer is a book in my opinion with mixed emotions. I feel that it is mostly a tragic story. It has humor every now and then about little things like an elephant man. In this book, the characters are misled about their father. The kids grow up thinking that their father is one of the best boxers there ever was, but later in the story they find out that he isn't that great of a boxer. I also think that George (one of the main characters) loses a large, important, part of his life growing up being considered as the man of the house. I feel that it was a large weight put on his shoulder at the young age that he has. To me this book is very realistic. The author realy makes the characters come alive, and you can really feel the emotins that author discribes.

Whitechurch tells the story of Pauly and Oakley, best friends in the town of Whitechurch, their love for Lily, Pauly's girlfriend, and for each other. Pauly is the wild one, dependent upon Oakley to keep him grounded. However, from the very first incident the book relates--including a scene where Pauly puts a gun in Oakley's mouth--it becomes clear that Pauly is a ticking time bomb, and the best thing Oakley can hope to do is just get out of the way before he explodes.

Told through poems and short stories, Chris Lynch reveals the relationships between his characters through the little incidents that make up life. Very few people live lives structured like a well-plotted novel, and that goes double for this group of aimless teenagers. As the book progresses, the connections between the pieces become more and more apparent, with the final poem bringing it all together.

This is the second Chris Lynch novel I have read (after Iceman). Both books feature dark-edged plots and emotionally dysfunctional characters, rendered starkly and unsentimentally. It's that air of grim realism that draws me back to Lynch's books. I find them compelling, without the sense that everything will end up happy just because that's how audiences prefer their stories to end. Because, again, real life is never as well planned as a novel. Lynch kept me engrossed in this story because I needed to find out how it all turned out, if things were as inevitable as they seemed.

I happened upon this book at a work 'book sale' for a charitable cause. The cover struck me, the synopsis on the back caught me...but in looking in upon the words, it compelled me to buy it.
And I was not at all disappointed.
I had never even heard of 'Chris Lynch'....my philosophy has always been that 'modern' writers can't really capture the essence of what is really going on in real life...I was wrong...
Lynch relates the story of three very modern teenagers, much too smart and too intelligent, for their surroudings...Pauly, the go-getter, would-be poet, with a hyperdramatic agenda...Oakley, the true poet...losing his will to do anything that would upset his calm agenda...Lilly...the college bound girl who is set to do something amazing, but she's watched by these two sensitive men...
It's almost a stream of consciousness dialogue, but not quite...Pauly comes in with his own, realistic-like musings...Lilly is there, like a pawn in the game...beautiful, as if who can capture her first...
The structure of this novel is first rate...a first person commentary...the one moment that holds me the most is 'Chelle'..
trying so hard to make the classic movie, restauraunt vision her own...in her beautiful rust velvet gown....only to see it vanish before her, her own town letting her down...she is the one bright vision, besides Nestor, that wants this thing to happen...

I whined to my friends about this book as I read the first few chapters. I hated it, but I have never stopped reading a book. I always finish what I start. Boy am I glad that's my mentality.

I don't know what did it, but something happened during the chapter called "Will." The chapter really wasn't any better than all of the ones before it, but I suddenly found myself really pulled into the characters.

I mean that. You will neve be pulled into the story. The book is a bundle of short stories and poems. The chapters do not really follow through until the end of the book when everything explodes into a Fourth of July firework show. It's a powerful book about powerful characters.

These characters are three teens, two boys and a girl. They are quite real and could easily be real considering some of the recent happenings in the news. I actually wouldn't mind knowing any of them. Well, there is one that I would watch really carefully.

That character is the one unsolvable problem of the story. We never really get to see what motivates this character. His or her (don't want to ruin it for you) family is not described so we have many questions hanging. This character isn't really even seen very often. In a way, this adds to the reality of the story. In real life, there are just some things we never know (Tennessee Williams wrote with this in mind).

The poems are also distracting until the very end when everything suddenly makes sense. Another reviewer recommended rereading the poems are completing the book. I have to echo those words. The opening poem "Kiss" will haunt me forever. The first time you read it, it's easy to forget. After reading the entire story and then reading the poem again: Boo.

This is an exciting book about a group of kids in a group called the he-man club , who test their skills in the wilderness. This book follows the main character Jerome the clubs newly elected leader. On this trip to a nearby forest Jerome's Uncle and father try to scare Jerome and the he-men, but they have got something coming to them. In this wonderful book the he-men discover that Jerome's father and Uncle have been cheating by living in a trailer while the he-men sleep in sleeping bags and tents .Well , this won't go with the he-men and you need to read the book to find out what happens .

this book was fairly decent book. it was about sports with a little bit of comedy. a guy trys to play all different kinds of sports and gets thrown around and made fun of. he tries hard cause he wants to be like his friends. he is always getting hurt.
there was some bad things about the book i didnt like. for one its to long. its also not as funny as it sounds like it would be. it wasn't a bad book though. it was confusing how one day he was doing one sport and all of a sudden the next day he was doing another. I would recommend this book to likes sports and a little bit of comedy.

This marvelously written book takes you straight into a not-so-perfect teenager's head. Elvin Bishop is fat, weak, indefensive and insecure. Just as Elvin gets out of school he learns that he is going back, sort of. He is going to a so-called "retreat", which is really just his new school. The camp is called "Twenty one nights with the knights". Elvin is always being picked on. He knows that the retreat is going to be terrible ever since the bus-ride to the camp when everyone starts picking on him and stealing his food. To Elvin, food is almost as precious as gold, so when they were stealing his food he felt miserable. To comfort himself he would look at the school's brochure, trying to image and pretend how much fun he would have there. His vision slowly fades away as he starts settling in. Almost immediately, everyone was picking on Elvin; his only defenses being his two best friends Mikie and Frankie. Out of those two his only real friend is Mikie because Mikie really understands Elvin. Frankie is his friend too but he isn't really a "real" friend, just someone who is nice to Elvin. Elvin feels that: "Frankie is just too perfect to be my friend".
The camp has a system of "slots", or places in sports. Elvin is just good for nothing, no sport seems to fit his personality, he tries football, soccer, baseball and finally when he thinks he found his place in wrestling, his hopes are turned down by the coaches when he is asked to leave because of other incoming students. Later when he finds a slot in art he meets new friends and finds out that strength doesn't always have to be physical.
Chris Lynch is a great author who takes you into the head of a 14 year old boy, revealing his thoughts and impressions. "Slot Machine" is mostly comedy and drama. If you are interested in a good, refreshing novel, then this is a book for you.

This is a truly astonishing book. It is a story about a catholic teenage boy named Elvin. Who has just got out of grade school and now over the summer is going to a sleepway called 21 knights for 21 nights. During this all boy camp Elvin an obese kid keeps getting moved into different sport activity areas called slots. Throughtout the book he his placed into various amounts of these slots. During this time his good friend Mikie wants to try and get Elvin in shape. Also, his other friend Frankie is trying to get into the cool crowd and doing this wasn't one of the more joyful times of his life. Any way this is all I'm going to tell you because I don't want to ruin the book for you.

Mick, star of the blue-eyed son series, could have been a hero to be talked about for years to come in YA literature. but Lynch's meandering narrative, gratutious violence, and left-dangling plot lines leave the books' potential unrealized. it has been said this would have made one good book, so it is easy to suspect Lynch of trying to milk the library market for three sales instead of one.

In Chris Lynch's novel, Blood Relations, fifteen year old MIke, is having sibling problems while his parents are away for the weekend. The main character, Mike, is left alone with his older brother while his parents are away visiting some friends. Mike's brother throws a party for his friends every year but this year's is worse than ever! Mike wants nothing to do with it. Mike's brother goes as far as sacrificing a goat's life, and that's where Mike draws the line and leaves town before they all sober up. Mike and a couple of friends stay over night at a motel about 50 miles away. When Mike goes back, he decides to go to his best friend's house to stay until his parents get back. When his parents do come back, Mike gets a job at their bar, but he refuses to go home. Mike gets kicked out of his best friend's parent's house for starting a fire while trying to cook supper. Where can he turn now? You'll never know unless you read this book... I enjoyed this book very much! It keeps you trying to guess where he's going to go next.

This book is about the main character, Mick, who gose to his friend's house to stay over because his brother is having a party at home and his parents are away for the weekend. When his parents get back, he gets a job at their bar, and he still dosen't want to come back home. But he gets kick out from his friend's house because he makes the house on fire when he cooks supper. Want to know where he gose? READ THE BOOK...

This book is about a boy named Richard, a fanatical baseball player. When a polished Dominican boy named Napoleon comes to his school, the two misfits quickly become an odd pair. Somewhere along the way, baseball-playing Richard gets it into his head to transform cricket-playing Napoleon into a star baseball player, and together, become the next set of Gold Dust twins (two player Fred Lynn and Jim Rice, who were really good).
The book keeps its plot while the 'big' actions, like Napoleon's arrival, take place. Afterwards, the book just wanders through a tiny section of already explained plot, as if it is lacking some sort of train track. The book then is explained in the second to last scene.
The ending is what disappointed me the most. It seems as if the author just wanted to get rid of Napoleon, so he threw in the new fact the Napoleon is a star singer, and he knows it. This leads him to join some fancy private singing school, and leave Richard's. The entire idea that Richard doesn't care very much about his friend leaving, and Napoleon being this amazing singer would seem alright in a story with unexpected twists along the entire plot, but the plot before this is incredible dull and cliché.
I would definitely not recommend this book to anyone, unless they like real world scenarios gone stale.

This book is out of the park! The story begins when a young boy named Napoleon moves to America from the Dominican Republic. In America, Napoleon has a hard time making friends. There is one boy though, his name is Richard. Richard and Napoleon have a few differences. One difference is that Richard loves baseball, and Napoleon enjoys to play cricket. He just doesn't love the game of baseball like Richard does. Sometimes they get into little fights with each other. Napoleon even may go to a new school during the story, without Richard. Will Napoleon grow to love the game of baseball? Will Richard and Napoleon stay friends? Also, will Napoleon go to a new school? Find out in this thrilling novel,Gold Dust. by:Kyle

Even though this is another coming-of-age book I like the style and the setting in which it is written. The author writes the book from a first person point-of-view, just the way you would think a 12 year old boy would think and talk. The main characters are well described and round characters. To cause conflict and to further the plot, there are a few flat characters who antagonize and help the main character Richard Riley Moncrief to be dynamic and see the situation that Napolean Charlie Ellis is in. Napolean Charlie Ellis, however, is fairly static, the only ways in which he changes is the fact that he develops a real friendship with Richard and is willing to play and enjoy baseball. Richard, on the other hand, undergoes an extremely drastic charcter change. He goes from being closed and simple-minded to being able to think for and stand-up for himself and begins to realize how much race and status quo play in his life and community. He also, for the first time, develops a meaningful friendship that involves feeling for someone else and having someone challenge him to think.

Overall this was an interesting and well-written book. It would be a great book to use with middle-school aged children to urge them to be their own person, think for themselves, and not listen to peer pressure or take other's thoughts and feelings as the truth.

This book is about a fourteen-year-old boy named Elvin who is trying to discover things about himself. I found this novel addressed many fears and issues young adults might face in high school. Along with the adolescent issues, Lynch provides the reader with laughter and some very interesting comical issues. This book would be a great booktalk or just to pass from reader to reader.

This book tells it how it is. This is Lynch's best book yet. An extremley funny, overweight teen named Elvin has a hilarious adventure with girls, friends and parties. A must have for all teenagers. You will never put this book away before you're done. I read it and I can relate to almost anything that happened to him. Any Jr. High or High school student will love this book. I recomend this book to everyone. Enjoy!

I really loved this book. The thoughts that crossed Elvins mind were entertaining and hilarious. I'm reading it for the second time now...