The Ecstatic (Vintage Contemporaries)

Everything Victor has written has been a pleasure to read. I wasn't sure how much I'd like this one, since it was so early in his career, but I really had a hard time putting it down.Victor has a voice and style that, regardless of subject, I find immensely readable.This book in particular plays out as more of a novella than a novel, and doesn't have the depth in the end as some of his later work, but it's still a great read.Looking forward to continuing to read anything this guy writes.

The Ecstatic is one of those novels that should not be read by anyone outside of the intended audience and I believe in this instance that audience is comprised of english majors, aspiring writers, professional book reviewers, and others like me who function under the delusion they are much more erudite than the evidence would otherwise suggest. While I have reservations regarding comparisons of authors and texts, the primary character of this story, Anthony James, is reminiscent of other literary creations such as Winston Foshay from Paul Beatty's Tuff, Ignatius Reilly of Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces, and even Salinger's Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye.Anthony is an imposing characterization in every sense. As we learn early on, he has inherited the family's singular legacy - mental illness- and the story takes the reader along on the tragic-comic journey to the affliction's inevitable victory over that which most of us would view as normalized existence. By mere size (substantially north of 300 pounds), Anthony has the capacity to intimidate, but often in his self-conscious, introspectively critical manner, he is oblivious to that fact. He is brilliant yet only tangentially functional in any environment, living in the basement of the home owned by his 93 year old grandmother and also inhabited by his equally instable mother and Nabisase, his constantly seeking and searching 13 year old sister.Along the way, a mélange of inarguably dysfunctional, most often darkly humorous people are introduced however not surprisingly, only superficially expanded in a story narrated by a twenty-three year old, increasingly non-plussed by the reactions of others but equally as ill-prepared to personally take any steps to extricate himself from the widening abyss. And it does not take long to realize that if he is destined to recover, his assistance will not come from his immediate family, each of whom is clearly too consumed with their personal battles, literal and figurative, to offer any more assistance than the initial act of spiriting him away from reclusiveness in Ithaca, N.Y. would demand.As demonstrated in Slapboxing with Jesus, Victor Lavalle's perceptive view of society and culture is on display here. Through utilization of simile, allegorical imagery and in many cases, unencumbered declaratives, he brings a searing beam to a wide range of subjects including poverty, education, societal obsession, marginalization, multiculturalism, familial dynamics and most prominently, the concept of sanity. The Ecstatic is a wonderful read for anyone seeking intelligent writing with enticing phrasing in a linear story filled with sub-text. Conversely, if your tastes gravitate towards a feel good tale where resolution is never in doubt, there are plenty of other works out there for sampling.

This is the first book by Victor LaValle that I've ever read.LaValle is an excellent writer, but I just couldn't get "hooked" by this story.I found some parts of this novel interesting and entertaining, but then I'd feel like the story kind of just dragged along aimlessly.Since LaValle has come so highly recommended, and by people who've never steered me wrong yet, I will just chalk this up to the problem being me and this particular narrative. I will most definitely be reading other work from Victor LaValle.

Ledric says to Anthony before going into the house to aid Nabisase. Similar to the plot of Little Miss Sunshine a family whose members have varying addictions, values, and aptitude take a road trip to a beauty pageant and discover their stark conflicts of interest. Instead of the predominately white cast of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris`s film, Lavelle illustrates the shades and complexions of blackness that exist in America. Anthony (the narrator), an overweight, ambitious yet self deprecating Cornell drop out is forced to come home to his Queens, New York breeding ground. He is initially discouraged by his family, whom think he is crazy, and is later interrupted by greater societal forces personified through characters like Ishkabible, Uncle Arms, Ledric, Candan, and his love interest Lorraine. Similar to the character in the movie Little Miss Sunshine, who had attempted suicide, after being fired from the University where he had a student love interest. Anthony is dragged along to a Miss Innocence pageant in one of the original confederate states, Virginia. And like Dwayne, played by Steve Carell, Anthony is brought along, to secure he is not a harm to himself, or to anyone else. What I enjoy most about this book is that its characters are familiar, personal, and culturally relevant. The plot, for instance, can be easily summed up in the events of Little Miss Sunshine. However the characters speaks to a black cultural catalog that I found absent in Olive's, Abigail Breslin, quest to look like Miss California. Anthony, reminds me of Notorious B.I.G. in his younger years, and there is in fact that direct relation in the book. Many claim that Christopher Wallace was an exemplary student, and that his wit was unparalleled. One can not deny certainly his ability to conjure poetry, music, expression in grammatically sound diction as easily as some people eat, both of which he was a master. But I often wonder, what would have become of him if he hadn't been `slinging rock' cause he didn't have a `wicked jump shot'. He may have stayed big, being smart, and in New York. attending one it's our nations ivy league schools, Cornell. He could very easily be the narrator of Lavelle's story. Nabisase, Anthony's younger sister, reminds me of the little girl from Spike Lee's Crooklyn, Troy, played by Zelda Harris. Nabisase wants to be Miss Innocence, and Miss Queens all at the same time, and winning isn't always pretty. Soon she finds out that to get ahead sometimes means to get in front of. Then there is a great character foil between Uncle Arms and Ishkabible, both into real-estate, and both accused of ripping off black people. Both characters are charicatures of their real selves, and act accordingly to progress to in a white man's world. There is an ebonic laden, broken English spoken, slave narrative on p. 123 from Uncle Arms that sounds all the similar to me as does The Atlantic Exposition of 1895 delivered by Booker T. Washington. In an attempt to avoid falling short of moral equivalence, I believe both men give similar reasons for their tactics but not their beliefs. Booker T. Washington would claim that as speaking to blacks that we had to "cast down [our] buckets where [we] are" going on to say to whites "While doing this, you can be sure in the future, as in the past, that you and your families will be surrounded by the most patient, faithful, law-abiding, and unresentful people that the world has seen." Uncle Arms would claim on p. 144. - People can't imagine a black a black aristocrat. They've invested too much into a past filled with only one narrative. Whites and blacks would believe I was a devil more easily. So I appear as the raggedy, noble cotton pluck. Ishkabible unlike Uncle Arms, plays it cool, 24-7, when he isn't getting chased down by his customers at least. Strolling in a New York Swag, Ishkabible shouts to his people that their dreams will one day come true while deliberately sighing in a whisper that it will come at a cost. Both Uncle Arms and Ishkabible, are students of Booker T. Washington. However what seems even more dynamic than historical relevance is character dynamics. His juxtaposition with Uncle Arms resembles a north/south contrast that I can only compare to the Old Settler/ New Settler contrast of Black Chicagoans in the 1920s. Ishkabible and Uncle Arms, for me, call upon black historical stereotypes that beg to be further investigated. They also resemble the characters of Bernie Mac in both Ice Cube's Friday and Jeff Pollack's Booty Call. The pastor by day pimp by night character has a long history in our black culture and it is refreshing to see these characters portrayed in both modern literature and film. Not because I like these characteristics but rather that I enjoy the fact that these elements of society have entered our public discourse from which we can criticize, evaluate, condone, and whatever else springs to the imagination. The closest thing to what Mos Def calls, the Black Jack Johnson, the ultimate protagonist, is Anthony, who no matter what the odds or obstacles, and they are all surrounding, meets them with a large yet timid blow. In my opinion it is now wonder why Mos chooses this to be inspiration and the title of his new Album, Ecstatic, because it showcases a black hip hop culture, embedded in character allusions, and urban locales that can be found in what we need to be reading more into, a book.GET ECSTATIC!

Excellent book by a fine writer with a unique voice, I went on to read all his books. I highly recommend this one as well as The Devil in Silver, which are my favorites.

Anthony is the ultimate in unreliable narrators. This books is full of surreal scenes, twisted logic, impossible events and a touch of magic, but how much of Anthony’s account can we believe?Sitting here, the day after finishing this astounding book, I struggle to untangle what actually happens in the story. I think Anthony returns to his childhood home where his sister, mother and grandmother live. I think they are afraid for him, certainly in the opening paragraphs it seems he is not capable of looking after himself, and yet, very soon after living with his family he sees himself as taking care of all of them, working numerous jobs, writing a book, searching for love, driving them across states for a beauty pageant, and ensuring both grandmother and Ledric (a friend he may have met at a very weird fat camp) get the medical attention they need.There are other strange characters, including “Uncle Arms”, The President, and a loan shark called Ishkabibble who claims Anthony is his only friend. It’s darkly funny, probably best categorised as magical realism, and it’s a wonderful book.