Reviewed by TONY BAER:
JOHN D. MacDONALD – The Dreadful Lemon Sky and A Purple Place for Dying.
Was gonna write two separate opinions however now it’s been too lengthy since I learn them again to again a month in the past they usually bleed collectively.
So began with Dreadful Lemon Sky as a result of I used to be visiting my mom’s home for the weekend and figured two books would see me via. However I completed these two and had nothing to learn however the books I’d collected in highschool on my outdated bookshelf. And I observed a hardcover of The Dreadful Lemon Sky I’d purchased at some library sale final century. And I believed, okay. I’ll learn that one.
And I actually appreciated it rather a lot. Which shocked me. As a result of whereas I actually dig all of the John D. standalones I’ve learn, I didn’t just like the Deep Blue Goodbye. Primarily as a result of I didn’t like Travis McGee. I simply didn’t like him. And in contrast to unlikable characters within the standalones — this was a collection character who actually couldn’t die. Like James Bond.
Which to me takes away from his feigned vulnerability. In truth, any vulnerability was solely revealed to girls as a seduction technique. And the objectification of girls. Whereas John D. dissects girls’s physique elements with lascivious lechery, in addition to the pleasure of the reader, in all his novels, one way or the other it’s worse in McGee.
Within the standalones you’re feeling like John D. is simply portray an image, telling you a narrative. And regardless of the individuals are pondering and seeing, that’s what they’re pondering and seeing. That’s all. However within the McGee books you’re feeling like John D. is philosophizing. That he actually buys all shit McGee is promoting.
It’s just like the distinction between watching Ricky Gervais in The Workplace versus watching his standup. In The Workplace, Gervais is humorous as a result of he’s enjoying a daft asshole in cost. However in his standup Gervais IS the daft asshole in cost. And also you’re imagined to chuckle with him. I can disagree with the characters in a novel and nonetheless benefit from the guide. However I can’t get pleasure from a philosophy lecture after I basically disagree with the philosophy.
Anywho, which is to say, I nonetheless meant to learn Dreadful Lemon Sky as a result of it’s the one Jonathan Yardley raved about years in the past right here.
Yardley’s proper. Dreadful Lemon Sky is terrific. I couldn’t consider how a lot I loved it. I learn it in a day as a result of I actually couldn’t put it down. And what was I occupied with McGee being a dink? He’s alright! In truth I actually like his philosophy. He’s cool, he’s calm, he’s collected. He’s an environmentalist. He’s impartial. Financially and in all of the methods. He’s on a houseboat. Hey possibly I should purchase a houseboat? Wouldn’t that be higher than dwelling in a home? As a result of it’s additionally a ship!
And hey, , McGee actually is doing a service for all of the needy girls on this planet. He’s not utilizing them. He’s simply a horny man dwelling a horny life and what lady wouldn’t wanna come aboard no less than one night time? Possibly I used to be simply jealous!
So I cherished Dreadful Lemon Sky a lot that after I bought house I dug via all my McGees and did some web analysis about which one I ought to learn subsequent and bear in mind studying someplace that the Purple Place for Dying is without doubt one of the extra violent ones, so on that foundation I picked that one. Plus I occurred to have it in a elaborate new commerce paper version (one other library sale sufferer).
So I hung with it, anticipating nothing however one of the best.
Comparable setup, in fact. A broken waif in want of a giant robust man. She involves him. Lady looking for man. Large robust man. I can see the private advert now.
And like a genie, McGee magically seems. How can I grant your want, pricey maiden?
And earlier than I grant your want, or by means of farewell, ought to we consummate your request with a……no. We’d higher not. Maybe one other time.
However no. There can be no different time. As a result of the lady in want is DEAD!!!! Outdated Travis he tried his greatest, nevertheless it was simply too late! If solely she’d come to him earlier than. Earlier. Earlier than this hassle began. Or no less than whereas it nonetheless simmered. Earlier than it boiled over.
However it’s okay. As a result of Travis will cease at nothing til justice is served, the hardboiled killer battered and fried on a platter. The killer who began all this within the first place.
And naturally, on his journey, identical to in Bond films: the primary lovely lady he meets dies nearly instantly; the second lady he meets is extremely shy, seemingly chilly, and considerably broken too. However this time Travis is just not too late. He’s simply in time. To avoid wasting the timid beautiful little factor together with his magic ding dong. After all, she’s not excited by any long run commitments. No, Not with a person like Travis. No. A wild stallion tirelessly and compassionately spraying his seed alongside the Florida coast like a bee come to pollinate the damaged flowers.
So yeah. Just like the joke goes. I shoulda give up whereas I used to be a head.
The decision? Except you might be and/or aspire to be a McGee, don’t gobble down a bunch of those in a row. The addict experiences diminishing returns. Moderately than larger tolerance, you’ll construct decrease tolerance. For McGee. Beginning A Purple Place for Dying instantly after the final web page of The Dreadful Lemon Sky was a mistake. Plain and easy. And now each books are diminished in my thoughts.
So anyway. I assume what I’m saying is that this. Of the three McGees I’ve learn, if you happen to can solely learn one, make it the Dreadful Lemon Sky. If you happen to plan to make it multiple, plan a buffer zone between the 2. Say, Battle and Peace, or one thing.
