THE MOTEL LIFE, Willie Vlautin
After seeing the movie on Netflix, I had to read the book. It seemed like a film that was amazingly faithful to the book, and indeed, it was.This was the first novel of musician, Willie Vlautin,
Frank and Jerry Lee Flannigan live a meager existence in Reno, Nevada, staying in cheap motel rooms, working at odd jobs and drinking heavily. One night, while driving drunk during a blizzard, Jerry Lee accidentally hits and kills a teenage boy. Although the accident is the boy's fault, there are no witnesses, and Jerry Lee is certain that the police will arrest him. This accident drives the plot of the novel for both brothers.
Both men are so damaged by their difficult childhoods that they are incapable of making good decisions. They drink too much, hang around with the wrong people, gamble. And yet they are likable and your heart goes out to them. There are few evil characters in this novel for all its angst. Most of them try hard to do what's right. It's circumstances that undo them.
One of the nicer features of this book is that Frank tells Jerry fictional stories throughout the novel. Stories meant to allow them both to escape their lives.
THE MOTEL LIFE is an excellent character study of young men who live on the margin of society and demonstrates ably how escaping THE MOTEL LIFE is darn near impossible.
and written in 2006.
11 comments:
This sounds really good, Patti. I do like books that have interesting characters, and it's a sort of life that we don't often think about...
Never heard of the movie, let alone the book. It made me think of an off-Broadway play we saw a few years ago, Airline Highway, also a slice of life set in the parking lot outside The Hummingbird Motel in New Orleans, with a former burlesque queen, prostitutes, and drug addicts among the colorful cast of motel regulars
Not familiar with that play. I guess there are many narratives similar. Even THE FLORIDA PROJECT of a few years back.
Yes, we don't often think about characters living on the edge where often mental illness can explain a lot of it.
I thought of The Florida Project too.
K. Todd Freeman and Julie White were the most well known members of the cast. He was nominated for a Tony and won a Drama Desk Award.
Although familiar with his name I have never read anything by him. Another one of his novels-Lean On Pete was also made into a movie a few years ago. He is also a musician and has put out a few recordings with his bands.
Looks good! I'll have to track down a copy.
I have LEAN ON PETER somewhere. But where?
He is such a good writer and he tells the story of people in difficult circumstances without judgement.
That is the key to its greatness. He is benevolent to all the characters.
This sounds good but depressing, Patti.
I do think I am drawn toward dark books, unfortunately.
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