Jim Dodge Not Fade Away

I came across Jim Dodge after reading his name mentioned in someone reviewing Jack Kerouacs "On The Road", which is one of my favourite books of all time. They said that Not Fade Away was better than any of Kerouacs books, which was a bold statement, but looking back I can see where they were coming from.

To me this book feels a bit more dirty, and a bit more real than anything I've read by Kerouac. This is by no means a bad thing, I think the story works better because of it.

It's set in Rock n Roll 1950's America and is a kind of story within a story, although you soon forget about the outer story as it's only a fraction of the book.

Dodge's style does have a lot in common with Kerouac's. They both feature characters that are passionate about love, music, and generally living life and not being afraid to be a bit crazy with it! Any books like this are usually a hit with me!

Saying that, this book does tend to lull in places. and I found myself having to force myself through it a little. Nonetheless, once I finished it, I was glad I'd persevered.

It's a good story, with lots of interesting characters and some brilliant language and imagery, and a really neat little ending which tied it up nicely for me!