Review: Downtown Owl

Downtown Owl was a book I was eagerly anticipating. As a considerable fan of Chuck Klosterman's essays, I was very curious as to what a novel from him would look like. I assumed three things: One, it would involve either North Dakota or an Ohio college (check), Two, it would offer digressions on various topics (check), and Three, it would somehow involve heavy metal (check again). Based on these assumptions, this is a pretty good book. The characters are kind of interesting, but what really stands out here is the vivid depiction of life in Owl, ND. My biggest problem with the book was the ending, which suffice to say is well, I just didn't like it. I was also expecting the three main characters to interact more, but that didn't really happen either. The latter perhaps is not so much a comment on the book but perhaps more 'conventional' plots. I think The Onion actually has an excellent review on the topic, and I completely share this sentiment:

Klosterman's transition from cultural critic to novelist isn't always a smooth one. In his criticism, Klosterman tends toward matter-of-fact pronouncements, delivered in a voice that seems to say, "I have nothing invested in being 'right' about any of this." In fiction, that style detracts from the dramatic drive. Klosterman may know these characters, but he doesn't seem to have particularly strong feelings about the choices they make, which means readers have to supply their own reasons for caring about what happens to them. But even when the story's stuck in neutral, Downtown Owl's digressions remain entertaining and even penetrating. Klosterman frequently steps away from the main narrative to cover Owl's historical misperception of its high school football legacy, or nitpicky disputes among the local Catholics, or what's going through the minds of an English class forced to suffer through a discussion of George Orwell's 1984. In a way, the book's digressions are its narrative. Klosterman's not just telling the story of three people; he's telling the story of a town, and how it muddles along with a dwindling population and a narrow interest in what lies beyond the city limits. Klosterman captures the mindset of a place where long-term goals dissipate into the endless landscape, and people fall back on dealing with their immediate needs, whether they be getting drunk with friends, or getting drunk alone.

If you're a fan of Chuck's work, then this short novel is worth checking out. If not, start with Fargo Rock City or Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs.