![]() ![]() Again, this is why its publication is so shocking (more on that later). This is the premise of Diary of an Oxygen Thief. Then imagine if it were quite conscious and deliberate–and amplified. Lurking within us too– maybe–is this perverse desire somewhere tucked away. ![]() In his wake is a trail of jilted and stunned women. It is male desire in all its darkness, personified in a wretched, nihilistic persona whose sustenance is alcohol. The voice of the narrator is the unadulterated male id, speaking what is normally unspoken, and what is below the radar of consciousness. Because the novel changes so drastically, the narrative is given a heart which is lacking in the madmen scenes of the opening pages (which at any rate made you keep on reading). The reckless tone set in the beginning of the novel is not sustained. In that sense, the novel is thematically reminiscent of another nihilistic novel, Fight Club.ĭiary of an Oxygen Thief continues with his outrageous exploits, yet then the mood shifts unexpectedly. Naturally, the mirror image of giving pain is receiving it, and he desires both. This gluttony for punishment extends to males he provokes other men of more imposing stature to physically attack him. It was flattering” (28), he says after provoking one of his female victims. Just as inexplicably as the narrator enjoys hurting these girls, he intentionally provokes them to take revenge on him: “I’d never had beer thrown in my face before. …the break up precipitates a downward spiral of pointless cruelty and alcoholism. At any rate, the break up precipitates a downward spiral of pointless cruelty and alcoholism. Yet his ruminations after the break up suggest that he did indeed love her. He was simply bored of her sexually and otherwise. His four year relationship with his girlfriend Penelope ends in bizarre fashion the narrator enjoys drawing out a confrontational break-up conversation after meeting her in a bar. And if this occurs on a college campus due to a malicious interpretation of Title IX, there wouldn’t even be the benefit of a jury. Because nowadays, it very well could be a crime, should a girl allege rape. ![]() “The pain involved in a premeditated broken heart would easily compare with a case of assault, and yet no court of law would recognize it as a crime” (33). Fortunately for him, the novel was published in 2006. This level of womanizing simply could not survive the me-too era. Ironically, these antics in the present day would likely get the narrator accused and possibly convicted of rape (which is perhaps the one transgression which he is not guilty of). To be clear, he did not rape her yet nonetheless he left her feeling abandoned and emotionally abused. Part of the pain is his, part is the pain that he gives.Īfter one such sexual encounter, he writes, “Later, she left a message on my machine saying I’d raped her” (24). Overall, I think this is a bit of a marmite book – you’re likely to either love it or hate it, sadly it just didn’t do it for me.The narrator of Diary of an Oxygen Thief is a ribald madman who thrives on loving and leaving unsuspecting women. Some of the things are true-to-life, whilst others are hard to ever imagine being real. It is simplistic in places, whilst being raw and full of sadness in others. Penned by an anonymous author, I’m unsure if the story is fiction or non-fiction – the lines are blurred. In fact, I think the main purpose of the book was to make the reader dislike him he wants us to pity him. Throughout the book the voice of the narrator got on my nerves, as he didn’t feel like an authentic character. Written in first person, this tale is full of misogyny, arrogance and narcissism. Whilst desperately trying to get his life back on track, it later gets turned upside down once more by a preying female. She by ambition.Īs a result of years of pain and abuse the narrator is trapped inside his own head – after years of alcoholism, he turns to a life of sobriety. Say Holden Caulfield was an alcoholic and Lolita was a photographer’s assistant and somehow they met in Bright Lights Big City. Okay…maybe not killed but dulled more lives.” “Romance has killed more people than cancer. ![]()
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