Maeve Fly

"I am a dead Playboy bunny and I am a fly and I am a wolf, and I am any wise man's worst nightmare."

I loved this. The final 15 pages were sort of underwhelming (but frankly fitting), and I agree with other reviewers that the first 80 pages or so are a bit of a drag at times, but my few gripes are overcome by the pure (perverse?) joy I had while reading certain passages, accompanied by the songs referenced in those passages (I'm looking at you, Rob Zombie).

And the dark humor, sign me up twice. This thing is funny. And poignant. And at times, both funny and poignant. A bit of a spoiler, but for example, there is a scene in which Maeve is at a fancy party, and there's a guy there who is uttetly fascinated by the videos that he and his buddies send to each other, of themselves defacating into the toilet.

He starts to show the videos (over the futile-protest-turned-begrudging-acquiescence of his girlfriend), and Maeve ups the ante, telling him that she has a cool video of a botched c-section, before pontificating briefly about consuming the placenta. And THIS is what brings the conversation to a screeching halt. THIS was too far.

This is simply an illustration of an idea that is plainly stated throughout the novel: Men are expected to be gross, to have dark parts, to be brash and powerful and unflinching. It is understood. But such standards do not apply to women, and certainly not to Disney princesses, even the most popular one, even the one who would be the ice queen (the film's original intended villain).

I had a blast with this. Just read it already.