Review: Fight Club


Fight ClubFight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s been nearly 15 years since I first saw Fight Club, the movie. Since then I’ve seen it front-to-back maybe twice. But it really stuck with me. As I listened to this audiobook I found myself wonder when this or that scene would come up since the movie turned out to be an incredibly faithful adaptation. There are a few key differences, most notably the ending. But also a more sympathetic Marla in the book. But, for the most part, all the best lines in the movie came from the book. It’s rare for such a perfect adaptation to work, especially with a narrated book. But somehow it did. I also loved the narrator of this version and how he did different voices.

I think the best part of the book and then most powerful part of the book over the movie (although I think the movie does it once or twice) is the repetition. Sentences and sentence fragments are repeated and it has a powerful effect – both reinforcing and ironic – depending on the context.

I had a different takeaway in my 20s compared to my 30s, but I still enjoyed the story, even if it was from a different point of view. I like the fact that it can be enjoyed whether your sympathize with the main characters or the author (at least that’s the way I read it – both meant to make you think and to satirize the solution the characters come up with).

If you’ve only ever watched it, I encourage you to read it – it was a short audiobook – 5 hrs unabridged.

View all my reviews


One response to “Review: Fight Club”