Not that the book is not worth reading. But my advice to those of you planning to see the movie, and haven't, is to read the book. If you have already seen the movie, forget about reading the book.
You know me, lambs. I have to read everything. Well, almost!!!!!!!!!! The truth is, Joel Edgerton, Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe and Company, do a better job of conveying the message behind Conley's book than Conley's prose itself does. The movie objectifies more, develops other character arcs, and, thanks to Lucas Hedges' brilliant and understated performance, pulls us into the character's situation in a way the book fails to.
Maybe Lucas is just a stronger voice than Conley. Because I found his prose at times over reaching, and not flowing well. While some of the episodes--the rape leading to his outing, the breaking point reached where he could not take any more--are skillfully depicted, the book moves slower than the film, and points are better made on screen than the printed page.
Which is funny, because, in the book, he talks about how he wants to be a writer. Now, darlings, who am I to stop anyone, but the importance of "Boy Erased" is the story it has to tell, rather than the way it is.
I am not sure whether Conley has any more to tell. This may be it, though he talks about writing "stories," so maybe he is just better at fiction. I am willing to give him a try. And, admittedly, I myself am partial to fiction, rather than non-fiction.
But read the book, and see for yourselves. I expected to be as impressed from it, as I was from the film.
Unfortunately, I was not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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