Imperfections

Imperfections
Authors
Somer, Bradley
Publisher
Nightwood Editions
Tags
literary novel , canadian fiction
Date
2012-09-15T00:00:00+00:00
Size
0.43 MB
Lang
en
Downloaded: 42 times

What do you call a man with no arms and no legs locked in the trunk of a car?

The answer is not “Jack.”

It’s Richard Trench.

In the opening scene of Imperfections, a new novel by Bradley Somer, Richard Trench finds himself reduced to a torso in the trunk of an ’82 Monte Carlo. What follows is a captivating story of how Trench came to be in this situation, with a plot that twists in and out of the lives of circus freaks, supermodels and everyday folk.

At once down to earth and vividly fantastical, Imperfections explores society's relationship with physical perfection. It meddles with the boundaries between the beautiful and grotesque and blurs the hilarious with the horrific. Underlying themes of beauty and destiny are topped off with an always surprising plot and an eccentric cast of characters—including Trench's body building, ABBA-obsessed father and an obituary writer. It takes the reader from backyard BBQ's and barnyard beauty pageants to the world or raucous fashion shows and glittering photo shoots in exotic locations.

Here’s some buzz about Imperfections:

“As they say in the fashion world, if you’ve got it, flaunt it. In this sharp, ribald and surprisingly moving debut novel, Bradley Somer shows he has it and definitely flaunts it. Imperfections is a wild send-up of the modelling industry and our obsession with the culture of beauty. Equal parts absurdism and societal critique, it is a comic romp on par with Mordecai Richler’s Cocksure.

--Quill and Quire Starred Review (January 2013)

“Bradley Somer has written a transgressive, satirical takedown of the Western obsession with beauty and immortality.  Like the unruly child of Chuck Palahniuk and Mary Gaitskill, Imperfections disturbs and haunts by holding a mirror to a part of us we would rather not see.”

- Billie Livingston, author of One Good Hustle

"By turns tragic and buoyant, uncomfortable and funny, realistic and zany, Imperfections is a fast-paced exploration of the seemingly random and benign happenings of our everyday lives.  From his mother's cool inspection of his ‘imperfect’ body at birth to the requisite physical critiques that come with a modelling career, Richard Trench gives voice to a colourful examination of beauty—illuminated by exploding flash-bulbs and visceral memory.  Bradley Somer is a writer to watch."

- Samantha Warwick, author of Sage Island

Imperfections is one of the Canadian Independant Booksellers Top Picks for 2012.

- Quill and Quire

“Touching on the unusual, Somer seeks to look at the duality of beauty and ugly, and how the two aren't that far apart in what we seek. With strong humor and much to ponder, Imperfections is not a read to be overlooked.”

- Midwest Book Review