Palahniuk's grotesque, exaggerated portrait of American society certainly isn't pretty, but it grips like a vice all the same

A wonderful writer with a raw take on modern woes

Mining a dark vein opened by Bret Easton Ellis and George Saunders, Palahniuk specialises in producing nightmarish visions of American society that manage to be both repugnant and hilarious - the reckless brilliance of his imagination keeps you turning the pages

A raw and vital book, punctuated with outrageous, off-the-wall moments

The pungent imagery, the witty twists, the chunky rhythms are great

Farcical in the best sense: Blott on the Landscape is as tense and compelling as any good detective novel

This first novel is undeniably rich: a tale woven around the importance of faith, whether in imaginary friends or undiscovered treasures, and the strength of family

The year's most impressive debut

Like Donna Tartt’s "The Secret History" or a good film noir . . . Jane’s low-key narration has just the right tone to keep readers hooked

The strength of 'The Lake of Dead Languages' is a silken prose that lures the reader into Goodman’s . . . story of murder, suicide . . . revenge, and madness

Part suspense, part coming-of-age, and all-enthralling . . . A book that needs the roar of a fire to ward off its psychic chill