![]() ![]() The bonus content is also a great addition to an already wonderful story. Chaplinsky incorporates details of the contemporary hip hop scene with the original narrative to create something wholly new and wholly entertaining. But this melding of fact and fiction is not achieved by simply replacing Lovecraft's original protagonist's name with Kanye. Naturally (hopefully), the more extreme elements of the story are pure fiction (his smuggling of the dead and matricide), but much of the way he behaves throughout seems in keeping with his outrageous antics. Thanks to rumour and his desire for privacy, he seems to have built a mystique around his life that only adds to his suitability as a character in such a bizarre story. However, with the aid of Chaplinsky's wonderful tone and tremendous ability, this was a much easier read than if I had simply read the original text.Īlso, the use of Kanye West as the protagonist, while initially mind-boggling, makes perfect sense the longer I read. I know many of the contemporary authors in the horror genre count Lovecraft as an influence but, given his style of writing and the language of the time, I could never get past the first few pages. I'm as familiar with the writing of Lovecraft as I am with the music of Kanye West which, is to say, vague at best. But, having recently read Chaplinsky's debut short story collection, I knew I had to read it ASAP. This had been on my TBR list for a while, thanks mainly to the intrigue of the synopsis and the amazing cover (illustrated by Dyer Wilk and designed by Matthew Revert, two of the very best in the business). As for me, I am best off waiting for a classic rock version. But again, let's give credit to the author for a noble attempt and some very funny turns of phrases. if you are into rap and Lovecraft both, this might be "Da Bomb". Plus I took points away whenever anyone mentioned Kim Kardashian. and I think too many of them went over my head. There is clearly a number of in-jokes here. I did really get into the earlier days with Run-DMC, Public Enemy and up to NWA but then I tapered off. But I honestly know little to nothing about hip-hop. I love Lovecraft and I am a bit of a music freak from rock to jazz to soul. Maybe this is an acquired taste.Īnd I think i may have hit on the issue. There is a lot of references to the need for fresh beats and quite a few musicians and rappers take a beating, so to speak, from Biggie to Paul McCartney. West into the rapper/beatmaster Kanye West as he uses the beat and the mixes to revive dead bodies. The author had fun with this, using Lovecraft's serialized fiction, "Herbert West - Reanimator " and turning Mr. Yet even at its much less than a 100 pages length, it feels too long. P Lovecraft's style with the peculiarities of hip-hop. It is definitely funny and entertaining and it does an admirable job of blending H. Kanye West - Reanimator is somewhere in between. At best they are delightful diversions bringing out the best of the genres and authors they salute. I am still precariously on the fence with such endeavors. We can blame Seth Grahame-Smith for the literary mash-up.or at least for its popularization due to the mystifying success of Pride and Prejudice with Zombies. I would be hard pressed to call them anything but a novelty. Shoutout to Dyer Wilk (art) and Matthew Revert (design) for the dope ass cover. It’s a testament to Chaplinsky’s skills as a writer that he could take two different worlds (hip-hop and Lovecraft) and seamlessly stitch them together into a helluva entertaining book. Kanye West Reanimator is quirky yet entertaining biography of Kanye filtered through a Lovecraftian lens. However, it’s done in good taste and it’s obvious the author knows Kanye’s musical path pretty well. I can see a few people getting a little mad because a few jabs are taken at Kanye. Kanye stans with an open mind should enjoy the hell out of this book. The prose may be off-putting to those unfamiliar with Lovecraft’s work, but the rhythm should be easy to get used to. The story is told by a Lovecraftian narrator who poses as West’s friend throughout the book and co-conspirator in West’s efforts to re-animate the dead. Somewhere along the way, he becomes obsessed with reanimating the dead via his potent music. We follow West as he struggles to be recognized for both his production skills as well as his rapping. This slim book centers on Kanye West’s come up in the music industry and juxtaposes the story of the Reanimator with West’s widely successful music career. Kanye West-Reanimator is the debut novella by Joshua Chaplinksy who is known as the managing editor of Litreactor. ![]()
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