Cult of Loretta Paperback – May 1, 2015

In the way that very few authors manage to execute effectively (Bukowski is the most obvious to come to mind), Maloney has crafted a narrative that continually sucker punchers the reader in a manner that actually elicits a grin. "Cult of Loretta" is pretty much the epitome of 'dark humor', perhaps best personified in this passage that I read to myself a thousand times in a row and recited to my girlfriend once (which was enough for her): "Another night we got so high I broke into our next-door neighbor's house and stole their television so we could watch The Simpsons. I asked Loretta where I should put it. She said on top of the TV, which is how we discovered that we already had a TV." Lead characters Nelson, Loretta and company spend most of the novel binging on substances I've never heard of, which might sound repetitive, but with each instance of self-destruction a little bit of social and personal humanity is explored.

Amazon has been recommending this book to me for a while now, but I just got around to reading it. Wow. I’d been missing out. Cult of Loretta is just incredible. The writing is beautiful, deceptively simple yet poetic. It reminded me of Bukowski, Denis Johnson or Justin Grimbol. The chapters are short and sweet, full of emotion, and always left me wanting to read another chapter or two or five.The story itself revolves around the narrator’s love of the titular Loretta. She’s a real powderkeg. They make love. They do drugs. She breaks his heart. He keeps coming back for more.I’ve loved a Loretta. I felt the narrator’s joy and pain on every page. This book should still make you feel the feels even if you’ve never had the misfortune/pleasure of being in a Cult of Loretta.

Someone told me I had to read this book for the Elliott Smith mentions. I could totally relate to wanting to live closer to the singer with the godlike voice. I started wondering if it was in fact, a true story.

I bought this not knowing it was smut. My purchase was based on the praises for the writing, so I stuck with it because of that. I wish the title character had more development. It was well-written and the opening was engaging, but we never get a strong motivation for the way Loretta is. We know about her home life, but it's not a nuanced look, so she becomes the stereotypical manic pixie to be lusted after no matter what. It's certainly a story that sticks with you, but I wish Loretta wasn't so hallow, even if she might be a metaphor.

Really enjoyed the book. It was a quick read and the time hopping narrative was fairly clear and kept me interested until the end. The chapters are to the point and the writing is steeped in the pop culture of those in their 30s. I have already recommended to friends.

This book will rake across your heart like a syringe digging for a vein. Lust, love and a profusion of drugs turn the search for warmth and marvel into a serrated instrument of pain, repeated until empty. Reclaiming the wayward past is forever impossible.

This is the sort of book that should be left in cafes, bus stops and schools for unwitting readers to stumble across. It's the sort of book that will find the people it needs to find. The sort of book that changes its readers. I can't stop thinking about how this book made me feel.

Great story, love the pace and had many lines that I wanted to read over and over again. I found myself covering my mouth in shock, truly haunting but riveting book. The ending seemed a bit abrupt to me, but left in a good spot. Now all I can do is recommend this to friends so I have someone to discuss it with...

Dark, funny and full of lonesome beauty. You should certainly read it.

This is a beautiful story. I really enjoyed it. An amazing debut from Kevin Maloney, I can't wait to see what he does next.