I didn't know what to think about I Think I Might Be Going to Hell. On one hand, Laurie Notaro's sense of humor is as sharp as ever; on the other, she lays the similes on pretty thick, and the first hundred pages or so read as though they're a fictional account of her life now that she's moved away from Arizona.
However, Maye is more likely to hold her tongue--though, of course, she shares her thoughts with the reader. Maye Roberts is an overweight thirty-something woman whose life changes suddenly when her college professor husband is offered a position at a university in Spaulding, Washington. Maye starts out with no friends, and no hope of making any--except through the annual Swer Pipe Queen contest, into which pretty much anyone can join. Desperate to find a sponsor, Maye goes in search of a town legend, Ruby Spicer, and learns a few things about herself--and the town--in the process.
Notaro's first work of fiction is just as funny as her previous collections of essays. Some of what happens is predictable--but much of it is not, as the author herself is unpredictable. And much of what the author writes is absurd, but then again, she herself is absurd sometimes. One other thing I didn't like about the book was that Maye's husband is rather one-dimensional, and the villainess is kind of cartoon-like. But in all, this was another quick, easy read from one of my favorite authors. As usual, I can't wait to read what she writes next.
Also reviewed by: Tiny Reading Room
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