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Wordplay: Only Revolutions
Only Revolutions provokes carpal tunnel in place of insight
By Chelsey Emmelhainz
cemmelha@mscd.edu

Lisey's Story Stephen King $28.00

Noted for his visually challenging layouts and mysterious plots, author Mark Z. Danielewski comes up short in his newest effort, Only Revolutions.

The book follows the pattern of Danielewski’s cult success, House of Leaves, with a similar layout and intricate page design, but unlike its predecessor, Only Revolutions is dreary, often confusing and does more for the onset of carpal tunnel than for the inquiring mind.

Ruining the plot of Only Revolutions poses a unique challenge, as Danielewski’s newest outing lacks any aspects of a traditional plot – action, climax or resolution. Haley and Sam, a pair of 16-year-old lovebirds, rule the story as a couple who defy all time and logic to live forever driving cars, having sex and avoiding the corrupt world of adults. It reads, in essence, as a “kinkified” version of Peter Pan.

Amid the confusing language, a plot is nowhere to be found. The couple does have
occasional run-ins with evil grown-ups intent on tearing the two apart, but none of the situations provide the narrative with purpose or direction.

The mind-numbing process of working through the plot is only exacerbated when combined with the physical demands of reading the book. The novel, which is split into two stories, requires the reader to turn the book over every few pages to experience the same story through both characters’ eyes.

Unfortunately, the idea’s appeal is short-lived, since each side tells basically the same story with only slightly different wording. This results in reading the same book twice. Curling up on the couch with a book ceases to be relaxing somewhere between getting through the first eight pages, stopping, physically flipping the book over and reading another, similar eight pages.
Instead, it becomes a workout. One passage in particular illustrates this point.

From Haley’s perspective: “Only I bring relief. Plastered Paul begs me for Cs. Betty Crockers & Flowers. Laughter’s the taste of my surviving. And Sam’s bagging suds. Chill cups of chugaluglug. Guzzles Ketchup for fun.”

From Sam’s perspective: “Stuff the baloney, Mustard Plaster. Gerry Flappers, Biscuits and Weeds. Laughter’s the taste of my surviving. So sure I’m hursty. Thungry. Gin mills for swills. Moon Pies and Meat. I never chew.”

Deciphering 720 pages of this nearly poetic redundancy is not only challenging but reminiscent of The Odyssey. In fact, an odyssey is precisely what reading Only Revolutions is like – long and treacherous, with many days spent staring blindly into the same boring sea of words.

Despite many missing pieces, Danielewski’s newest work does deserve some credit. In a literary era in which many authors wouldn’t be caught dead going out on a limb, especially with design devices and lack of plot, Danelewski took a chance.

The creative devices may not save the story, but at least it’s fun to look at. Only Revolutions provides something out of the ordinary to select from booksellers’ shelves, which are so often filled with mundane material. Still, one hopes Danielewski’s next try will be more substantial.