Book Review: Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins

Choice, love, and all that comes together in one humorous book. As I read the book, Tom Robbins style felt familiar. It reminded me of Kurt Vonnegut one of my favorite writers. They both have that organic style of storytelling which sucks you in, or at least it should, but with Still Life with Woodpecker that didn’t happen. It is because I couldn’t care less for Princess Leigh-Cheri and her struggles. This is my problem, not the books.

I couldn’t relate to the characters, and thus I can’t give you a fair review. Princess Leigh-Cheri and her activism and love life didn’t speak to me neither did Bernard Mickey Wrangler and his views about outlawism nor did any other character. (Although themes were interesting.) The only one towards who I felt something was the princess’s soon to be husband who was used as a plot device and nothing more. Poor fellow, his existence could have had more meaning, both good and bad.

The themes of the book: individualism, outlawism, choice, and love are fascinating subjects, (okay love being the sole thing in a book isn’t enough for me, I need something else.) Still, I don’t think I gained anything from the book. This book wasn’t for me. I struggled to pick it up and read it. I rather read something else or went straight to bed. The only thing that stuck with me was the question: What happened to the ball? A very important question indeed.

Thank you for reading! I’m sorry this won’t help you at all. Read a page or two and see if you like it. There is something wrong with me when princesses and a pack of Camels won’t get me excited.