Zeroville

Vikar arrives in Hollywood in the late 1960s and is a devoted film buff. He is such a fan that he has tattooed his bald head with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. It's a strange sight and most people, even those working in film, mistake it for something else. Before long, Vikar, a strange childlike savant, finds himself working as a film editor. His odd approach to editing fits into the world of 1970s cinema, but people don't know if they love it or hate it. Through the course of the book he finds himself captured by Spanish rebels, living in a beachhouse in California, attending the Cannes film festival and being mistaken for one of the Manson family. It's an odd book, and the main character is even odder. There is punk rock and a missing movie that is hidden frame by frame in other films. There are the people who work in film, but don't know classic film. There is the transience of life and stardom.

Real and imaginary characters populate the book. The real films and characters are often not named, but hinted at. A hilarious early scene takes place during the filming of 'Love Story.' In a later scene, Vikar wins an award but is furious that they want to use his real name instead of the one he goes by. It's a pretty interesting sendup, but the ending is a bit strange and abrupt. I liked where it was going, but it felt a bit rushed. It was still very entertaining.

I was given a review copy of this ebook by Open Road Integrated Media and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.