Short Novels – DaneCobain.com

Jack Kerouac – The Subterraneans/Pic | Review

Title: The Subterraneans/Pic

Author: Jack Kerouac

Type: Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 176

Rating: 8/10

Jack Kerouac – The Subterraneans/Pic

This isn’t just one novel – it’s two, both penned by Jack Kerouac and featuring his typical idiosyncratic writing style. And yet, they’re both a little bit different from his other work in some ways, too. Pic, for example, has a lot of the same themes as On the Road, but it’s seen through the eyes of a ten-year-old boy from North Carolina. Meanwhile, the Subterraneans takes a look at love and life in a way that none of Kerouac’s other books have managed.

Overall, both of the short novels are essential reading for any serious Kerouac fan, and while they might not be the best place to start if you’re new to his work, you still can’t go wrong with them. The combination of the two makes for a gripping read, and my only gripe is that even with both novels in there, it still doesn’t feel long enough to satisfy you. It’s pretty damn impressive, really!

Jack Kerouac

Click here to buy The Subterraneans/Pic.

Terry Pratchett – Johnny and the Dead | Review

Title: Johnny and the Dead

Author: Terry Pratchett

Type: Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 188

Rating: 9/10

Terry Pratchett – Johnny and the Dead

Johnny and the Dead is, without a doubt, one of the finest short novels that I’ve ever read – Pratchett has this knack for characterisation, and whilst he’s more well-known for his Discworld series, you’d be a fool to pass up a chance to read one of the books in his Johnny Maxwell trilogy.

This particular novel tells the tale of young Johnny Maxwell, who finds out he can speak to the dead and ends up acting as their figurehead in a campaign to stop their cemetery from being destroyed. While it might sound morbid, Pratchett deals with a dark subject matter with his trademark sense of humour, and it’s a delight to see how the ghosts of the past interact with the (comparatively) present day. Pratchett released this back in the early nineties, but the world hasn’t changed much – saying that, I would’ve loved to have read about the ghosts’ first encounters with the internet. It was funny enough when they started calling radio shows!