A couple weeks ago I borrowed a copy of Chuck Palahniuk’s Pygmy. It was not, by any means, an easy read, though let it be known that I am very much a fan.

The style of Pygmy is in Palahniuk’s own variation of Engrish, and it was not until I got through the first few chapters that I was comfortable with this approach. The entire novel is a collection of reports by a short, young operative from an Asian, communist country who is in the process of infiltrating America for a project untitled “Operation Havoc.” I initially felt that the use of such language was just wrong and offensive; though as I turned the pages it became clear that Palahniuk is doing a lot more by this style of writing than he’d be able to do otherwise.

By cutting out most articles and arranging the constructions of Pygmy’s dialogue in very terse, dense sentences, the novel flows in a way not like any other. An incredible amount of rich adjectives and complex scientific terminology help make each sentence a bit a work of art. Certain custom constructions repeat themselves fairly regularly, too, which after an adjustment period helps to carry the pace along and define some new ways of thinking.

Pygmy does look at the American establishment in a similar bent that the author has done before in his previous works. Palahniuk requires the reader to have a bit of an iron stomach in certain violent and sexual scenarios.. though again this is part of the fare for a good portion of his writing. A bit of humanity also slips in via chapters whereby “operative me” recounts his early, horrifying childhood.

Next now, this operative highly recommends American masses read this book.