Not for the easily offended (... as if you didn't know)!

I've been waiting for this book for a while and now it's finally here. Was it worth the wait? Yes and no. As with all short story collections the stories can be a bit hit and miss, but Chuck more than makes up for the misses when he hits.

Anyone expecting a huge pukefest having read or heard about 'Guts' may be disappointed but there are lots to enjoy here. Most of the stories don't have 'Guts' visceral impact but are still suitably twisted in Palahniuk's inevitable way.

The narrative that links the stories is a great satire on reality TV and the desire for fame, and would also have worked well as a stand alone novella.

Palahniuk is one of best writers around today and continues to challenge and provoke his readers with this latest addition to his catalogue. BUY THIS BOOK (if you're not too squeamish). I must also recommend, THE LOSERS'S CLUB: Complete Restored Edition by Richard Perez -- which I purchased along with HAUNTED (no shipping charge, or tax for both -- and discounted!) Good deal via Amazon = Palahniuk + Perez

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Gruesome Pathetic Novel

I am absolutely amazed that so many people gave this book such high marks. This is one of the most gory, gruesome, dismal and at the same time boring books I have ever read. I will admit that the first chapter regarding Saint Gut-Free had me curious, and even holding my breath. After the first couple of chapters, I felt as if the writer was desparate to see if he could up the shock value ante. The plot was mundane. Each of the characters was trying to be the most famous by doing the most harm to themselves. I become numb and bored to the violent acts about 1/3 of the way through the novel. I do not recommend buying this book. I would not waste my money or time.

A book about humanity, not gore

Reading all of the reviews about Haunted, I have to say that I am not surprised at how many people were sidetracked by the extreme amount of gore in this book. Yes, there is a lot, and in some instances, like the infamous "Guts," it can be quite hard to take. But why is it so hard to take? What is it about Palahniuk's writing that inspires people to faint at readings of his stories?

What is so brilliant about this book is that it creates an illusion of having some sort of epic plot about a bunch of writers that want fame and fortune and will do anything to get it. But the book is clearly not about this plot; the anti-climactic ending is testament to that. It is about the short stories, and what as a whole they say.

People get affected so deeply by a story like "Guts" because it could happen to anyone. That is why it is a perfect beginning to this collection. For the events in the other stories to happen to someone, they would have to have certain traits or social situations (rich, training in foot massage, gourmet cooking), but what is great is how similar these stories ultimately are to "Guts."

At first, I thought Palahniuk was being a sloppy writer by having almost all of the voices of the various characters sound exactly like each other. But he's too good and creative of a writer to unconsciously do that. To me, this book is about the universality of human suffering and the lengths we go to in order to cope with that suffering. Everyone has had pain in their lives that is too painful or awkward to tell others, an "invisible carrot" as Palahinuk calls it. What these characters are doing is trying to get it out through their writing, which is a common and worthy method of dealing with this suffering.

Of course, they go insane and eventually massacre each other, but that is because they are trying to force creativity and find they can only talk about themselves; there is no effort by any of the characters to go beyond their own pain and create something like Frankenstein or Dracula, which are both based on universal human fears. Instead, they must place the blame and monster status on someone really just like them, Mr. Whittier, and make the situation look as horrific as it can be in order to justify this artifical status.

It is telling that the "villain," Mr. Whittier, is the only one that can write a story not about himself, and it is definitely one of the better and more creative stories in the collection. It is a great irony that the monster that the writers have been trying to manufacture instead of create, Mr. Whittier, is the most creative of all.

Of all the short stories in this collection, perhaps my favorite is "Exodus." It is a story that has such an incredible emotional depth, and in that story more than most the gore serves the emotion so directly I actually think of it as one of the least shocking stories. The book has standout moments like this, but it is not about standout moments. It is about a collection of stories from characters that have no creativity because they are too haunted by their own experiences.