Barry Gifford "Sailor & Lula: The Complete Novels" (2010) ****1/2
Having previously only been familiar with the characters of Sailor Ripley and Lula Pace Fortune through David Lynch's 1990 film adaptation (which I've seen many times and adore), it was a treat (and a revelation) to finally visit them at the source.
Barry Gifford wrote 7 novels concerning Sailor & Lula from 1990–2007, all collected in the 2010 book Sailor & Lula: The Complete Novels. The first book in the series, Wild At Heart: The Story Of Sailor And Lula, was adapted very faithfully by Lynch for his film—save the ending, which necessarily needed to take the course that it did, in order for the characters to continue on in additional novels.
It's easy to fall in love with Sailor & Lula—theirs is a true and lasting romance, the kind that we all wish we had. They stick together through thick and thin, as the saying goes. They might appear a bit trashy to some, but they are always cool and their love reaches that of Romeo And Juliet proportions. They always seem to run into some sort of bad luck though, whether from Lula's overbearing and overprotective mother, Marietta, or through the characters they meet on their adventures on the road. Some of the novels focus heavily on other characters, who always remain interesting, but there is ever-present the connection to S&L.
I love the format that Gifford used to write these novels—short and sweet. Most chapters are 2 pages long and serve as individual anecdotes with the many characters introduced, with a through-line that pushes the story of the lives of S&L along. I could have easily spent more time in the world of Sailor & Lula—even when it's dark, disturbing and sad, it's always a joy to be engulfed in.
Barry Gifford wrote 7 novels concerning Sailor & Lula from 1990–2007, all collected in the 2010 book Sailor & Lula: The Complete Novels. The first book in the series, Wild At Heart: The Story Of Sailor And Lula, was adapted very faithfully by Lynch for his film—save the ending, which necessarily needed to take the course that it did, in order for the characters to continue on in additional novels.
It's easy to fall in love with Sailor & Lula—theirs is a true and lasting romance, the kind that we all wish we had. They stick together through thick and thin, as the saying goes. They might appear a bit trashy to some, but they are always cool and their love reaches that of Romeo And Juliet proportions. They always seem to run into some sort of bad luck though, whether from Lula's overbearing and overprotective mother, Marietta, or through the characters they meet on their adventures on the road. Some of the novels focus heavily on other characters, who always remain interesting, but there is ever-present the connection to S&L.
I love the format that Gifford used to write these novels—short and sweet. Most chapters are 2 pages long and serve as individual anecdotes with the many characters introduced, with a through-line that pushes the story of the lives of S&L along. I could have easily spent more time in the world of Sailor & Lula—even when it's dark, disturbing and sad, it's always a joy to be engulfed in.
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