I had never heard of this novel or the author before reading it. There’s a political columnist by the name of Robert Novak, but I have my doubts he’s the same guy who wrote CLIMB A BROKEN LADDER and B-GIRL, both published in 1956 by Ace and as far as I’ve been able to determine, the only two books by this author.CLIMB A BROKEN LADDER is a low-life novel, I guess you’d call it, a story about the drunks, beggars, and prostitutes who live along Seattle’s skid row, characters with colorful names like the Bohunk, Big Phil, Newsy Nellie, and Pushover Patty. Though not as well-written, it reminded me of what I’ve read by Charles Bukowski, since a lot of the book finds the characters just wandering around in an alcoholic haze. This makes for a pretty meandering plot, but the story does have a coherent thread running through it, that being the budding romance between the Bohunk and Newsy Nellie. The book picks up steam in the final third with a twist or two that I didn’t see coming. It never quite becomes the noir crime novel that I thought it might, but it’s dark enough to please most readers of noir.
One thing I really liked about the book is its Seattle setting. I expect most skid row novels to be set in New York or San Francisco or some place like that. Novak also does a good job of working in the back-stories of the various characters, and then at the very end throws in a final plot twist that left me going, “Huh,” even though I wouldn’t go quite so far as to call it jaw-dropping. This is a pretty stark book that impressed me enough I may have to try to find a copy of Novak’s other novel, B-GIRL.
7 comments:
I wish it were him. It would make him a lot more interesting because this looks like great fun.
This review has yet another mention of Bukowski. I think I'm going to have to find some CB and read it. What interests me in this book is the setting. Seattle's not your typical city for a crime novel and, having visited, I'd be interested in this book.
Another fine example of pulp cover art and the book sounds interesting too. Course the chances of ever coming across this are remote but I'll be keeping an eye out for CB
Wasn't the original Skid Row in Seattle?
I believe that's correct. The term comes from the logging industry and was originally "skid road", the trail down which logs were skidded. I'm not sure how it came to take on its current meaning.
Great cover. I'd love to know more about the term "skid row."
Oddly enough, I was in Seattle two days ago with a friend as when we turned onto a side street along some railroad tracks we ran into about 50 skid row denizens just standing around looking like extras in NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. An altogether creepy experience.
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