October 4th, 2021 - Red Pyramid

Dear TNY,

“Red Pyramid” is this Monday’s offering and it’s so so. 

Do I love it?  Nope.  Did it make me have feels?  Nope.  Is it well written?  Nope.  In fact, I don’t even know what the fuck it did that I liked, exactly.  Because I thought the start was slow…

Slow.  You know why I thought it was slow?  American-centric writing.  I’ll admit, that’s on me.  All the Russian place-names are so giant and unpronounceable that it’s like getting beat up by a prizefighter whilst reading.  So yeah, I’m willing to admit that’s just my lack of cultural awareness/training.  Do I think that should change, that being the world and that we should all be able to understand and know other languages?  Sure, bud.  Not even possible, but sure.  Ideals. 

So, back to the story.  The place-names shit was clunky as per the aforementioned cultural barrier.  And I get it was necessary to create the scenario for him to meet the weird guy that knew everything.  Still, meh.

I think the only thing that worked for me was the weird guy interaction, as I was curious what was going to happen.  A sense of wonder, as a former professor of mine once said.  And I liked that as he was dying at the end he saw the red pyramid.  And I liked the batshit, cumbersome, doublespeak paragraph too. That shit was original. 

But I didn’t like this story, per se.  I mean, what the fuck is the take away?  Is it pretty for pretty sake?  No.  Is it plot driven?  No.  Is there transcendence in the MC or myself?  No.  I have a sneaking suspicion that this is a parable of sorts, some sort of lesson.  Which, as you know, I think is shit.  And if it is, how effective is said lesson if it’s a lesson that is more specific and meaningful to Russians but is printed in The New Yorker?  I have no fucking clue.

So, overall, do I approve?  Meh.  This feels like your typical schtick:  Look at me!  Look at me!  I’m diverse! 

But, I wasn’t bored for 50% of this story (those parts being…wait for it…SCENE). 

Anyway, see you next week.

Nick