Drama Dolls: A Novel

De: Jason Tanamor

Narrado por: Tom Kruse

From the author of the critically acclaimed cult novel Anonymous, comes a dark, psychological, suspenseful thriller about love and loss.

Meet Jeffrey.

Jeffrey is turning 40. He has a good job, a loving wife, and a beautiful house. When the love of his life passes suddenly, his seemingly normal world turns upside down.

The sudden death, along with his midlife crisis, causes Jeffrey to grieve the five stages in unnatural ways. He trades in his Toyota Corolla for a Corvette, smokes pot with the neighbor kid, and dresses up in cheerleader outfits with his pals William and Lena in order to feel young and beautiful.

William and Lena agree to do whatever it takes to help Jeffrey during his grief, even when it means committing minor crimes such as burglary.

All is kosher until William notices a downward change in Jeffrey. Distraught by memories of his wife, and despite William's and Lena's best efforts, Jeffrey begins to slowly derail into a dark place that only he could get out of. An internal battle with his emotions and himself, Jeffrey takes matters into his own hands to pull through.

Drama Dolls is an intimate, dark, psychological, suspenseful thriller about loss and obsession, survival and grief, and the desiring need to take control of your own life.

©2015 Jason Tanamor (P)2016 Jason Tanamor

A sad AND happy love and death story

This was a well told story about the death of Jeffrey's wife and how he emotionally deals with it until the end of the book. I won't spoil anything for readers but the narrator did an excellent job keeping you on edge until the very end. Definitely worth the time.

An unusual and fascinating story

A strange but fascinating book. Drama Dolls is a very well written story dealing with the unusual way a middle aged man, Jeffrey, tries to deal with the death of his wife, and the slow devolution of his psyche. It is poignant and thought provoking, not only dealing with the strange and detrimental effects that grief can have on an individual, but also with themes of friendship, acceptance, depression, intolerance and deviations from the norm. Dressing as teenage cheerleaders and hiding behind makeup and masks, the middle aged adults, Jeffery, William and Lena assume their Drama Doll alter egos and rob houses, all as a means of coping with their emotional pain. I wasn't sure if I would like this book, as it is very different to what I would normally listen to and a bit confusing initially as to which alter ego belonged to which character, but the captivating writing, dark humour and surprising twists got me hooked. The narration fits the book perfectly, Kruse's voice draws you into the characters and allows you to feel their pain. All in all this was an unusual, heart wrenching story with more than a few surprises.

Gripping and poignant

I got pulled into this story so unexpectedly that I didn't have time to get my bearings before the plot twist began. This book was nothing like I have ever come across before yet it was so much more than I expected. It was poignant and heartbreaking at times. I don't think it is possible to fully understand the characters but you really don't have to, you just feel for them. The story stays with you long after the last sentence. I'm excited to see more from this author.

A mid-life crisis on steroids.

I didn't know what to expect going into this novel - knowing little more than it was described as transgressive fiction & it had a cheerleader on the cover. Well, it certainly fits squarely into the transgressive category and definitely features a lot of cheerleaders - but not the type we are used to seeing.

Drama Dolls is a slow motion train wreck that right until the last quarter of the book slowly unpacks the layers of reason behind why Jeffrey dresses up as a cheer leader and breaks into houses. The narrative jumps nicely between Jeffrey the guy mourning his lost wife & Brittany the drama doll, Jeffrey's alter-ego.

This novel is captivating, depressing, entertaining & at times shocking. Everything one wants in a transgressive tale. Enjoyable!

This was one of my first audio books in a long time. It took almost half the book before I stopped hating the voice reading it to me. I particularly didn't like his "female" voice. At times I struggled to keep up with the story as I was so distracted by my dislike of the voice, but that may not be such an issue for others.

Great twists on depressing story

Where does Drama Dolls: A Novel rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the better stories; storyteller could have been better.

What other book might you compare Drama Dolls: A Novel to and why?

Nothing like I've ever read.

What does Tom Kruse bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He delivers content in a matter of fact kind of way. Not sure if that was the best method.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Roller coaster of emotions. Sad for the ending but happy for the message.

Any additional comments?

A book not just about grief. A book about life and the choices people make to live it.