The first chapter/section was solid; Johnson creates an intriguing character in Leon but everyone else I can't help but hate, which made me pity Leon even more. The rest of the novel is flat and dull and I couldn't care about any of it anyway with Leon gone. ( )

Having just read a different, great "grit lit" book [b:Sweetgirl|25817448|Sweetgirl|Travis Mulhauser|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1438643492s/25817448.jpg|45264436], I should have waited to read this book as it is in the same vein, however I feel I would still dislike this book.

I found the first half both boring and revolting. The violence and pathetic characters made me feel like I needed a shower. I guess there are people like this, but I do not have to spend my leisure time with them. There is a way to write about those who are damaged, broken without reveling in their despair. For me this book seemed to relish the horrific behavior and filth in the lives of these characters. There is no redemption, no goodness, no hope. When a book makes me feel like a victim deserves what they get, well that it disturbing! ( )

Nirto Mountain door Lee Clay Johnson

Rauw, hard, cynisch, donker, troosteloos…

In dit voortdenderende debuut lezen we eerst het verhaal van Leon, verliefd op Jennifer. Jennifer woont jammer genoeg niet bij hem maar bij de crimineel Arnett, Arnett’s verhaal vormt deel 2 van het boek. Jennifer’s verhaal sluit het boek af. Naast deze 3 hoofdpersonen komen er nog talrijke andere personages aan bod. Allemaal hebben ze gemeen dat hun leven aan elkaar hangt van geweld, (zelfgestookte) drank en kilo’s drugs.

Het leven in deze grauwe mijnstreek is een leven dat geleefd wordt, het dendert in een rotvaart wazig aan de inwoners voorbij. Keuzes maken, een eigen pad kiezen is moeilijk, quasi onmogelijk. Ze leven van dag tot dag op het pad dat zich aandient. Hier geen survival of the fittest maar survival voor de leepste individuen. En ja, muziek kan levens redden maar doet dat niet voor iedereen.

Nitro Mountain is een verzameling van misdaden, wapens, liters drank, gure bars, zelfgespeelde muziek, opgezette dieren en een ruige natuur. Dit boek openslaan is een donkere, ranzige tunnel zonder einde betreden. Je loopt van de regen in de drop en aan het einde gloort er geen hoopgevende dageraad…
Een beklemmend debuut, voor de liefhebbers. ( )

I got 100 pages in and had to quit. Considering the book is just over 200 pages, and couldn't begin to interest me is surprising. Some have said this book was hillbilly noir, but that is also how Daniel Woodrell's books are described. There is not even a passing resemblance between the two authors. This was white trash noir that happens to take place in Virginia. The characters are boring, and stereotypical of small town, white trash, drug addict, fuckups. None of them are interesting, likable, or really have any redeeming qualities. But the biggest complaint I had with the book was that the story was boring.
My second biggest complaint and this is becoming a trend, is that apparently to get a book published these days you first need to get an MFA, and then write a "gritty" story. Don't worry about punctuation or flow of the story, don't worry about writing something interesting, instead do something out of the norm, in this case, don't have chapters.
Like many books I have read, I look at all of the praise heaped upon them and wonder "Did we read the same book"? ( )

Lee Clay Johnson's Nitro Mountain is a dark and violent look at the underbelly of rural Appalachia. It grabs you by the, uh, throat and brings you along on a joyride you won't soon forget.

The writing is very good and allows the reader to experience what at times are conflicting feelings. The characters are likable even when you don't like them. Johnson accomplishes this by showing the humanity within each character so that at the same time we are disapproving of their action we can also understand, from their perspective, why those actions make perfect sense. Characterization this nuanced can be unsettling yet it is what makes this an exceptional novel.

I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes darkly comic thrillers. Also anyone who likes character-driven fiction with a gritty feel should consider this as well.

Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads First Reads. ( )