"While it would be a stretch to call "Snuff" a pleasant read, there’s no denying that it’s an interesting one. At times, the novel reads like an encyclopedia of erotic trivia. If Hitler’s invention of the sex doll and the Vatican’s collection of sculptural gonads titillate your interest, then "Snuff’s" collection of anecdotes on sex, death, and show business is probably its biggest selling point. One can almost imagine Palahniuk working from alphabetized lists of punning porno titles and sexually charged epithets.
"Snuff’s" strength lies in its originality and, to a lesser extent, in the amount of research that went into its creation. What’s disappointing about the novel is that it seems to confirm many critics’ impression that Palahniuk is just a shock writer.
In fact, Palahniuk’s first novel proved that making people faint and making them care aren’t mutually exclusive goals. Tyler Durden doesn’t say he wants to wipe his rear end with the Mona Lisa just for the shock value—there’s a compelling ideology built up behind that statement. "Snuff’s" characters, on the other hand, are driven either by uncomplicated motives like lust or careerism, or by some incomprehensible raison d’être that just comes off as depravity. We sympathize with Cassie for much of the novel, but by the end it’s hard to remember why we thought she was worth saving.
A book trailer for Snuff:
