The Petting Zoo: A Novel Audiobook

" I picked up this book when I noticed the author was Jim Carroll - being a former 80s punk rock girl, of course I thought he was so cool. The book was a surprise - it pulls you into the mind of an artist, complete with his illusions and anxieties, and was a bit of work to get through but very interesting along the way. "

" The disorganization and unpolished passages of this book are distracting, for sure, but they are also expected considering, as other reviewers have noted, that this work was in draft form when Carroll passed away. Conceptually, the book is wonderful - a deep look at the relationship between the creative process and the broken mind. Unfortunately, I'm not sure Carroll executed the project with his characteristic, imagery-heavy finesse. With a collection of the most verbose characters I believe I've ever encountered - heavy dialogue that goes on for *pages,* my goodness - I found myself missing the beautifully constructed imagery and sharp phrasing that makes Carroll's work so delicious. His genius is the ease with which he guides readers through evocative and haunting passages, and that is missing from The Petting Zoo. What he does well here, though, is demonstrate the dimensions of the creative mind... particularly those involved in the brutal longing to satiate the artistic monster inside once it has bitten the hand that feeds it. Don't make this introspective novel either the first or the last Jim Carroll work you touch. Read it somewhere in the middle. "

" I really loved the book in the beginning but it started to trail off in the end. I did read the entire book but wasn't too happy with the ending or even how the last few chapters were written. Oh, well. "

" Slow to start, but worth reading in the end. "

" Very much enjoyed the first two thirds of the book. However it never really came together, and the end is honestly pretty crappy. Much prefer everything else I've read by him. "

" Loved this novel. Just finished reading today. Brand new release from the late poet, memoirist, musician and novelist. JIM CARROLL. It's such an interesting internal exploration. Loved the raven! Billy is a character I'll not soon forget. "

" Unfortunate that once you strip away the mad rambling stream of consciousness white light metal spew that was B-ball Diaries (can we call it that?) and Forced Entries, you are left with the queasy feeling that this man cannot actually write. Patti Smith endorsement on the back of dust jacket meaningless as I never got into her music. Debbie Harry might have put him over, but then again, I am shallow. "

" Fictional account of a skilled painter in NYC. Interesting ideas on art/life and sanity. May be a 4 star but right now its a 3. I will look for other works by author who is now deceased. "

" The first conversation with the raven is funny, the last conversation with him is frightening and sad. Overall, a good read. "

" First quarter was good and interesting but lost interest half way through and lasted another 50 pages. Just stopped caring about the characters and found them pretentious. Probably would have been a different novel if Jim Carroll had the opportunity to finish it. "

" Beautiful. "Do not give in to despair". "

" Carroll's only novel published posthumously. There are some great moments in this somewhat autobiographical story when Carroll's characteristic humor and wit shine through. He died before completing the final revisions which may account for why the last third of narrative seems a bit muddled. "

" A spiritual odyssey of the first order--Jim Carroll's best work along with "The Basketball Diaries" and "Fear of Dreaming" "

" I won this book from first reads. I was so excited because I never read any Jim Carroll and had always wanted to. I couldn't get through it. It didn't have any real action for me and it was basically him talking to a bird. I found it really slow. "

" Pretty awesome book that mixes art philosophy and strange fiction into one. It is about a talking raven (around since Noah's Ark), a crazy artist who has sexual issues and the Velaquez paintings that made the artist crazy. "

" 3 chapters...ouch. I just didn't connect with the plot, the characters, the mood, or the voice. "

" I was surprised by how readable it was and how much I wanted to keep reading. Reminded me weirdly of Zelda Fitzgerald's novel. Kind of reminded me of unpublished memoir I am reading now, too. "

" First quarter was good and interesting but lost interest half way through and lasted another 50 pages. Just stopped caring about the characters and found them pretentious. Probably would have been a different novel if Jim Carroll had the opportunity to finish it. "

" There are not many books that I would put in the category "worst ever" but this unreadable turd may be in the Top 5 ever of unreadable self flagelating nonsense. Good riddance. "

" watch for a review in a forthcoming edition of Geez magazine "

" Slow to start, but worth reading in the end. "

" I was surprised by how readable it was and how much I wanted to keep reading. Reminded me weirdly of Zelda Fitzgerald's novel. Kind of reminded me of unpublished memoir I am reading now, too. "

" Fictional account of a skilled painter in NYC. Interesting ideas on art/life and sanity. May be a 4 star but right now its a 3. I will look for other works by author who is now deceased. "

" I really loved the book in the beginning but it started to trail off in the end. I did read the entire book but wasn't too happy with the ending or even how the last few chapters were written. Oh, well. "

" I thought it was ok for what it was, the first 100 pages were great, but it went down hill fast after that. I definitely think Jim Carroll was one of the last great American poets, but this was just a disappointment. "

" Loved this novel. Just finished reading today. Brand new release from the late poet, memoirist, musician and novelist. JIM CARROLL. It's such an interesting internal exploration. Loved the raven! Billy is a character I'll not soon forget. "