I went into reading Night Film without knowing much about it, except that part of the story is told through news articles and websites, phone transcripts, photos, files and hospital records. I hadn't planned on reading it so soon. I was going to read a graphic novel or manga for my next review (I actually read this before Wytches, but I'm posting it after), something easy so that I would have time to read my chick lit books on the side. But I picked Night Film up and brought it to work with me one day anyway and I began reading it during my lunch hour. I was hooked during the prologue. The writing immediately drew me in, it was almost noir-ish, like a modern day Hammett novel. The fact that it's set in New York only helped to capture my interest more. I read in a book once (a chick lit book, actually) that New Yorkers call Manhattan "the city" like it's the only one in the world. That's true. As a New Yorker, I love reading about the city because I've been there, I know those areas, I can imagine it in my head as I'm reading about it.
The book begins by showing us various articles found on news websites, where we learn about Stanislas Cordova, the controversial director of fifteen movies, the last five of which were never released in theaters. People hold underground screenings of Cordova's unreleased films. His last interview was in 1977 and his last several movies were filmed on his estate. No one, aside from the people who have worked with him, even know what he looks like. He is a total mystery. Until his daughter, Ashley, dies from an apparent suicide and our protagonist, Scott McGrath, starts digging into his life.
Scott was an award winning investigative journalist (with a Blackberry, I had to look up when this book was published because they mention the name "Blackberry" more times than I've heard it in the past 10 years), but currently, he is a "disgraced journalist" (of course he is, he was a writer for the New York Post) because of a statement he made on national television: "Cordova's a predator--in the same league as Manson, Jim Jones, Colonel Kurtz. I have an inside source who worked for the family for years. Someone needs to terminate this guy with extreme prejudice." Scott was sued for defamation and, in addition to the $250,000 he lost, it also cost him his job. His source, a supposed former chauffeur for Cordova, was said to have never existed.
While investigating Ashley's death, Scott meets Nora, a 19 year-old coat-check whom he takes in and hires as an assistant (because she has nowhere to live), and Hopper, a 20-something-year-old male he found at the site of Ashley's apparent suicide and knows more about her than he lets on. Together, they begin to unravel the mystery of Ashley's death and whether or not her father had anything to do with it.
This is a book in four acts. I don't want to give spoilers and ruin it, so here's a very vague rundown of what you can expect:
Act 1: Modern day Sam Spade
Act 2: Oh f***
Act 3: Do I actually know anything?
Act 4: Conclusion
The deeper you go into this story, the more paranoia begins to set in. I found myself afraid to turn the light off when I got in bed at night. I couldn't stop thinking about the book, I always wanted to read more, I wanted to know more. There was one point towards the end where I found myself struggling to breathe because it played on my claustrophobia. Night Film will get under your skin and you'll have to keep reminding yourself that it's only a book.
I really, truly loved Night Film. It's one of the best books I've read in years. Reading about Scott's obsession with Cordova, almost seeing him descend into madness, going along on that ride with him and wanting all of his suspicions to be true was an experience I've never had while reading any other novel. I can't say how I felt when I finished reading the book because I would be getting into spoiler territory. What I will say is that I shared Scott's feelings at the close of his investigation and I think Marisha Pessl clearly expressed what she was trying to say.
Post-Review Bonus Content:
Most unbelievable part of the book - Scott plans to bring his daughter to Serendipity 3 for a hot fudge sundae. Everyone knows you only order frozen hot chocolate there. (I've had it, by the way. It's overrated.) This is actually mentioned twice in the book. No one is going to Serendipity 3 for a hot fudge sundae. No one.
Favorite quote/s:
"Who are you guys?" he asked.
"Private investigators," said Nora with evident excitement.
Somewhere Sam Spade just rolled over in his grave.
Runner up:
If there was a wedding reception--and there usually was, the bride and groom, Bobby and Marci of Massapequa, Lawn Guyland--the lobby throbbed like a gymnasium on prom night.
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