By
Mykala Noels
It was
July 2020, the peak of the pandemic summer, when I first encountered the
fiction of Chris Cooper. Like many others, I was sequestered at home, searching
for something to break the monotony of quarantine life after the initial
sensationalism of Tiger King, banana bread, and salacious news headlines wore
off. While scouring various sites and Reddit threads, I finally stumbled
upon Finn Almost Buys a Goldfish. At first glance, the
whimsical title and silly fish header graphic caught my attention, leading me
to expect a lighthearted, nostalgic tale, so I tuned in. But as I started the
journey with Finn into the pet shop, the story quickly escalated into something
way more substantial, and I found myself immersed in an absurd yet profound
story about a man spiraling into existential angst while contemplating buying a
goldfish.
What began
as a humorous quest for a simple pet quickly unraveled into a surreal
exploration of anxiety, purpose, identity, and the meaninglessness of life. By
the end, I felt both profoundly moved and strangely liberated—fulfilled yet
lost, unsettled but in a completely different way. The narrative rattled me
like a philosophical awakening, sparking a desire for deeper fiction that
transcends the shallow surface of much of today’s literary landscape. His 2021
summer release, Bleed, followed up with that same authentic human
emotion, opening my mind even further and acting as the catalyst for my own
personal existential journey.
Now, four
years later, Chris Cooper makes his highly anticipated full-length debut
with Crazy by Conscious, a novel that doesn’t just grab your
attention—it seizes you in a vice grip from the very first sentence, pulling
you into the rawness of human vulnerability and challenging the comfort zones
we cling to. For any writer, transitioning from short stories to a novel is a
significant leap, but Cooper takes this challenge head-on, delivering a work
that is sharp, unrelenting, and filled with the same fierce, unapologetic prose
that characterized his earlier work. Cooper’s writing is simple yet complex,
challenging yet welcoming, often injecting dark humor to reveal the absurdity
of contemporary life. His sentences possess a cutting precision that lingers
long after inflicted, leaving a lasting impact on the reader. But what truly
sets Cooper apart is his uncanny ability to fuse opposing emotions—like sadness
and humor—within a single sentence, delivering a one-two punch that catches
readers off guard and resonates deeply.
But Crazy
by Conscious is more than a continuation of the themes Cooper
introduced in his short stories—it’s a profound and daring exploration into the
darkest recesses of the human psyche. Told through the lens of Dennis Clauden,
a neurotic, cynical high school AP English teacher, the novel delves deep into
existential crises, nihilistic despair, and the enduring scars of unhealed
trauma. Clauden’s journey is not just a personal struggle; it’s an
all-encompassing examination of life’s harsh realities. The story forces readers
to face the more uncomfortable and often ignored aspects of modern existence,
while pushing back against the status quo and ideologies that society clings to
with desperation.
At the
heart of the narrative are potent themes such as tribalism, the cyclical nature
of abuse, and the human drive for escapism in a chaotic world. Dennis,
constantly teetering on the edge of psychological collapse, becomes a conduit
through which Cooper critiques societal norms. His inner dialogue offers biting
commentary on everything from the artificiality of social media and the decay
of the nuclear family, to the power dynamics of relationships and the tensions
that arise when creative dreams meet the immovable wall of reality. In Crazy
by Conscious, the line between satire and tragedy blurs, creating a
narrative that is at once both deeply unsettling and profoundly insightful.
In many
ways, the novel reads as a series of interconnected vignettes—flashes of
consciousness from a protagonist grappling with disillusionment. These moments
are laced with laugh-out-loud moments that dig into the futility of online
personas, the desperation of acceptance and social validation, and the
relentless pursuit of meaning in an ostensibly meaningless world.
While this
hearty story explores themes of grief, love, heartbreak, and euphoria, what
truly sets Crazy by Conscious apart from other contemporary
works is its astonishing range. Chris Cooper masterfully balances raw emotional
tenderness, biting satire, and darker, more pathological elements, while boldly
venturing into explicit territory. This eclectic mix creates an unpredictable,
captivating reading experience that showcases Cooper’s talent for blending
genres and tones. What begins as a seemingly transgressive narrative evolves
into an engaging, multi-layered plot that parodies and critiques contemporary
literary trends while fulfilling the very expectations it exposes.
The novel
is cleverly structured around chapters named after classic literary works, such
as Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado,” Robert Frost’s “The Road Not
Taken,” and John Milton’s “Paradise Lost.” These chapter titles not only
provide literary context but also serve as thematic gateways into Dennis
Clauden’s existential struggles while reviving classic pieces into contemporary
settings.
In The
Cask of Amontillado, Poe’s story of deception and betrayal mirrors
Dennis’s emotional manipulation by his ex-fiancée, Renee. Just as Montresor
lures Fortunato to his demise with false promises and flattery, Renee keeps
Dennis emotionally entangled throughout their relationship, even after their
breakup. This chapter highlights Dennis’s growing awareness of how he was used,
paralleling Montresor’s realization of his control over Fortunato. The theme of
deception runs throughout, as Dennis reflects on the psychological manipulation
he endured, while the core elements of Poe’s short story are cleverly woven
into Dennis’s present-day lecture, blending the two narratives seamlessly.
Similarly, Paradise
Lost, named after John Milton’s epic poem, delves into the themes of loss
of innocence and moral corruption. In this chapter, Dennis’s sexual
relationship as a teenager with his former teacher, Susanna, is explored in
depth. Much like Milton’s depiction of Adam and Eve’s fall from grace, Dennis’s
youthful innocence is shattered as he enters into a relationship that, while
exciting and taboo, ultimately leaves him with a profound sense of guilt and
emotional disillusionment. The title Paradise Lost reflects
not only the literal loss of Dennis’s innocence but also the moral complexities
that arise from this relationship, which continues to haunt him as an adult.
Through this lens, Cooper draws a parallel between Dennis’s personal loss and
the broader themes of corruption and fallibility in Milton’s work.
One of the
most captivating aspects of this debut novel is the seamless marriage between
philosophy and prose. It’s as if you’re engaging with the minds of
philosophical giants like Albert Camus, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Søren
Kierkegaard—without the dense, academic language. Cooper distills their
existential musings and integrates them into the narrative so naturally that
you find yourself wrestling with life’s biggest questions while immersed in a
compelling story you could find on Netflix. It’s an intellectual journey
disguised as fiction, where complex philosophical ideas are accessible,
thought-provoking, and woven effortlessly into the plot, creating an experience
that’s both enlightening and deeply engaging.
By far the
most memorable, standout moment of the novel is its final chapter, “So It
Goes,” a nod to Kurt Vonnegut, written in a narrative under the influence of
psilocybin. This mind-bending conclusion to a spell-binding book blurs the
lines between reality and perception, sanity and madness, solidifying Crazy
by Conscious as not only a crowning jewel for 2024 but as a
groundbreaking work in contemporary fiction. It’s a truly daring narrative
experiment that pays off brilliantly, offering a surreal and hallucinatory
experience that challenges conventional storytelling and pushes the boundaries
of literary technique in a beautifully artistic way.
Crazy
by Conscious is
not just another book, it’s an absolute literary force—a novel that doesn’t
simply ask to be read but demands to be experienced. For those who first
discovered Cooper’s talent in Finn Almost Buys a Goldfish or Bleed,
this debut novel is a thrilling evolution of his craft. It delivers a story
that will haunt, challenge, and linger long after the final page is turned,
positioning Chris Cooper as a writer destined to leave an indelible mark on
contemporary literature and the undercurrents of our deepest thoughts.
Crazy
by Conscious (Anxiety Press) will be available on December 12th, 2024, wherever
books are sold.
Mykala
Noels is
literary agent and critic.