“Northline” Willy Vlautin

Willy Vlautin is a novelist and musician, and he combined his talents for “Northline.” The first edition contains a CD of music that he wrote to accompany the novel. In the extra material at the end of the book (kind of like the “extra features” on a DVD), he wrote that he would become cared so much about the character in “Northline” that he had to use music as an outlet. That outlet became the CD. I wasn’t sure how to incorporate the CD with the book, especially since the book would take longer to read than the CD would take to listen to. It would have been good to at least have the CD quietly running in the background while I read, but I never really was in a place where I could do that. When I was a teenager and only had two or three LPs, I would listen to one of them over and over again while I read a specific book. So, I always link Orwell’s “1984” with Sonny and Cher, and it is not as odd a fit as you would think. I wish I had had a chance to do the same with Vlautin’s music and book, but alas and alack. I liked the CD a lot, and have ripped it onto my computer so it will be included in my ever increasingly eclectic mix of music. It is instrumental, and reminds me of k. d. lang.

Here’s how the music fit into the reading for me: I had read the book to the point where Allison was close to rock bottom, then I listened to the CD several times while working one day, then I read the rest of the book. Allison’s life is rough. She got into a lot of shit by doing what her boyfriend wanted her to do, and she is with that boyfriend because he was the only one that vaguely cares for her. The things that happen to her are pretty horrible, and she participates in some acts she would rather forget and hopes she doesn’t get convicted for. Her boyfriend associates with other white supremists, and she gets involved in their crimes. By the time she hit rock bottom, I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue reading the book not knowing if there would be redemption, but I reread the back cover and it gave me hope. The music, however, was what really made me want to finish the book. It had a sweet quality to it that gave me a different perspective on Allison’s life. Since I found Allison’s life so devastating early in the book, it took 6 months to read the first half because I wasn't sure if I wanted to be caught up in her life. However, reaching and passing the hump I finished the rest in one night.

It is interesting that the book is written in third person. Vlautin decided not to write the book from Allison’s perspective, per se, but the narrator only sees what is happening to Allison and has some insight into what she is thinking. Because the author cares about Allison, the reader does too, but the author and the reader have to live through the disturbing events of her life. When Allison drinks, she almost always drinks to the point of passing out, but whether this classifies her as an alcoholic as one of Vlautin’s websites said, I don’t know. It is a problem, nonetheless, maybe her biggest problem.

Allison is obviously stronger than she thinks she is, but she has to use imaginary conversations with Paul Newman to dip into her strength and her rationale side. Earlier in her life at a point when she seemed to have no personal resources, she used the movies of Paul Newman to fill her time and discovered that the myriad of characters he played could teach her a thing or two about life. She can only build herself up but letting Paul do it for her, but eventually this stronger aspect of her personality and the support of some new friends gives Allison what she needs to start digging her way out.

Vlautin has two other books; “Northline” is sandwiched between “Motel Life” and “Lean on Pete.” He is also the lead singer and songwriter for the Portland-based band, Richmond Fontaine. I actually bought “Northline,” because I was in Portland and wanted something written locally, but I also wanted it to be set in Portland or Oregon. “Northline” is set in the much harsher terrain of Nevada, but I think the atmosphere of the book would be different if set in the Northwest instead.