A self-exiled man lives above a secluded dive bar in an attempt to keep himself away from the useless rigors of the outside world, only to meet a woman who will test his resolve, and definition of what it means to "merely survive".
"Bar Nights", the first volume of the "The Mire Man Trilogy", is a story revolving around Arlo, a man who's just turned 39. Fed up with the way his life has turned out thus far, he leaves his cheating wife, out of control preteen slut daughter and her "fiance", his unbearably demeaning job, and hits the highway. It isn't long before his car dies on him, and he's forced to take shelter in the only place available at the time: the for-rent room above a dive bar, named "Purgatory", positioned seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Convincing the owner to let him work off his rent, he spends his days drinking and care-taking the bar, running odd jobs for his boss, and spends his nights tucked away in his room drunkenly passing out to the sounds of whoever is playing the music downstairs...until one night he ventures out into the storm eternally encapsulating his world. And their paths unexpectedly converge. The meeting sets in motion a relentless and remoresless onslaught of emotions, bringing Arlo to the absolute breaking point of insanity and introducing him to a realization that redefines why he ended up at "Purgatory" to begin with. "Bar Nights" is author Dave Matthes' seventh novel, and is a spiritual sequel/epilogue to his first two works of literature, "The Slut Always Rides Shotgun" and "The Passive Aggressors".
Professional Reviews
I need a whiskey and some answers...
Unsurprisingly, Matthes has once again created a world in which his characters should be loathsome but somehow work their way under your skin, compelling you to root for them. Arlo, our insouciant protagonist, finds himself living above the aptly named Purgatory by sheer happenstance, working off his rent as the bar's newest employee. He spends his days punishing his liver with hazardous amounts of whiskey for unknown transgressions, walking a fine line with his employer and Purgatory's owner, Vance. Stumbling out of a storm and into a bar in a less than desirable part of town, Arlo meets Constance, the woman whose musical talents at the Purgatory have served as his lullaby, providing a face to the music that has been his sleep aid for so long.
As the story unfolds, we quickly learn that things aren't what they seem and Arlo's reasons for landing at Purgatory are unreliable at best. Rife with the hairpin twists and turns Matthes has shown himself so capable of, Bar Nights rapidly takes the reader places they didn't expect to go. Readers of Sleepeth Not, the Bastard will enjoy a nice little Easter egg buried within the pages of Bar Nights, the connection tying Matthes' works together nicely. Arlo's descent into apathy and alcoholism keeps the reader enthralled, while his interactions with Vance and Constance peel back the layers of his psyche and provide him with reason to keep getting out of bed in the morning. In the face of disaster, Arlo seems to fare the best, likely because he could care less whether he lives or dies. As the inaugural installment in the Mire Man trilogy, Bar Nights leaves the reader anxious for answers and ready for a large pour of the brown liquor that fuels Matthes' unlikely protagonist.
The Hungry Monster Book Review
Bar Nights by Dave Matthes is the first book of the Mire Man Trilogy, a chronicle of the life of Arlo Smith. Arlo comes home from work to find his wife and another man in the throes of passion on the kitchen counter. He decides that’s as good as a divorce decree, packs a bag, and walks out. In the driveway, his daughter and her boyfriend spark his rage, and he trashes the young man’s car with a baseball bat before he leaves. Arlo drives until his car breaks down, walks to a roadside bar, and stays. The owner, Vance, hires him as the janitor and gives him a tiny apartment above the bar.
Arlo doesn’t want to start over. His soul is already crushed by his former life and marriage, and in this bar, ironically named Purgatory, he has the freedom to be as drunk and indolent as he cares to. His only pleasure is in music. While he gets drunk in his apartment, the piano player downstairs fills his room with music. almost every night. He clings to the music but doesn’t want to meet her. When they do meet, she becomes the catalyst that forces him to face his life, his lies, and the hell he created along the way.
The plot of the story is simple, but there are so many nuances that I’d compare it more to Jazz than literature. Some of the barflies that come and go are character studies of people on the edge, or close to it, and reflect Arlo and Vance’s personal demons. The flow of the chapters adds texture and rhythm. The language is lyrical, sometimes pulling me out of the narrative just to appreciate the prose. Finding these gems was something I enjoyed while reading the novel.
The author uses chapters in an unorthodox way, some as short as two words. Sometimes this works beautifully, but on occasion, a chapter seems more like a side note, or stray thought. I felt that the novel was repetitive in places, revisiting events and even phrases a few too many times, but in retrospect, some of that was clearly intentional. Addicts can be stuck on emotions or trauma, and that broken-record effect gave more realism to the characters.
Arlo is locked in a vicious cycle of self-hate, addiction, and depression that is reflected in the people he meets. Through Arlo’s eyes, we meet the patrons at the bar, his interactions with them colored by his personal misery. He’s afraid to meet Constance, the piano player, for fear that his illusions will crumble. Of course, fate intervenes, and he finally meets her by accident. They’re not in love, but they need each other to get through the desperation of their lives. Constance shoves him toward rehab, trying to save his life before he kills himself or becomes just like all the other drunks at the bar called Purgatory. Even that irony isn’t lost on Arlo.
This is a book for adults, as the language and situations are not for readers who are easily offended. It’s an examination of addiction and desperation that doesn’t sugar-coat anything. The author doesn’t spare any of the senses on this dive into skid row, and I could see, feel, and smell every detail. If you like Bar Nights, also pick up Paradise City, the next book in the trilogy.
Gritty, sarcastic pageturner
Alro just turned 39 years old. Fed up with how his life has turned out, he takes off, leaving his unfaithful wife, promiscuous preteen daughter and her “fiancé,” his unfulfilling job and hits the road. But as luck always has it, his car gives up the ghost and he ends up taking a room above a dive called “Purgatory.” There, Alro convinces the owner to allow him to work for his keep and he spends his days drinking, bartending, and doing other odd jobs for his boss. Finally, one night he journeys out into a storm and a chance meeting brings him to a breaking point. “Bar Nights” is the first volume of the “The Mire Man Trilogy” by Dave Matthes. Well-written in first-person, this book takes the reader into Arlo’s tattered mind and on an action-pack journey of crime and broken relationships. Although Alro has it pretty rough, the tone of the book isn’t as heavy as you might assume—filled with sarcasm and dark humor, Matthes creates some vivid characters that will get their hooks into you and thrusts them into some unsavory situations. Gritty and highly engrossing, this is one book I had a tough time putting down at night. Well done. I’ll be looking for more from this talented young author.
What causes America's mainstream media to fear and try to destroy a group of artists and their work? What happens when such a creative movement grows in strength and threatens media's bottom line? Why would extremists find it necessary to take acti
The Apple Tree Blossoms in The Fall, is the life journey of Carineh - a child, a teenager, a wife, a mother, but most of all a woman of purpose. From stories of her parents held-up by bandits; the white donkey gifted by Khomeini; her father's death f
