Chris Cooper’s Crazy by Conscious (A Literary Shockwave That Will Leave You Reeling)

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.