OMG. This is one of those books you must read before you die. Ngl, I bought it a couple of years ago at BBW, only picked it up three days ago, and now I'm completely obsessed. 5 ⭐s from me.
The story begins with the narrator, who struggles with insomnia. His doctor suggests he attend support groups to see what real pain looks like. So he goes, finding himself surrounded by people seeking treatment or living with life threatening illnesses. He keeps going almost religiously. Then two people enter his life: Tyler Durden and Marla Singer.
Marla used to work in a funeral home, just to feel something, just to feel alive. But even funerals are nothing compared to the raw, intimate intensity of support groups. She senses he is fake, and he feels exactly the same about her.
Tyler Durden, on the other hand, is presented as charming, brilliant, and problem solver. He is the creator of the fight club. He truly creates it with purpose. For Tyler, fighting is not about winning or losing. It's about stripping everything away and discovering what survives. Soon, fight clubs begin appearing in different parts of town. Through Tyler, they also make and sell soap, and the money keeps flowing in. The narrator depends on Tyler, trusts him, almost worships him.
Then comes Project Mayhem. Members gather after fight club sessions, listening to Tyler's committee like a twisted support group. They carry out assignments around the city. The mission is to teach every man involved that they have the power to shape history, to save the world, and to use chaos as a form of truth. Of course, all of this is just Tyler's dogma. Tyler cannot stop himself from wanting to burn everything down.
As someone who loves psychological thrillers, I'm impressed by how the plot unfolds. The story pulls you in, almost hypnotically, and you begin to understand why people fall under Tyler's spell.