Talk:Junkie (novel)/GA1

GA Review
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Reviewer: BennyOnTheLoose (talk · contribs) 13:52, 3 March 2024 (UTC)

Happy to discuss, or be challenged on, any of my review comments. Regards, BennyOnTheLoose (talk) 13:52, 3 March 2024 (UTC)

Really happy to see this nominated. Time for a re-read of the book! BennyOnTheLoose (talk) 22:39, 3 March 2024 (UTC)

Background
 * "Lucien Carr" should be "Carr" after the first mention.
 * Done.
 * Comment: Although the section isn't all directly relevant to the subject at first sight, it provides suitable context, and some of the events described are referred to later in the article.
 * If keeping all the paras, vary the start of them (currrently In 1944/In 1945/In August 1950)
 * Done.
 * Burroughs fatally shot Vollmer - I think this is worth expanding upon, slightly.
 * Done. Let me know if you think this deserves even more detail.
 * he would later famously state - is the basis for thisfrom Miles' phrase "much-quoted introduction"? If so, I think "famously" is a bit strong.
 * I've removed the word "famously".

Publication
 * Introduce who Oliver Harris is in the text.
 * Done.

Synopsis
 * Introduce You Can't Win in the text
 * Done (again, happy to add more detail if you think it's valuable).

Omissions Why is this a distinct section rather than covered under Style and themes?
 * I've moved this under Style and Themes. Since the novel's plot, themes, and background are so intertwined, it's been hard to decide how to organize things. Open to suggestions!

Style and themes
 * Introduce Jennie Skerl.
 * Done

Reception
 * Burroughs himself later criticized the novel - I'd suggest adding when the quote is from
 * Done.

Bibliography and sources
 * university press should be captalised in "Oxford university press"
 * Done
 * Sources seem appropriate for a GA.

Spot checks
 * along with Burroughs himself, these writers would become the core figures of the Beat generation - no issues.
 * then co-wrote a novel inspired by the event called And the Hippos Were Boiled in Their Tanks, which they were unable to get published. - no issues
 * The novel was eventually published in 2008 - no issues
 * Burroughs' manuscript was originally titled Junk. Ace Books renamed it to Junkie, out of a concern that Junk would imply the book itself was poor quality, and added the subtitle Confessions of an Unredeemed Drug Addict - no issues.
 * Burroughs later renamed the protagonist "William Lee", after his mother's maiden name - no issues.
 * Ace Books took advantage of Burroughs' provocative subject by creating a "lurid" book cover as the "lurid" is in quote marks, either reword or attribute it to Harris. You could consider using "especially lurid and voyeuristic".
 * I note that this was changed. BennyOnTheLoose (talk) 21:12, 16 March 2024 (UTC)
 * The narration frequently changes focus, reflecting Lee's nervousness and paranoia. - no issues.
 * The novel also follows the rise of police surveillance and decline of hipster subculture. As the police crack down on drugs, the community becomes increasingly paranoid and isolated. They no longer trust obscure jargon or their fellow addicts to protect them. - no issues.
 * Burroughs' preface to Queer suggests that, in Junkie, Lee's sexuality was "held in check by junk" - no issues
 * he lambasts as "ventriloquists’ dummies who have moved in and taken over the ventriloquist". - no issues.

Lead
 * I think the lead is fine; it covers the breadth of the article in suitable detail.
 * Optioanlly, consider adding when Burroughs wrote the book into the lead.
 * It's a bit hard to quickly summarize this, since the final version of Junkie incorporates some of Queer. I suppose I could say "the initial manuscript was written in 1950".
 * I'm satisfied that the article meets the GA criteria, so I'm passing it. Thanks for your work on the article, . Regards, 21:12, 16 March 2024 (UTC)