The Crash Pad Review
Joseph DiMento holds a BA in Cinema Studies from NYU and is an aspiring writer and filmmaker. As a Gen Z reader, he brings a fresh generational perspective to The Crash Pad.
I’m not exactly sure where the myth of the steely-eyed, cool and collected airline pilot comes from, but after reading this novel I know that The Crash Pad is where it ends. The Crash Pad is a subversive, captivating look at five airline pilots navigating a tumultuous time in their lives that will constantly leave you questioning where it can possibly go next. Its biting comedy is as good for diversion as it is for confronting the ridiculousness present in much of its setting and characters. As someone who wasn't even born during the time in which the novel is set, I think it acts as an entertaining history lesson about an era that in many ways couldn't feel more removed from the present day—and yet feels astonishingly relevant to today in other ways. I can’t tell you how many times I was reading and thought: “Change a few names and dates and this could be 2026.”
If only Capt. Martin and Capt. Childress could see where we are now. The novel is rich in characterization. Every location and every character you meet across the sprawling narrative is carefully considered and recounted. Each place is lived-in and even the most fleeting of players is given a distinct perspective—a life they have been living up until your encounter, and one which carries on long after you part ways. Sometimes you wonder how that life’s going for them knowing full well you’ll never get your answer. The intricacy afforded to characters on the periphery is so great it can admittedly be a bit distracting on occasion. But it’s worth every word because it provides the novel a great deal of its characteristic verisimilitude that makes the world feel real even when its plot verges on the incredible. It is, incidentally, one of these background characters who delivers what I think is the most relatable line to any reader: “After meeting these clowns, I’m taking the train from now on!”
As a reader, you’ll spend most of your time with Capt. Tony Martin, a curt, quick-witted everyman from the Northeast. But don’t get too comfortable with him because the novel does not shy away from leaving his vantage point and jumping headfirst into the POVs of many other characters, particularly his four housemates. The book does a really good job of juggling its numerous characters and storylines at a pace that is all at once fast but steady enough that you will not get lost if you're paying attention. It’s also not afraid to slow down every now and then to allow the characters to contemplate the often insane predicaments they find themselves in, whether of their own making or beyond their control. And there is no shortage of wacky hijinks and daring adventures forour protagonists to partake in. They’ll go so far as to remind you even the most imperfect of professionals can be heroic.
For all of their faults and through all of their ordeals, our five main protagonists remain as adequate a companion to the reader as they are to one another. There are instances in which the five men really ought to seek the services of a good doctor or perhaps an acute therapist. At times what they may need is a lawyer or an accountant, an alibi, a scapegoat, a priest, or even just a punching bag. It seems what the roommates really need most of all is a friend. And, lacking any, they’ll just have to settle for each other’s company. I would say the novel is at its absolute best when it realizes precisely this premise with its characters, even when the characters themselves don’t realize it is happening. Between all the irreverent humor, countless anxieties, crazy personalities and absurd situations, is a story of friendship.
Although entertaining, what stays with me the most as a reader is not the political intrigue, the violence, the sex, or even the epic feats of aviation. It's the simple instances when the characters display bitterness and weariness of each other, but also the times of quiet compassion and trust between them. It is in the eponymous crash pad where they not only often crash—but crash out. And they are left to reflect on who they once were, what they have become, and where they go from here. If you enjoy a character-driven thriller full of humor and sincerity, then you’re sure to have a great time reading The Crash Pad.
