I have a ton of thoughts on this one. First off, it was interesting and compelling. It takes you into the life of a pair of sibling indie wrestlers and basic follows their daily lives and journeys. There are some mentions of high profile matches and enough to pull on the nostalgia of early wrestling days that readers with an interest in professional wrestling will probably stay with this one.

Pilar was my least favorite character which is neither here nor there. Bonnie is a bit more shrewd than most promoters I've come across and I sort of dug her energy.

As for the lifestyles depicted here. I found that some of it rings true with my lived experience and some did not. Let's call wrestling a special interest. I think promotions like the one focused on here are few and far between. No one's really out there with a salaried roster or insurance unless they're higher tier promotions, like Ring of Honor was/is. Most of the indie circut will pay peanuts and expect performance. $100 and transpo is a solid pay day. I've seen green kids kill themselves for zero dollars. I've seen veterans kill themselves for $20 and free beer. It's not a glamorous life. The details about car sleeping, cramming into rooms, and curling up on venue floors certain range true. I've seen the pill swapping and swallowing happen. Most of the indie wrestlers I've come across suffer from chronic pain from years of putting their body through abuse and/or never going to the hospital for sprains, breaks, and other maladies. I don't know many who make wrestling their full-time gig, unless they're going up to big promotions. They have day jobs and dedicate their weekends to long-haul road trips, trying to pack in as many gigs as they can. I think it takes dedication and heart to chase the high even when it doesn't pay off. But, that's just my interpretation.

Check this one out of you're a wrestling fan.There's a lot to like.

Also, what was the sludge exactly?

Kayfabe follows two siblings, Dom and Pilar, and their experiences in regional independent wrestling (veteran and hopeful, respectively). It's very honest about the toll it takes: physical, mental. It's heavy on the jargon, so it might be a bit more difficult for readers who are less familiar with wrestling.

As an avid wrestling fan, I was thrilled to receive an advance copy of "Kayfabe" by Chris Koslowski, courtesy of NetGalley. I genuinely enjoyed this book, especially how it delved into the intricacies of wrestling, using terminology that resonated with me due to my passion for the sport. However, I hoped for more development in the storyline. At times, the narrative seemed to linger too long on certain scenes, and I found myself wishing for a more dynamic and enriched plot.

Despite these moments, I still appreciated the book and the unique insights the author provided into the wrestling world. "Kayfabe" may not appeal to everyone, but it represents a genre that I believe deserves more exploration and appreciation.

I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this expecting a really cool story about wrestling and what it means to be a wrestler. But what I got was a commentary on the tolls of being in the limelight on the mental health of a wrestler, a look at the physical pain these athletic actors put their body through, and a glimpse into what people would do to help those we care about.

We follow two main characters -- Dom, an already established wrestler of 10+ years, and his little sister Pilar who wants to make her grand debut. When she gets hurt during her audition, Dom strikes a deal with the head of a company that seals his and his sister's fate in the industry. What I really liked about this was that darker look at the behind the scenes. Yes, an underground wrestling promotion at random places probably won't be happening any time soon, but the idea that just for the fans you're willing to bleed or break is just horrifying. But the way the attention from the fans is like a drug (as described in this book) it's no wonder these wrestlers have no problem putting themselves through it all.

I wasn't a fan of Pilar, but Dom was very real and I hurt for him at times, was angry with him, and also was pissed at him. And the audiobook narrator did a great job at conveying the emotions for what was happening. Excellent read.

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars