A disappointment. 
This is the first novel of Palahniuk's that I have not been impressed with. (I am reading them in the order in which they were released, if that helps you know which ones that I have read so far.)
All of the other stories were commentary on contemporary issues relating to society and humanity. Those stories were sometimes a little gross and a little deliberately shocking, but it all seemed to serve the larger purpose of the book.
There are none of those elements in Diary. Although it is a mildly entertaining story, it contains none of the narrative on contemporary society that those other books possess. Sure, there is a half hearted attempt at talking about consumerism and how wealth eats everything, but that is only a single page in a two page chapter about ten short from the end.
Instead of being a good story that talks about society, Diary is just a story. Coming from Palahniuk, that is disappointing.
Deceptively philosophical 
This review is mostly a counter argument for some of the other reviews I've read for this work. I think the people who read Palahniuk for the gut wrenchingly horrifying and morbidly twisted, yet incredibly imaginative plot lines will be somewhat disappointed with this novel. It's not the most visceral of his works. Then again, a lot of people criticize him for focusing too much on just grossing people out, but claim that his books have no substance. So, this book will definitely prove those people wrong.
I see how people could feel that this story falls considerably short of what they expect from Palahniuk. And short isn't the right word, because that has negative connotations. Maybe it falls to the right, or to the left, or maybe even higher than people's expectations (if you look in the right places). Usually his stories leave your head spinning with their absolute insanity, whereas this one kind of just leaves you humming to yourself and thinking it's all a little absurd, but not even that interesting. On the surface that is.
If you look at the story more metaphorically, and look at what the events that are taking place say about society, love, life it actually is quite interesting. If you have a familiarity with the works of Plato I think you will have fun with this book. He is referenced by name several times, but people who know his work will recognize tons of his ideas worked in. I found it intriguing the way ideas that have been around for thousands of years were worked into modern times and proved to be relevant and socially significant for the present day.
I think this book merely doesn't cater as well to thrill-seekers as much as, say, Choke or Haunted, which is definitely a huge part of Palhniuk's audience. I still think this is a pretty good book, though. It has a lot to say about humanity's conception of immortality, and the things we are willing to sacrifice to obtain it, as well as modern value systems.
I feel unable to put in words everything that is going on in this novel, especially without using examples and giving major spoilers but I think a lot of the negative reviews cater to a specific kind of Palahniuk fan, but there are still plenty of others that would love this book and find it really brilliant.
Glad It Wasn't My First Palahniuk Book
If this had been my first Palahniuk book, I would have missed the awesome Invisible Monsters, Fight Club, Lullaby, and Choke.
Actually had I not just finished Invisible Monsters, I don't know if I could have trudged through this book.
This had many of the same themes as the other Palahniuk books but lacked the punch. Palahniuk books, historically, have felt like getting slapped upside the head with a brick made of my own mores. WHAM! Self-mutalation (Invisible Monsters) WHAM! Self-destruction (Fight Club) WHAM! Wholesale murder (Lullaby). Diary was a love tap.
Brilliant and visceral 
Palahniuk's brutally honest look at the suffering of his creative protagonist is haunting and grips you right away. If you've grown up in a small beach town, you understand the love-hate relationship between locals and tourists. If you're an artist, you'll understand it even more. Palahniuk uses this as his backdrop and ultimately his driver for this compelling story of what one woman must do to escape her fate. The results surely do bring the house down in the final conclusion. I won't spoil it by giving too much away, but the ending is as surprising as it is satisfactory.
reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Misty Wilmot has had it. Once a promising young artist, she?s now stuck on an island ruined by tourism, drinking too much and working as a waitress in a hotel. Her husband, a contractor, is in a coma after a suicide attempt, but that doesn?t stop his clients from threatening Misty with lawsuits over a series of vile messages they?ve found on the walls of houses he remodeled.
Suddenly, though, Misty finds her artistic talent returning as she begins a period of compulsive painting. Inspired but confused by this burst of creativity, she soon finds herself a pawn in a larger conspiracy that threatens to cost hundreds of lives. What unfolds is a dark, hilarious story from America?s most inventive nihilist, and Palahniuk?s most impressive work to date.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
diary
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based on 194 reviews
