Brida's 2010/2011

[Chrissy]

Oh, we noticed!

 

There is a lot more off topic leeway on member's threads. And a good rant from time to time is healthy!

 

I know what you mean about a wavering mojo. I've had mine since the beginning of the year. *sigh* I too miss that perfect submersion that can only happen with an excellent film, or more likely a blooming good read.

[Brida]

So you did *oopsie*

 

Thanks for the hugh Chrissy :hug2: I hope your mojo will be back soon!

After posting in the Life of Pi thread, I remembered how good an interesting book makes you feel, and I miss that feeling.

I'm sure my mojo will be back when uni starts, meaning when I won't have time to read

 

Slightly more on topic...I've added A Whild Sheep Chase (by Haruki Murakami) to the ol' tbr list, and I then discovered it to be part of a thrilogy. I'm sure not reading in the correct order wouldn't be a big problem, but I'd still like to do it the right way.

Anyone read the whole thing (the thrilogy I mean)?

[Brida]

REVIEW

 

*Ghost Children by Sue Townsend *

 

Synopsis:

This is a compassionate and gritty examination of love and loss from one of Britain's most-loved writers. Seventeen years ago, Angela Carr aborted an unwanted child. The father, Christopher Moore, was devastated by the loss. Unable to accept what had happened between them they went their separate ways. Years later, whilst walking his dog on the heath, a horrifying discovery compels Christopher to confront Angela about the past, and they discover, after all this time, that they still have strong feelings for one another. Can they be happy together at last? Or will the mistakes of the past eclipse their bright future?

 

I don't know what to say about this book.

It's...sick. I know what you're thinking, but not sick sick, just... shows an ugly side of people. But a side every person has, nonetheless. Well, obviously not necessarily expressed the same way as the ugly side of the characters in this book, but still.

The title is actually more appropriate than I thought at first, because there's a lot of (unwanted/dead/etc) children mentioned throughout the story, though they're not important characters, they are a link between them all.

Also, a strong motif in the story are secrets. Each character has their own secret which they would like to confess to someone, but also can't because they don't want to cause more pain, so they carry this burden alone.

Once again, I don't know what to say. The subject is pretty serious but the book hasn't left a huge impact on me. Yet I wouldn't consider it bad or unintersting.

Hmm.

[Brida]

Today was a goooood book day

 

I went to the library and got

 

- Le testament français by Andreï Makine

- True Confessions of Adrian Albert Mole by Sue Townsend (I need something to make me laugh )

- The Enchanter by Vladimir Nabokov

- The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

 

Also, then I went to a bookshop to buy some books and got

 

- Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

- The Gathering by Anne Enright

- A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon.

 

As you might have noticed (or not) I have chosen mostly short books, because I need something to get my reading mojo going again. I haven't finished a book in a while, (and I've started at least 8 ) so I'm hoping this will help.

 

I'm planning on finishing This Side of Paradise (and I couldn't resist starting Flowers for Algernon today ), and then starting the books from today's pile

 

Let's hope it works!

Edited August 18, 2010 by Brida

[Brida]

REVIEW

 

*The Enchanter by Vladimir Nabokov*

 

Synopsis:

Nabokov described this novella, written in Paris in 1939 but only published twenty years later, as 'the first little throb of Lolita'. The plot is similar: a middle-aged man wedding an unattractive widow in order to indulge his paedophilic obsession with her daughter. However, "The Enchanter" has an utterly different atmosphere, as time, place and even names remain a mystery. Nabokov transforms his protagonist's attempts to lull his twelve-year-old step-daughter into a state of 'enchantment' into a graceful, chilling fairytale.

 

I don't really have much to say about this novella, despite the controversial topic...Yes, I am that lame.

I found it to be beautifully written, the style reminds me of the typical Russian narration style similar to e.g. Dostoevsky, but much more lyrical. It was poetic in parts, when he basically didn't say at all what he meant, he sort of described it without actually using the word. Lol. Don't know if I'm making any sense.

As far as the story goes, I didn't think much of it. It left the same impression on me as the impression the synopsis posted above has. Of course, it should be taken into consideration that this novella was originally written as part of his preparation material for Lolita, and so wasn't originally even intended to be published as an individual piece.

I wanted to read this because I intended to read Lolita, it being a modern classic and all, and it said The Enchanter was a sort of prequel to it. More importantly, it was short and I wanted to get to know the author's style before reading Lolita, so I thought this short piece would do.

Despite not being particularly touched by it, I still want to read Lolita when I get the time.

Also, I think it would be really lovely to read The Enchanter in Russian, but I think I need a *cough* few *cough* more years of studying the language to get to be able to read books in it

 

 

Woops. Looks like I did have something to say after all

[Brida]

REVIEW

 

*Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes*

 

Synopsis:

Charlie Gordon, IQ 68, is a floor sweeper, and the gentle butt of everyone's jokes, until an experiment in the enhancement of human intelligence turns him into a genius. But then Algernon, the mouse whose triumphal experimental tranformation preceded his, fades and dies, and Charlie has to face the possibility that his salvation was only temporary.

 

 

''Exceptional refers to both ends of the spectrum, so all my life I've been exceptional.''

 

I decided to start my review with this quote (which I've already mentioned in another thread) because it contains the basis of a lot of problems this book deals with.

Is it ok to use science in order to increase a human being's IQ's thinking by that that the person will be more content with itself, and more useful to both itself and others? Is it ok to play God? I personally think it's not ok, even though I appreciate science and its importance, but I don't think it's alright to decide in the name of another person he'd be better off were he more intelligent. Also, I don't think it's alright to make that assumption based on personal opinion that people with lower IQ should be changed at all (here I'm referring to

what Charlie often mentions, how the scientists act as if he wasn't a person before the operation

) - who are we to decide they're not good enough. Obviously those less intelligent need more help from other people (so yes, increasing their IQ and therefore making them able to become more independent is useful, but also pretty selfish on society's account) but still, there are some pretty needy intelligent people out there too.

 

I wouldn't say this book is emotional, rather that it causes a lot of emotions in the reader. I went from emphathising, feeling sorry for Charlie, sympathising with him, to being annoyed by him, surprised by him, to emphathising (and possibly loving him as a person) again.

 

Also, it's been mentioned before (in the FfA thread), but I have to mention it to. The ''transition'' from Charlie IQ 68, to Charlie the Genius

and afterwards, from genius to the old Charlie

is incredible! So smooth and natural, I actually kept rereading the progress reports where you can notice the difference, to work out how he (the author) did it, because it seems like it's fast, but not sudden. Don't know how to descibe it, but I think that those who have read it will understand.

 

There's so much more to write about, but I'm gonna stop here.

I would recommend it (and already did actually ) to others

Edited November 13, 2010 by Brida

[Brida]

REVIEW

 

*The Gathering by Anne Enright*

 

Synopsis:

The nine surviving children of the Hegarty clan gather in Dublin for the wake of their wayward brother Liam. It wasn't the drink that killed him - although that certainly helped - it was what happened to him as a boy in his grandmother's house, in the winter of 1968. "The Gathering" is a novel about love and disappointment, about thwarted lust and limitless desire, and how our fate is written in the body, not in the stars.

 

 

To be completely honest, when I finished this book, it left me feeling nothing. Literally. And I hate it when that happens. I felt as if I had just read the newspaper and I'm about to get on with my work now However, when I had just started reading the book I enjoyed it very much, so I decided to write the review anyway.

 

Anne Enright won the Man Booker Prize in 2007. for this book, which is one of the reasons I decided to read it (Yann Martel also won the MBP for Life of Pi, which I enjoyed immensely, so I thought it a good sign ).

 

What I loved about this book is the narration. It was simple, but very emotional, and dark. An easy read text-wise, although the subject is pretty difficult. The story is told by Veronica, one of the 9 (originally 12) Hegarty children, and the one who was closest to Liam. It's set in the present, but is interwined with Veronica's memories from the past; the time spent with her brother when they were kids, spending the holidays at their grandmother's, and later on when they were at uni. She mentiones how she isn't sure if her memories are actual memories, or if she simply made up some things instead of the details she forgot. She also mentions how she sometimes liked to invent events from her grandmother's (or parents',or her own) past to explain somethings unknown to her.

 

Another interesting subject from the book is the relationship between Veronica and her brother. She really loved him. Not like one of her siblings, but actually loved him, Liam. And he did love her too, but he caused her pain, just like he caused pain to the entire family. He started drinking, but what's more important than that is his own personality. He was self centered, cared only about indulging his own needs, and when he was tired of someone, he'd just take off. In it's essence, this relationship isn't quite unusual. There's always someone (or maybe it's everyone?) you love despite them hurting you. Especially if they're hurting you by hurting themself...

 

The book deals not only with the subject of relationships between siblings, but between people in general (between parents, parents and children, people you've just met, or never met at all...), also with the problems in big families and more. It's well written, simply, but because of that carried a lot of weight.

I'm thinking of reading What Are You Like by the same author, as I have enjoyed the writing style, and the story does sound interesting, so I guess it was worth reading it.

Edited September 26, 2010 by Brida

[Brida]

REVIEW

 

*Finishing Touches by Deanna Kizis*

 

Synopsis:

When aspiring L.A. interior designer Jesse Holtz loses her dearest friend, Cecile, in a car accident, shes sideswiped by grief. Cecile was always the most beguiling girl in the room, the kind of girl Jesse always wished she could be. With no manual for how to mourn when you're a 29-year-old with an eye for flea market finds but terrible taste in men, Jesse turns to the only person who understands : Ceciles widower, Zach. Then, life takes an unexpected turn: Is Jesse's friendship with Zach starting to feel like the beginning of a romance? Or is Jesse just losing perspective as she juggles her feelings and her condescending boss? And what if she and Zach got together, would she lose all her other friends in the process? For Jesse, the questions keep piling up, with answers nowhere in sight. A tragic comedy that makes for a breathtakingly optimistic read, FINISHING TOUCHES is the story of a woman who just might learn that life, like any good interior, can always use a little rearranging.

 

Yup, chick-lit An easy read my mojo was in need of. Pretty enjoyable, if you're into this kind of thing. A bit of romance, a bit of grief, a few laughs...You know, chick - lit

[Brida]

REVIEW

 

*Le testament français by Andreï Makine*

 

Synopsis:

Locked behind the Iron Curtain, a young boy grows up bewitched by his French grandmother's memories of Paris before the Great War. Yet despite what he also learns of her suffering in the Soviet Union under Stalin and during the Second World War, as an adolescent he finds himself proud to be a Russian. Torn between the two cultures, he eventually makes a choice - which has a wholly unexpected outcome. Capturing the powerful allure of illusion, this unforgettable novel traces a sentimental and intellectual journey that embraces the dramatic history of the twentieth century.

 

This is one good book!

When I started reading it, the first thing I thought was ''Proust!''. The writing style reminded me of Proust's, because it was descriptive, but in not so many words as Proust might have used It really is beautifully written.

 

The story is about a Russian boy who visits his grandmother (who is French), at first with his sister, later on alone. He seems to have connected with Charlotte (the grandmother) much more that his sister, which happened gradually. At first, when they were kids, Charlotte was a mistery to them both, and it seemed that she was distant from them (and being a Frenchwoman in Russia, a foreigner, distant from almost everyone else). Then one time they started to get to know Charlotte; she had a suitcase filled with random (it seemed) items: pictures, precious stones, articles from newspapers, poems etc, which were all precious to her, and later on to the boy too. She began telling them stories every night on the balcony of her appartement, about the items from the case. She was telling them about life in France, before her time, as well as the France of her days but more importantly, telling them stories about her life. The boy became inchanted with what he had heard of this ''Atlantis'' as he calls it, and started daydreaming about the people from the stories his grandmother was telling him.

 

This is also a story about growing up. As the boy grows up, he becomes dissapointed with the daydreaming, because he realises that it's not enough. It's not real. And he's a real person, who, instead of getting involved in real life, tries creating a nonexistant world, which gives him comfort, but also alienates him from the real world. And so, he doesn't quite know how to deal with certain things in his life, because he's not used to it.

 

Le testament is like a fairytale sometimes. The stories of the grandmother are told in such a way, dealing with real events, but in such a fantastic, surreal way. It's also a real pleasure to read, because of the style. I'll need to reread it because there's so many good things about it you can't take notice of them all at once

I decided to finish the review with a few quotes.

 

''No one would have dared to confront Pashka in a lone confrontation. But the crowd has a courage of its own. Snorts of indignation came in response.''

 

''...letting the bottomless silence of the steppe intervene between two verses of her recitation.''

 

''...the translator of prose is the slave of the author and the translator of poetry is his rival.''

Edited September 11, 2010 by Brida

[pontalba]

Nice review of The Gathering Brida. I definitely want to get to it sooner, rather than later.

 

Re The Enchanter by VN.....There are a few similarities to Lolita, [i've read both] but the ending is FAR different. I suppose I'd call The Enchanter the bones of Lolita. Partial bones, Lolita being the perfected version. Here is a thread on another forum that I participated in several years ago, it gives a good rundown on The Enchanter.

The Enchanter . It's quite involved and interesting.

[Brida]

Thanks for the link pontalba.

 

You know, I think I should have started with another book of Nabokov's instead of The Enchanter. That way I could have appreciated the novella much more for what it really is - one of Nabokov's very bautifully written works, which wasn't even intended to be published in that form. To me it doesn't have much meaning, it's out of context if you know what I mean, but I think that after reading Lolita or something else by him, I'll have a better understanding of The Enchanter.

I think it's probably much more appreciated with readers who are already acquainted with his work, not to mention his fans.

 

I hope you'll enjoy The Gathering when you get to it!

[Brida]

REVIEW

 

*Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald*

 

Synopsis:

Between the First World War and the Wall Street Crash, the French Riviera was the stylish place for wealthy Americans to visit. Among the most fashionable are the Divers, Dick and Nicole who hold court at their villa. Into their circle comes Rosemary Hoyt, a film star, who is instantly attracted to them, but understands little of the dark secrets and hidden corruption that hold them together. As Dick draws closer to Rosemary, he fractures the delicate structure of his marriage and sets both Nicole and himself on to a dangerous path where only the strongest can survive. In this exquisite, lyrical novel, Fitzgerald has poured much of the essence of his own life; he has also depicted the age of materialism, shattered idealism and broken dreams.

 

 

''In the Spring of 1917, when Doctor Richard Diver first arrived in Zurich, he was twenty-six years old, a fine age for a man, indeed the very acme of bachelorhood. Even in wartime days it was a fine age for Dick, who was already too valuable, too much of a capital investment, to be shot off in a gun. ''

 

And that is how I knew I was going to like this book .

 

I just love Fitzgerald's narration, I can imagine an old black and white movie with the narration in the background...There's always a touch of irony and/or sarcasm detected in his writing. He's also very observant; in describing an event (e.g. a fight) he'll sometimes interrupt it with a description of something that's happening simultaniously at the same place , without making it annoying (you know, not like ''...and they were fighting. Suddenly XY started yelling. But at the same moment there was a dog licking his tail. His furr was black with a white spot on top of his head. This is of no importance to the storyline but I'm still writing about it because I can...'' ). Anyway, why I liked this very much is because of the fact that it's realistic. Just because we're focused on what's going on with us at a certain moment doesn't mean the rest of the world has stopped existing, we've just stopped noticing.

 

Another good example of the irony I've mentioned above :

 

''Tommy Barban was a ruler, Tommy was a hero (...) As a rule, he [Tommy] drank little; courage was his game and his companions were always a little afraid of him. Recently an eight of the area of his skull had been removed by a Warsaw surgeon and was knitting under his hair, and the weakest person in the cafe could have killed him with a flip of a knotted napkin. ''

 

The story is good imo, I mean equally good from begining to end, so if you like the begining you'll like the whole thing. All of the characters are very interesting, far from ideal and far from perfect and likeable, but again, it's just the thing that makes them interesting to read about.

 

The whole story is actually pretty ironic, especially considering the way it ends.

The problematic character in the begining was Nicole, the pacient, who needed Dick to help her with her ''mental'' problems, or so it seemed. But this affected his life in a certain way and made him change gradually, to the worse, and he became more self destructive (as a result of adjusting to her needs, doing what seemed to be better for her and sort of postponing taking care of his needs, though it seems he didn't acomplish either of the goals). The irony is how Nicole seems to end up being the normal one, and he becomes the troublesome one.

 

 

 

I recommend it to anyone who likes to read about people and their odd personalities, or likes analyzing...Not just people, anything really

Edited September 24, 2010 by Brida

[Brida]

REVIEW

 

*The Facts behind the Helsinki Roccamatios by Yann Martel*

 

Synopsis :

 

This memorable debut, originally published in 1993, was hailed for its power and elegance on both sides of the Atlantic. Ranging from the last hours of a condemned man, to the imaginary life of an AIDS patient, to the first performance of a bizarre new symphony, these tales are moving and thought-provoking, as inventive in form as they are timeless in content. They display the startling mix of dazzle and depth that have made Martel an international phenomenon.

 

This is a book of four short stories, told in the first person. That makes them very intimate, and drags you into the story. They're all simple, but very beautiful in my opinion. There's one thing I noticed while reading Life of Pi, and I've noticed it here as well. The love. I know it sounds cheesy, but yes - love. I'll concentrate on the first story ''The Facts Behind...''. The narrator's love for Paul (the AIDS patient, but more importantly his best friend) is incredible. I don't quite know how he creates it, but it seems so real, and so painful. Hell, I loved them both! As I've mentioned, I felt like I was dragged into the story - as if I were one of the characters, living through all of the mess together with them.

 

The first story and the last one (''The Vita Aeterna Mirror Company: Mirrors to Last till Kingdom Come'') are my favourites. Also - love in the last one

The stories are a bit weird, so it made me think - what was this really about? But at least it made me think about it, which means it was good.

 

It's an enjoyable read, an easy read despite dealing with serious subjects, but certainly a good read for people who like Yann Martel's work

 

''I like walking dogs. It gives purpose to aimlessness.''

Edited October 11, 2010 by Brida

[Brida]

REVIEW

 

*The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje*

 

Synopsis:

The final curtain is closing on the Second World War, and Hana, a nurse, stays behind in an abandoned Italian villa to tend to her only remaining patient. Rescued by Bedouins from a burning plane, he is English, anonymous, damaged beyond recognition and haunted by his memories of passion and betrayal. The only clue Hana has to his past is the one thing he clung on to through the fire - a copy of The Histories by Herodotus, covered with hand-written notes describing a painful and ultimately tragic love affair.

 

I read this as part of the MBP challenge, plus I haven't seen the film yet, so I thought it would be good to see what makes it such a great story.

 

The story progresses very smoothly, new characters are introduced, and there are little details revealed about them through short episodes from their past. That way the reader gets to know the character, retrospectively. First we meet them one by one in the villa, and in each following chapter, there are stories describing some event from the past, giving out information which explains how they are connected.

 

Although it's written, I'd say, very generally, meaning it's literally like a story being narrated, objectively if you will, I didn't feel ''separated'' from the characters. The impression it left on me was as if one of the characters was telling the story themself.

 

Other things I liked – the relationship(s) between the characters. They became like some weird family, drawn together by their scars. I say family, because they're all of a different age, and thanks to that they seemed to help eachother grow (up) and accept...life as it was at the time, I guess.

And I love how I still have a picture of the villa based on the description in my mind. Not much detail, but enough to get your imagination going

 

Basically, I'd say this is a story about love

 

Worth the read!

Edited March 3, 2011 by Brida

[poppyshake]

Great reviews Brida, I really enjoy reading them. You've made me want to read Flowers for Algernon even more than I did before and I love the sound of Le Testament Francais ... I'm definitely going to look out for it

[Chrissy]

Lovely review Brida, you have confirmed this one being on my Christmas wishlist.

[Brida]

Great reviews Brida, I really enjoy reading them. You've made me want to read Flowers for Algernon even more than I did before and I love the sound of Le Testament Francais ... I'm definitely going to look out for it

 

Thank you, poppy!

You should definitely give those two a try, they're very enjoyable, and Le Testament is one of the loveliest books I've ever read. Actually, I was just thinking about it yesterday, and decided I need to reread it soon

 

Lovely review Brida, you have confirmed this one being on my Christmas wishlist.

 

Thanks Chrissy, I hope you'll like it!

[Brida]

First book of 2011

 

REVIEW

 

*Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro*

 

Synopsis:

Narrated by Kathy, now 31, "Never Let Me Go" hauntingly dramatises her attempts to come to terms with her childhood at the seemingly idyllic Hailsham School, and with the fate that has always awaited her and her closest friends in the wider world. A story of love, friendship and memory, "Never Let Me Go" is charged throughout with a sense of the fragility of life.

 

The topic here is, sort of, similar to the topic in Flowers for Algernon. When thinking of the wellbeing of some makes us forget about others.

 

Never Let Me Go is a thought provoking book. It speaks of people who are practically 'made' (not born) to be organ donors, while the fact that they are human beings is ignored, sometimes even deliberately so that other 'normal' people would have a clear conscience. Because if they (the donors) are not human, then it's ok if they only live long enough to donate a couple of organs and then die. Without experiencing most of the things a human being has a right to.

 

Yes, now I realise how much this book has affected me. It's easy to read, and I found it hard to put down at times, especially as the story was progressing to the end.

The main idea is pretty morbid, and scary if you think about it, but the story itself isn't what's shocking about the book. The story is about their life at Hailsham, and later on when they became donors or were taking care of other donors.

What is interesting, or shocking or sad or scary or something else, is how they were treated, and how humanly they were, when at the same time being treated as something revolting. It really did make me sad, thinking about what it would be like if it were not only a story, but reality. The saddest part of it all for me was the fact that their life was so peaceful, and calm (?!?). You know, they were just accepting what they were told, only a few actually questioning and trying to understand their life. But somewhat irritatingly (imho) they accepted it all, their destiny so to speak! I kept wishing for them to rebel or something And I'm a quiet and peaceful person!

 

I guess that's what made me most sad and mad, not even thinking they have an alternative, or the right to an alternative.

BUT, that's what makes the book so good. It makes a strong point. Are we really going to go that far and treat some people like that, that it'll become acceptable, even to the ones who are being used.

 

Really good book. I recommend it.

 

(It'll be interesting to see what the movie is like).

Edited January 6, 2011 by Brida

[Ooshie]

I love Kazuo Ishiguro's writing, and enjoyed Never Let Me Go very much. Like you, Brida, I found it a moving and thought-provoking read, and I was very interested to hear they will be making it into a film.

[Brida]

He has a sort of calm way of writing, which I like too

I have to finish The Remains of the Day when I find the time, I started reading it, but had to return it to the library, so I'm waiting for better days

[Brida]

REVIEW

 

*Starter for Ten by David Nicholls*

 

Synopsis:

It's 1985 and Brian Jackson has arrived at university with a burning ambition - to make it onto TV's foremost general knowledge quiz. But no sooner has he embarked on 'The Challenge' than he finds himself falling hopelessly in love with his teammate, the beautiful and charismatic would-be actress, Alice Harbinson. When Alice fails to fall for his slightly over-eager charms, Brian comes up with a foolproof plan to capture her heart once and for all. He's going to win the game, at any cost, because - after all - everyone knows that what a woman really wants from a man is a comprehensive grasp of general knowledge...Starter for Ten is a comedy about love, class, growing-up and the all-important difference between knowledge and wisdom.

 

Such a funny and entertaining book!

A few years ago I read Nicholls' The Understudy - and loved it - so I decided to see what his other books are like. And this one hasn't disappointed me.

 

There's a similarity to the Adrian Mole series, but the style is different, a bit more raw, or crude maybe is a better word. Maybe even a bit cruel Anyway, it's brutally funny at times, and it made me laugh out loud - litterally - in each chapter. And no other book has made me laugh out loud, I can usually sustain myself

 

The main character, Brian, is loser - ish (in the Adrian Mole kind of way) and a bit self-centered becuase of his own dissatisfaction with himself. He constantly keeps messing up his life more and more, when he wants to do the complete opposite. Which makes him annoying, but annoyingly funny, thank God. Everytime he's about to make a decision, he thinks - considers what the reasonable and right thing to do would be - and decides to do the wrong thing Is it predicting? Well, yes in the sense that you know he's going to screw up what he yet hasn't managed to, but still not predictable enough to let you guess what exactly he'll do. And that's what makes it funny, the anticipation You just know something bad's going to happen, but what exactly...Only Brian knows It also is actually very sad at times, but covered up with a lot of humour, so still more funny than sad

 

This is a real page turner, and once again, sooo funny. Highly recommended.

[Brida]

REVIEW

 

*A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon*

 

Synopsis:

George Hall doesn't understand the modern obsession with talking about everything. 'The secret of contentment, George felt, lay in ignoring many things completely.' Some things in life, however, cannot be ignored. At fifty-seven, George is settling down to a comfortable retirement, building a shed in his garden, reading historical novels, listening to a bit of light jazz. Then Katie, his tempestuous daughter, announces that she is getting remarried, to Ray. Her family is not pleased - as her brother Jamie observes, Ray has 'strangler's hands'. Katie can't decide if she loves Ray, or loves the wonderful way he has with her son Jacob, and her mother Jean is a bit put out by all the planning and arguing the wedding has occasioned, which get in the way of her quite fulfilling late-life affair with one of her husband's former colleagues. And the tidy and pleasant life Jamie has created crumbles when he fails to invite his lover, Tony, to the dreaded nuptials. Unnoticed in the uproar, George discovers a sinister lesion on his hip, and quietly begins to lose his mind. The way these damaged people fall apart - and come together - as a family is the true subject of Mark Haddon's disturbing yet very funny portrait of a dignified man trying to go insane politely.

 

The last sentence of the synopsis is a very accurate description of the book

 

By no means is this a comedy, a funny, light read. If anything, it's pretty grotesque (at times). Very direct, sometimes aggressive, and not to mention - disturbing.

George is a man who's recently retired, and doesn't know what to do with all this free time on his hands. He realizes that he hasn't been involved in the lives of his wife and children as much as he thought he's been, and starts feeling useless. On top of all this, he gets obsessed with the idea of having cancer and dying. It's just fear of change, and getting old, and of death. Convinced that he's dying, he becomes a bit (or more than just a bit? ) insane. And he starts observing things about his family he hasn't noticed before, reveals some secrets, and faces some things he's been hiding from. All while being insane

 

I make it sound funny, though it really isn't funny to read. Sometimes it's shocking and nauseating, maybe even a bit over the top, but I guess Haddon wanted to exaggerate to describe the ridiculousness of the situation, and to show it's not a problem to just put aside and let it be solved on its own. In all that, I'm sure he added the humour to make the story less tragic and scary, but you still don't really feel the humour as much as all of the other...disturbing things.

 

The chapters are short, and each chapter is told from the viewpoint of one of the characters, so you know how they all feel about a certain event, which makes the story more evolved, and gives you a better insight into it. And you also get to know the characters that way. It's not a typical portrait, though it does focus on the characters and their thoughts, emotions, but it's described through their actions and decisions, instead of analyzing them through regular descriptions.

 

It's not a bad book, and it certainly did keep me wanting to read on, but despite that, I don't feel like reading it again

Edited February 22, 2011 by Brida

[Brida]

REVIEW

 

*On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan*

 

Synopsis:

It is June 1962. In a hotel on the Dorset coast, overlooking Chesil Beach, Edward and Florence, who got married that morning, are sitting down to dinner in their room. Neither is entirely able to suppress their anxieties about the wedding night to come...

 

This is the first book written by Ian McEwan I've read.

It's a short story about two young people who got married out of love (and lust, judging by Edward), but the love was not strong enough to overcome their inexperience and youth.

 

It seems very simple, and ordinary, not unlike many other (love) stories you'll come across, so what makes it worth reading?

I don't know. What I can tell you is this;

It's an easy and very enjoyable read. The story flows very naturally from present to past (not a very distant past, mind you, they are only 22 xD), showing the progress of their wedding day/night, intermittent with anecdotes describing their backgrounds. It soon becomes clear they're very different in a lot of ways, but they seem to honestly care for each other. More than that it seems that the idea of marriage appeals to both of them because it's a sort of escape, liberation. Escape from their parents, old way of living, a source of energy and will to start and finish their own projects etc. So what's so strange about that? Well, nothing. It's usual, ordinary, plain, something we've heard/read about so many times before. I was glad

the story had an unhappy ending

(at least the love story), because otherwise it would have been a very pointless (and probably) boring read.

 

Is this an extremely original and never-seen-before story? No.

Then why is it worth reading? Probably because it shows that being a certain age doesn't make you mature enough to face some things in life, and make certain decisions. A clichee, yes, but experience can't be replaced with knowledge you've acquired from books. (And when I say experience, I mean it as a general term, not the specific kind of experience this book partly deals with). Along with experience comes patience and understanding, and imo, that's what Flo and Eddie here were lacking.

 

If you're looking for an entertaining and fast read, if your reading mojo needs some fuel go ahead and read it.

[frankie]

Haddon's disturbing yet very funny portrait of a dignified man trying to go insane politely.

 

The last sentence of the synopsis is a very accurate description of the book

 

I make it sound funny, though it really isn't funny to read. Sometimes it's shocking and nauseating, maybe even a bit over the top, but I guess Haddon wanted to exaggerate to describe the ridiculousness of the situation, and to show it's not a problem to just put aside and let it be solved on its own. In all that, I'm sure he added the humour to make the story less tragic and scary, but you still don't really feel the humour as much as all of the other...disturbing things.

 

The chapters are short, and each chapter is told from the viewpoint of one of the characters, so you know how they all feel about a certain event, which makes the story more evolved, and gives you a better insight into it. And you also get to know the characters that way. It's not a typical portrait, though it does focus on the characters and their thoughts, emotions, but it's described through their actions and decisions, instead of analyzing them through regular descriptions.

 

It's not a bad book, and it certainly did keep me wanting to read on, but despite that, I don't feel like reading it again

 

Hehe, I loved reading your review on A Spot of Bother, brings back so many great memories. And I just had to chuckle at the last sentence of the synopsis, how is one supposed to go insane politely?? Well Haddon will show you I, too, think that Haddon wanted it not to be just a depressing read about pretty serious matters, I think he sort of wanted to make light of it in a good way. I absolutely adored George.

 

I also agree on getting the 'bigger picture' and getting to know the characters better by having a chance to read the story from their different point-of-views.

 

 

On Chesil Beach

 

Coincidentally I just borrowed this from the library this week or last week, having read the blurb some time ago and wanted to give it ago. I was surprised to read your review and notice the part where you said that they're only 22, I had thought they'd be older! Now that I think about it, I think I remembered the blurb all wrong, I thought the couple were on a holiday, in their 60s, reminiscing about their wedding Seems like a decent enough read though, and at least it's short

[Brida]

Hehe, I loved reading your review on A Spot of Bother, brings back so many great memories. And I just had to chuckle at the last sentence of the synopsis, how is one supposed to go insane politely?? Well Haddon will show you I, too, think that Haddon wanted it not to be just a depressing read about pretty serious matters, I think he sort of wanted to make light of it in a good way. I absolutely adored George.

 

I also agree on getting the 'bigger picture' and getting to know the characters better by having a chance to read the story from their different point-of-views.

 

 

Coincidentally I just borrowed this from the library this week or last week, having read the blurb some time ago and wanted to give it ago. I was surprised to read your review and notice the part where you said that they're only 22, I had thought they'd be older! Now that I think about it, I think I remembered the blurb all wrong, I thought the couple were on a holiday, in their 60s, reminiscing about their wedding Seems like a decent enough read though, and at least it's short

 

Hey frankie, thanks for stopping by my thread, and also for the comments

 

I'm glad we agree on 'A Spot of Bother' - I usually seem to get the wrong/completely different idea of a book, so it's nice to see someone agreeing.

And yes, the last sentence needed to be bolded, it really is a gem

 

As for 'On Chesil Beach', as I've already said, it's entertaining, nicely written so I'm sure you'll enjoy that aspect of it if not the story itself. Not that the story isn't good, just not spectacular as I expected it to be, I guess. I blame the front cover of the book, with the quote ''Wonderful...Exquisite...Devastating' - now I'm no writer/professional literary critic but c'mon - let's not exaggerate After that kind of quote I'm expecting something...WOW. And I didn't find it here xD

Or maybe I'm just ignorant

Edited March 5, 2011 by Brida