A Spot of Bother (Vintage)
by Mark Haddon
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Book Reviews of A Spot of Bother (Vintage)
Book Review: A good holiday read
Summary: 4 Stars
This is the story of Kate's wedding. That seems straightforward enough, but she has a mother who is having an affair with her father's ex work colleague. Her father believes that he has cancer and cracks up with near disastrous consequences. Her brother is homosexual and worried about inviting his partner to the wedding. Actually, her brother is probably the most sane character in the whole book; or maybe his partner is. With all of these nutters around, the wedding may never happen. And if it does, there are bound to be ructions.
This book is just hilarious, Despite seeming to be very far-fetched, there are parts of the lives of each of the characters with which I am sure any of us can identify.
Once again, Mark Haddon succeeds in writing in a style that imitates him sitting in your front room telling you the story.
Just a very pleasant and easy read.
Book Review: A Spot of Genius
Summary: 5 Stars
Perhaps genius would be too strongly stated for the elegantly understated writing of Mr. Haddon. But he has a wonderful and rare ability to draw you in, and have you keep turning pages, settling deeper and deeper into the domestic world he's created on these pages. I found myself chuckling in recognition of the 61-year-old who was afraid to undress because he didn't want to notice anything new on his skin. The author uses the device of making each chapter sprout from a different character's point of view, but it isn't obvious and annoying and false, as it is in so many books--when he does it, it is because their stories--and lives--are so intertwined, it's like listening to one end of the table's conversation for a bit, then turning and listening to the other.
I hope someone has already bought the movie rights to this, it will be a WONDERFUL comedy-drama.
Book Review: please be bothered
Summary: 5 Stars
If you have read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime,The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time you will simply love a Spot of Bother. Underneath everyone's everyday life lurk insecurities both large and small, and A Spot of Bother puts them on the line for us to examine. Do you think that affairs of the heart and mind happen only to 20 somethings in NYC? Think again. Do you think you are the only family figuring out how to cope with your out of the closet relative and your relationship with their significant other? Think again. Have a spot of hypochondria in you? Well, see what the end might be. This is a funny, ironic and totally true look at a slice of life that could belong to any of us. Bravo.Book Review: Nicely written but sags in the middle
Summary: 3 Stars
I read "A Spot of Bother" ostensibly for the purpose of airport entertainment and had not read Haddon's debut work "A Curious Incident" The good in this book as that the narrative flows effortlessly, and the voices of each character, especially around the wedding near the end is creative and enjoyable. Haddon has genuine sympathy for his characters and their various foibles. Detracting from it is that through the middle of the book George's voice is monotonous and depressing and the portrayal of Jamie the gay son is self obsessed with more gay action than I had bargained for. (Having enjoyed Colm Toibin's The Story of Night" I felt that the Jamie character was a bit too PC.)
That said the narrative style really is what carries the reader over the finish line.
Book Review: Feels Like A Working Title Film.
Summary: 4 Stars
This story of a British family in meltdown mode in the weeks leading up to the daughter (Kate's) wedding, has all the ingredients to be slapped up on multiplexes everywhere with a witty attractive cast that could be culled from the likes of, 'Bridget Jones Diary' or 'Four Weddings & A Funeral'. Think Jim Broadbent as George, Imelda Staunton as Jean, and tack in Jude Law and or Emily Mortimer, and you get the idea. The strange thing with this book is that it started as this light, witty and charming confection of a novel and then suddenly began to veer off course into a totally unexpected territory beginning when George, the elderly protagonist, really began to lose his marbles. It didn't make me any less interested in the book,it just wasn't what I was expecting.