Listen, guys, it’s not like I didn’t believe the scenario presented here. And it’s not like I don’t like dystopian novels either.
What I didn’t like wListen, guys, it’s not like I didn’t believe the scenario presented here. And it’s not like I don’t like dystopian novels either.
What I didn’t like was the writing style. Wait, let me show you how it all starts:
The night has come and she has not heard the knocking, standing at the window looking out onto the garden. How the dark gathers without sound the cherry trees. It gathers the last of the leaves and the leaves do not resist the dark but accept the dark in whisper. Tired now, the day almost behind her and the children settled in the living room, this feeling of rest for a moment by the glass.
See what I mean? Does this not sound a bit like pretentious drivel? If she’s standing and looking, and the dark gathers the last of the leaves and the leaves do not resist the dark but accept the dark, does this mean that the author (narrator) was there writing everything down as the events unfolded, or was this the only way he could find to create a sense of closeness and urgency?
Either way, I found it jarring all the way through.
Also, for me, this “closeness” and “immediacy” allied to the poetic but slightly forced and overwritten way in which this was told, instead of creating vivid imagery only served to blur every single scene and character, and I ended up not being able to picture any of it or feel for any of the characters.
On a side note, I’d like to mention that I don’t think children in 2023 talk the way they do in this novel.
I also feel like some “bad” decisions were taken by the characters only to keep the wheels in motion and get to the point the author wanted to go. I also spotted a few plot holes and inconsistencies, but nothing I couldn’t close my eyes off to.
All in all this was an okay read to me - nothing too bad, but also, unfortunately, not amazing either.
Stuff like this, and I mean people trying to take over the world by all means, has been happening since the beginning of times, is still happening today and will keep on happening for as long as there’s people on this planet. Some might say it’s only human nature. Others might call it natural selection. I, for instance, call it selfishness. ...more
If I had to describe this novel in one word, that word would definitely be boring.
The narrator, who happened to be the main character, was insufferabIf I had to describe this novel in one word, that word would definitely be boring.
The narrator, who happened to be the main character, was insufferable beyond belief. (Of course I can see the reality of his situation in a historical context).
I hated all the politics, and the characteristically British “excessive politeness” was, somewhat, very off-putting. (I can also see this in historical terms).
The dialogue was unbearably stiff, and the pace was painfully slow.
And now the worst part: all the annoying flashbacks - the whole story was basically told in dozens of flashbacks that seemed more like a way to insert the author’s views on politics and history than anything else.
It’s probably just me but the bloody flashbacks are, and always have been, a literary device that instead of pulling me into a story only work as a reminder of the presence of the author behind the page.
I could almost see the author typing along and thinking to himself that it was time to drag the story out a bit more by coming up with another annoying and useless flashback.
I could also see what was going on and where the whole thing was going from miles away.
Even the ending, probably because of the characters’ “excessive politeness” was, IN MY OPINION, completely underwhelming.
The “final message” was just over simplistic to the point where I felt like I had actually read a YA novel in disguise. Go figure.
I know this is another very unpopular opinion of mine but because I’m not, and have never been, afraid of not being liked for having a different opinion, I can’t say I’m in the least bit concerned about it.
Oh, and no, I have not watched the film and am not going to, by the way.
And now, if I may be excused, I’m going to retreat to my chamber and try to track down the remains of my patience. ...more
As much as I’d love this novel to follow the path of the previous two Booker Prize winners and become a worldwide bestseller, I don’t think that’s goiAs much as I’d love this novel to follow the path of the previous two Booker Prize winners and become a worldwide bestseller, I don’t think that’s going to happen. Paradoxically, I believe, its strengths are bound to also become its weaknesses. For some readers, the snarky narrator is going to become a very annoying one. For those same readers and a few more, the dark undercurrent beneath the story’s surface is probably going to become too terrifying to bare. The fact that it’s so big in scope is going to raise a lot of complaints about the characterisation. And also, still in the topic of characterisation, there’s no one in particular to root for in it. All the characters are broken. And they all live in a broken (and violent) society where no one is completely safe from harm (sounds familiar?). The total lack of quotation marks and the sweeping nature of the narration, which I didn’t have any problem with, is also going to become a big cause of distress to a lot of people.
Now, and I mean at this point in time, I can’t say I know a lot about what’s going on with people or the world in general, but one thing I do know is great literature when I see it. And this, my friends, this is great literature. This is something that could’ve only been penned by a master storyteller. Period.
And in case you’re wondering why I am mentioning all these possible “problems”, let me tell you that I just want to make sure that it’s clear to everyone that, like everything else in my life, these five stars are a matter of love. Because when I love something or someone the way I already love this stunning work of art, nothing else is going to matter but the fact that it all became part of me from the moment it got under my skin. ...more
First of all this novel shouldn’t have been titled Shuggie Bain as this story isn’t actually about him but about his mother and how her lifestyle and First of all this novel shouldn’t have been titled Shuggie Bain as this story isn’t actually about him but about his mother and how her lifestyle and choices might have (eventually) shaped her son and his life. Everything about him was too nuanced to allow me to empathise with him and everything about his mother was too explicit for me to give a damn about her; and how many beers and glasses of vodka she needed to get drunk.
I know there’s always some kind of manipulative literary device behind every story that has ever been told but some authors tend to use it to the point where I spend more time wondering how their minds worked when telling the story than about the story itself. Because if an author decides to start a story with an older guy sexually harassing a kid, I want to know more, how the kid coped, the impact of this on him and maybe any consequences the pervert should’ve faced by the way!
But no, from that scene we go backwards in time instead and learn how many drinks and cigarettes the kid’s mother was having every day! Pages and pages of drinks and the mother’s frustrations and delusions. Plus a few mentions of the father’s love affairs, in case we were interested!
Speaking of the father, a taxi driver, his part of the story was what I think it makes for a dark and wonderful kind of read; Glasgow’s dark streets and alleys in the dead of night were wonderfully described, but unfortunately the guy didn’t have enough imagination to do anything else apart from thinking about new love conquests (and how to get rid of the old ones).
I’ve come across a few reviews of this novel recently and in general I can see people loved it. They say it’s dark; it’s not that dark guys, they say it’s bleak (aha!); nope, I’ll have to disagree again (sorry)! Finally it’s depressing; ok, I can agree about it being depressing but I’m not sure I felt the same kind of depressing feelings as those reviewers though!
I think that, perhaps, there’s some personal reasons for me not to have enjoyed this as much as I thought I would and definitely not as much as other readers did. All the poverty and hopelessness in this story seemed like heaven to me when compared with the life story of some (very) close people I know and care about.
No, I’m not making comparisons (I know there’s no way to measure suffering) but can you imagine, for example, what it would fell like to grow up with no parents at all (for some really nasty reasons); from the age of eight in a house with absolutely no conditions; and having your eleven year old brother as your only support till you both grow up? To be honest, and now that I’m thinking about it, I just realised I actually know a lot of real awful life stories involving children, but that’s not actually the point here.
The point is that I saw loads of potential in this one, but it ended up not having enough stamina for my liking. I only hope that next time Mr. Stuart would chose to tell us a story from his heart and not from his forgiving brain.
3 stars only because for a debut novel the writing was very good. ...more
I had high hopes about this novel but I finished it feeling slightly disappointed. Oh well, Coetzee couldn’t have guessed God damn it, that was close!
I had high hopes about this novel but I finished it feeling slightly disappointed. Oh well, Coetzee couldn’t have guessed how different wars were going to be in the 21st century, could he? If only he could I’m sure he wouldn’t have included all the ‘preaching‘ which turned this from an amazing five star read to a strong four star one.
It’s been quite a few days since I finished this novel and the more I thought about it (at work, obviously, because that’s where I seem to spend all my time nowadays) the more certain I am that the second part of the book is pointless and in my view outdated. A timeless classic this ain’t! I really tried to find a purpose for it but I just couldn’t.
I don’t know a lot about the apartheid besides the basics and what its name suggests but I have a feeling that the second part of the book was written with the objective of trying to create more empathy; not about the main character but the generality of the victims of the political system(?).
Now, time to focus on the good, and there was so much to love about it. First of all the first class writing. Coetzee really doesn’t waste a word (we’re not talking about that second part now) and the imagery he creates using only a few words is outstanding. The way the story unfolds is remarkably quick and although this is a very short novel it never loses impact and Michael K “jumps” out of the pages. And you’ll have to love him. You’re going to.
“Always, when he tried to explain himself to himself, there remained a gap, a hole, a darkness before which his understanding baulked, into which it was useless to pour words. The words were eaten up, the gap remained. His was always a story with a hole in it: a wrong story, always wrong.”
Like Disgrace, this novel, with its violence, graphic imagery and his strong main character are going to haunt me for a long long time. Maybe forever if such a thing is possible....more
Roberto Bolaño’s ‘2666’ still holds first place on the podium for the most disturbing book I’ve ever read, but this one, running eight hundred pages sRoberto Bolaño’s ‘2666’ still holds first place on the podium for the most disturbing book I’ve ever read, but this one, running eight hundred pages shorter, came very very close. Actually, its length was the most impressive thing about it, and I believe Coetzee’s “Disgrace” should be taken as an example by all those authors out there filling their pages with pop culture references and other unnecessary rubbish.
This was one of the best books I’ve ever had the uncomfortable pleasure of reading. As unsettling as one of your worst nightmares, this thought provoking work of genius will grab you from it’s very first sentence and it will not lose its grip. It’s going to shake all your convictions and beliefs. It’s going to beat you up to the point where you wish you were asleep, just so you could wake up and find yourself sitting comfortably on your sofa without a single thing to worry about!
But that’s not going to happen, I’m afraid. You’ll get to the last page only to realise that it wasn’t just a bad dream. All that pain and blood were real, and you’re never going to be able to forget it.
I’m going to start this review by asking myself if I feel like this was a five star read? I’d say no, definitely not. Now, I’m going to ask my inner sI’m going to start this review by asking myself if I feel like this was a five star read? I’d say no, definitely not. Now, I’m going to ask my inner self if it’s fair to give this a three star rating? The answer is most probably ‘yes’ and that’s when my feelings of uncertainty begin.
Why do I feel like a three star rating is unfair? Probably because of the novel’s daunting size and scope. Maybe because I actually feel like this was quite a big achievement. Perhaps because everybody seems to love Atwood’s writing (and stories) except me.
Yes, there it is, I said it; I don’t particularly like Atwood’s writing. It seems so old fashioned. It feels so heavy (and painfully slow!) with random and unnecessary details. Hell, sometimes I felt like I was reading something written at the turn of the 18th century.
I’d like to believe that was intentional but then all I have to do is to remember that I felt exactly the same way about The Handmaid’s Tale and, again, I’m sure it wasn’t intentional; it’s just the way Atwood writes. The truth is, in my opinion, Atwood writes like she’s three hundred years old (even when she writes about spaceships and all that jazz).
Also this novel/story and its characters didn’t come even close to moving me (in every possible way) as my favourite ones did. Every single thing fell flat, especially the characters.... Oh, and the final twist, by the way.
I really wanted to love this novel, or at least to like it more than I did, and as I mentioned above I (truly) believe this novel is quite a big achievement. The novel’s first paragraph it’s a banger (I will never forget it) and its structure was very clever (no way I could’ve read all that science fiction claptrap if this hadn’t been as cleverly done as it was) but because admiration isn’t love, and I don’t believe in love without understanding, I’d rate this three and a half stars if I could. I’ll round it up to four until I give Atwood a third (and final) chance....more
This wasn’t my introduction to Hollinghurst’s writing. Some years ago I read his ultra-boring but brilliantly well written tome “The Stranger’s Child”This wasn’t my introduction to Hollinghurst’s writing. Some years ago I read his ultra-boring but brilliantly well written tome “The Stranger’s Child”. Because of that first reading experience my expectations were not exceptionally high for this one, which, we all know, can only be a good thing.
And it was a good thing indeed. I finished this book feeling totally smashed by the power and beauty of Hollinghurst’s writing skills. I’m not going to go round and round in circles with this review trying to convince you to read this. I know I don’t have the words in me to do this book justice. I just don’t. And perhaps no one does.
The writing, the characters, the stunning imagery, the eighties, sex, love, money, power, betrayal, loss and hope.
Yes, there’s definitely a line of beauty running through these pages, and beauty is not something that can be described, it has to be experienced.
A strong four star read all along, boosted up to five stars because of that unforgettable ending.
Stunning.
I don’t usually wear a hat but if I did I’d definitely take it off to you Mr Hollinghurst. ...more
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