Review: Human Croquet by Kate Atkinson

I have recently had some time off and read a number of interesting books. This one I borrowed from the library. I have previously read Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie novels and short story collections. Here is my take on her second novel Human Croquet published in 1997.

I mostly really enjoyed it. By the end, the story had completely spooled out of control, stretching believability, but by then I was so caught up I didn't mind. I read this novel in a single sitting (it was that sort of day).

The story is an intergenerational time-slip family saga with an English village setting with mythical medieval history and encroaching forest. I think much of the joy of this sort of story comes from the unexpected deviations and plot turns so I won't go into the story except to say it focuses on a girl, Isobel on the eve of her sixteenth birthday as she reflects on the impact on her young life of her mother disappearing from the family when she was a toddler.

The overall tone of the novel is surreal and magical, like  some of Isabel Allende's novels. It also reminded me of an Iris Murdoch novel, The Philospher's Pupil, I read a few months ago. Like Murdoch, Atkinson is incredibly smart with her characterisations: their interactions, motives, insecurities and anxieties. Like Murdoch too, the male characters in Human Croquet are overloaded with human frailty and behave pretty badly.

I do find with the Kate Atkinson novels (including the Jackson Brodie series) that they are very intense, with the plot often circling back in on itself,  and I don't remember all of the detail once I have finished. But I think that is okay when the novel is so engaging and I don't mind being challenged by her. I look forward to reading her latest, Life After Life, soon.

Rebus

I am visiting Edinburgh later in the year and decided to revisit some old favourite novels set in that city.

At one time I read all of the Rebus novels by Ian Rankin, however the last in the series, Exit Music, did not hold my attention when I tried to read it back in 2007. So last weekend I tried it again and found I couldn't put it down.

For those unfamiliar with the Scottish detective, he is the ultimate in the hard drinking, cigarette smoking, rule bending, loner mould. Exit Music sees Rebus facing an empty retirement, as he attempts to solve his final case.

I admire what Rankin has done with Rebus. The character is so well drawn that he is not a stereotype, I feel like I know him. He is a grizzled, grumpy hero that I really enjoy spending time with.

In and out of Edinburgh's drinking establishments  for clandestine and often tense meetings, Rankin draws the reader into the dark side of a beautiful city. It always seems cold, overcast and muddy. The cityscape matches the novels emotional tone perfectly. For those who are familiar with the series, Exit Music also brings about something of denouement in the relationship between Rebus and longstanding foe, big Ger Cafferty. The powers that be are also breathing down Rebus's neck for him to retire as quickly as possible as he has become something of  an embarrassment and inconvenience for them. His faithful friend and colleague Siobhan Clarke remains loyal although this loyalty is tested as she is waiting for the opportunity to finally step out from his shadow and influence, and manage a team of detectives herself.

I am now currently a quarter of the way through the next Rebus novel Standing in Another Man's Grave. After six years Rankin has brought Rebus out of retirement as we find him in a civilian role with the police, in a cold case squad. Moreover the retirement age for the police force has also been lifted and Rebus is angling to come back as a detective.

Long suffering Det Clarke, now an Inspector, is still trying to protect Rebus from himself and compromising herself in the the eyes of her superiors, in the process. Further, the relationship between Rebus and old-school crime kingpin Big Ger seems to have developed into something of a mutual respect and strange sort of friendship. The meetings between the two, usually in a pub, are fascinating, like two big old tigers eying each other off, and taking the occasional swipe.

I look forward to getting through the rest of novel this weekend.




The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver



This year has seen me read far less than previous years. At least, I have not been completing as many novels, but reading from wider sources I guess. You know that warning that whatever you are doing at New Year, be warned you may find yourself doing it all year? Well I began this year struggling through Kafka and I do think it may have slowed me down a little.

 

This week did see me complete the unbelievably huge, in every sense, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. I love Kingsolver's writing, having previously read The Lacuna and listened to The Prodigal Summer. While I don't think I could accurately say that I "love" The Poisonwood Bible, I am certain, reading it, has probably changed how I view the world in a meaningful way.

 

 

 The novel is set in the Belgian Congo. A US evangelical Baptist minister, Nathan Price, brings his family, his wife and four daughters, to the region in 1959. The novel tracks the family's disastrous struggles over the next 35 years. Their stories are set against the background of the region's struggle for independence from international interference.

 

 

What Worked About the Book for Me:

 

Kingsolver creates such lush imagery. You want a book set in deepest, darkest Africa, and actually experience what living there might be like for someone used to all of the conveniences of the West? Then this is the book to reach for. In all of her books, Kingsolver hones in on descriptions of nature. I don't know how she does it, but both this book and The Prodigal Summer, somehow intensified my appreciation of the natural world.

 

The format of the story is interesting. The novel is told from the perspective of Orleanna Price and her four daughters. At the beginning I didn't much like any of them, and I don't think I felt as sorry for them as I was meant too; they all struggle to survive, not only in a physical environment they are ill prepared for, but against a tyrannical and violent husband and father. But the character development over time is excellent, and over time, each character forms in her own very different way, largely in relation to struggling with her personal demons. I should of had more faith in Kingsolver, she does a similar thing with character development in The Lacuna. The reader has to hang in there, as she lays rich foundations, that mature and come together satisfyingly.

 

I didn't really see it coming, but by the end, I felt like the novel somehow gave more depth to my understanding of how the people of the African nations may view the West. Kingsolver holds up a mirror to the greed, sense of superiority, and hypocrisy that Africa has been subjected to over the decades from the, sometimes well meaning, Western nations. I felt gently confronted as the Price women's stories unfolded. I couldn't help but think, how would I go in these situations, and what choices would I make as a result?

 

Areas of Difficulty:

 

This is a long read at over 600 pages and it is largely a very grim tale. Of the three Kingsolver novels I have read so far, I would probably categorize this one as the least accessible. It really reads like a trek through a jungle filled with constant hardship. I think the nature of the story could put some readers off, and I must admit I became bogged down in parts.

 

Final Thoughts:

 

I am very happy however, that I persisted with the novel, my effort was rewarded. I won't forget this book, because as mentioned, I think I really did take something meaningful away from it, beyond the usual entertainment factor of a well written story.

 

 

 



The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

This is the second book I have read in recent times with the structure of an elderly lady telling her story before she dies. The other was on Canaan's Side by Sebastian Barry. That book was a disappointment for me, compared to my passion for the other Barry books I have read over the years.  The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood strikes me as an exceptional book, I guess they don't hand out the Booker Prize for nothing (winner 2000).

As mentioned, The Blind Assassin is told by an elderly lady,Iris, as she is dying of a failing heart, perhaps in more than one sense. It is the story of two sisters, and Iris opens her story with the suicide of her younger sister Laura just after the end of WWII. Events leading up to Laura's suicide provide the thrust for the rest of the novel.

For me, part of my enjoyment of the story is in the complex narrative structure. When executed poorly, this passing from the present to the past in historical fiction, is often tedious and confusing. Margaret Atwood however, knows what she is doing. The novel is over 600 pages long and completely compelling from beginning to end. I am sure it could have all gone horribly wrong, as there are several narrative streams to the story, some told in the first person from Iris's point of view and the pivotal romantic stream cleverly told in the third person, from two points of view. It is marvellous and fascinating and all merges together beautifully in the end.

The only other novel I have read by Atwood is The Handmaid's Tale. I admired Atwood's writing in the Handmaid's Tale, but found the material too oppressive to really enjoy. In both books, Atwood's creative genius is obvious. She combines simple everyday detail with the most extraordinary imaginative worlds like no one else I can think of. China Mieville does this, but the enjoyment of his books is largely from extraordinary environments he creates, for Atwood, the outer worlds are secondary to the turmoil going on in her protagonist's head.

The themes covered in the book are many, and a couple of them are shared with The Handmaid's tale: power and class; and the position of women in society. It is a story about guilt and the cost of "turning a blind eye". There is nothing especially joyful about Atwood's stories, she explores our darker motives. But so do all of the best novels don't you think?We are moved by tragedy. I do believe that The Blind Assassin would appeal to more readers than the strange world of The Handmaid's Tale.

What do you think of Atwood's work? Do you have a favourite Atwood novel?

The Gathering by Anne Enright

The Gathering won the Man Booker Prize in 2007. It is a powerful book about loss and family. I hadn't read anything by Anne Enright previously but kept hearing good things about her work. Her most recent work, The Forgotten Waltz has also received good reviews.

The Gathering is mostly told in the first person, in the voice of 39 year old Veronica, as she attempts to come to terms with the death of her brother Liam. The title refers to the coming together of the remaining Hegarty family for Liam's wake. Veronica is one of nine surviving siblings.

Some of the themes covered are heavy but very well handled. Enright explores the impact of childhood sexual abuse and poverty at the individual, family and community level. She also explores intergenerational issues in a family, how an earlier generation's struggle with poverty and social restraints, can impact the current generation.  I also enjoyed Enright's exploration of the role of memory in our relationships and identity.

Even though the Hegarty family is extraordinary in many respects, not least for the large family size, I found I could relate to Veronica and some of her struggles. Enright poignantly captures the very essence of family; the mixed feelings that go with dealing with family members as one ages; the piecing together of what certain events mean and the harbouring of past hurts.

As with so many of the modern Irish writers, Enright writes like a dream. There is a sophisticated literary feel to the writing but it is also earthy and real. She evokes the faded atmosphere of the family home, right down to the sounds and smells, beautifully. There is also a real physicality to her descriptions that increases the power of her prose. She recreates the memories of childhood convincingly, complete with strong impressions and ambiguity.

This is perhaps the best book I have read in a long time about the drama and difficulties of being part of a family; the threads that unite and divide, and trying to outrun the past and forge one's own identity. The novel does end hopefully, and from beginning to end is just beautifully done. I highly recommend it.

Hello

Hello!  I am still here and still reading.

Books I have read in the last week or so and will be reviewing in coming days:

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver (And yes I know most people have read it. I didn't think it would be for me, but as it turned out, I really liked it).

The Gathering by Irish writer Anne Enright. Fabulous book. The Irish writers still tend to rule my heart and it was nice to read a modern female Irish author.

And I am currently reading a very intersting memoir by British journalist Jon Swain, River of Time, covering the five years he spent in Cambodia and Vietnam 1970-1975.

How I Became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely

It is good to be back blogging after being offline for a few weeks. I have really missed it. How I Became A Famous Novelist is one of the few novels I have read during that time.  It is a bit of fun.

Pete Tarslaw, who spins this tale, is not an exemplary human being.  He is lazy and cynical, though intelligent and reasonably well read.  After his ex-girlfriend invites him to her wedding in twelve months time, he decides that the only way to save his pride, is to become a famous literary novelist, so he can outshine all present, and humiliate her.

Nothing, and no one, associated with the publishing world are spared from Steve Hely's barbs in this book.  Including you and I!  Hely not only portrays writers, especially those of so called literary fiction, as charlatans, but he mocks consumers of all things literary (books, book signings and writers' festivals) mercilessly. 

The miracle of this book is that I didn't take it personally.  In fact, I found myself laughing out loud at times.  Which of us hasn't read some entirely overblown, though much lauded, work of literary fiction, and wondered is it me, or is this just too over the top?

Part of the fun of the novel is identifying which novels and novelists Hely is sending up, as he does not refer to them by name of course.  Our would be novelist, Pete Tarslaw, makes a study of the best sellers list and concludes, without too much effort, what is "in" an what is not.  He throws together a novel composed of the common themes and scenarios, without any heart, devotion to the truth, or noble intention, and comes up with his very own best selling novel.  But he pays a price.  Which is why I probably didn't mind that he mocked my penchant for reading WWII novels and plenty else besides.

How I Became a Famous Novelist is not the sort of novel I am going to remember much about in twelve months time.  But it is refreshing and biting and ultimately (though not till the very end) affirms why so many of us, love fiction, so very much.