The qualifications are regarding some of the staged set-pieces. I feel that very often in other books I've read scenes where things start well and then go wrong in a deliberately horrific (horrific in the context of a novel about a suburban family I mean) way and this happens a lot in this book. It's a very common technique where you have the scene from the main characters view and he thinks he is in control and then suddenly it goes out of control and it describes him thinking about how he ought to be able to deal with it and somehow he just can't and you are forced to watch him fucking up in a fairly uncomfortable and frustrating way. I'm not sure if I'm really saying very well what I mean here but it's something that happens in a lot of books and I find it both cliched and slightly hard to accept (perhaps because I find it cliched).
Like it."emotional Mr Beanism"
Fair points. I just hope that there aren't too many more of this heavily sign-posted car crashes coming up because they are my least favourite parts of the story so far."But I think these micro-denouement are effective because they echo the wider failure of Frank and April's lives: Frank is dishonest in all dealings, with himself and other people so he's always on collision course with reality."
That was (one of) the exact bits I was thinking of when I complained. Just seemed a bit too convenient the way that he lashed out at his kids, driving them to their mother at the very worst time."it does have set pieces but I think that is the nature of dealing with what is essentially a traditional novel structure. when he has frank boil up whilst laying the path - his petty self-justifications and impotent rage seem spurbly observed."
That's strange, I was just reading the bit with her in on the bus this morning and I thought it was terrible. I'm glad the book is such an easy read because I don't think that I would finish it otherwise. She just seems like another cipher standing in for dissatisfaction with the American dream. I said heavy-handed before and I think I'll stick with that summation; the madman as the only sane person, the obviousness of Frank being offered a promotion (I knew that was going to happen as soon as he was called into the office), the lifeline offered by the pregnancy - all too clearly sign-posted."I engaged with Mrs Givings character much more"
Well, I was exaggerating slightly perhaps, I hardly ever abandon books half way through. Plus, it's not really taking up much of my time, two bus rides and a lunch hour so far. Also I do think that there is benefit in the discussion here and that's not a bad reason to read it. I liked what you said before about Frank being dishonest with himself for example. To me the point of the book club is to read books and talk about them, I don't expect to like every one that gets selected."So perhaps it's apt. to ask why you are pushing on with it (other than for the benefit of discussion here)?"
I'd half agree with that. I find it well written but I'm not sure about the well observed bit. Maybe it is and it's just that I'm not familiar with people and situations he is observing. I certainly don't recognise the characters."Nonetheless, I founf it precisely observed and beautifully written. That was enough to draw me in and forgive the clumsier machinations."