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ceri_fowler's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
thebobsphere's review against another edition
4.0
When I was reading Luke Brown’s second novel, Theft, I was a bit puzzled. Is it a political novel? is it a book about relationships? Probably it’s both but I think a brief plot summary will put things in perspective.
The main protagonist Paul is a bookseller in London, who also works for a hipster magazine White Jesus (think of newly revived art mag The Face). He’s in his 30’s and drifts in life. A sort of more savvy Nick Hornby character. Occasionally he meets his sister.
When the novel begins, the siblings are ruminating over the death of their mother. In the meantime they have to sell her house. With that looming in Paul’s mind there’s also the Brexit referendum. We all know how that turned out and it seems that Paul can’t get over it. Especially since the North ,where he’s from, voted leave while London voted remain.
Then a chain of events happen to Paul which change his life. First of all he meets author, Emily, who he fancies. Then her older boyfriend Andrew. At the same time he has to move out of his shared flat. On top of that he meets Andrew’s feminist, reactionary daughter, Sophie, and THEY hit it off. Add to friends and lovers who drift in and out of Paul’s life and his sister’s upcoming pregnancy and you have got a mess.
Theft is mostly about the complexity of relationships. It’s also about social classes and, in a way it’s a coming of age story as Paul does realise he has to grow up – to a certain extent. I guess as Britain is going into a new phase, Paul has to realise he has to as well.
The obvious star of the novel is Paul. He’s selfish and tends to be impulsive, which is the cause of his troubles. At the same time he is funny, has some charm and will go out of his way to help the people who he cares about. He’s not a good person but entirely a bad one either.
Stylistically Theft is a bit deadpan but it’s addictive reading. I had to know if Paul manages to grow up and realise that he’s making a lot of messes. It’s also funny and I did crack a smile, especially Paul’s particular brand of sarcasm.
I liked Theft, it’s a novel stuffed with themes, memorable characters and touches on a lot of topical issues. It’s written in a slightly unconventional manner but once you get into it, the book ensnares you into it’s world quickly.
The main protagonist Paul is a bookseller in London, who also works for a hipster magazine White Jesus (think of newly revived art mag The Face). He’s in his 30’s and drifts in life. A sort of more savvy Nick Hornby character. Occasionally he meets his sister.
When the novel begins, the siblings are ruminating over the death of their mother. In the meantime they have to sell her house. With that looming in Paul’s mind there’s also the Brexit referendum. We all know how that turned out and it seems that Paul can’t get over it. Especially since the North ,where he’s from, voted leave while London voted remain.
Then a chain of events happen to Paul which change his life. First of all he meets author, Emily, who he fancies. Then her older boyfriend Andrew. At the same time he has to move out of his shared flat. On top of that he meets Andrew’s feminist, reactionary daughter, Sophie, and THEY hit it off. Add to friends and lovers who drift in and out of Paul’s life and his sister’s upcoming pregnancy and you have got a mess.
Theft is mostly about the complexity of relationships. It’s also about social classes and, in a way it’s a coming of age story as Paul does realise he has to grow up – to a certain extent. I guess as Britain is going into a new phase, Paul has to realise he has to as well.
The obvious star of the novel is Paul. He’s selfish and tends to be impulsive, which is the cause of his troubles. At the same time he is funny, has some charm and will go out of his way to help the people who he cares about. He’s not a good person but entirely a bad one either.
Stylistically Theft is a bit deadpan but it’s addictive reading. I had to know if Paul manages to grow up and realise that he’s making a lot of messes. It’s also funny and I did crack a smile, especially Paul’s particular brand of sarcasm.
I liked Theft, it’s a novel stuffed with themes, memorable characters and touches on a lot of topical issues. It’s written in a slightly unconventional manner but once you get into it, the book ensnares you into it’s world quickly.
dcossai's review against another edition
5.0
London, 2016. Paul’s childhood best friend and mother have just died. His partner has left him. His friend is crashing at his place after an argument with his wife. His flatmate experiences heartbreak. He moves on from his long-held jobs and his long-resided in home. Paul’s sister looks forward to new people entering her life. He meets an engaged woman and dreams of starting a relationship with her, while at the same time seeing her partner’s daughter. The United Kingdom has voted to leave the European Union.
This is a Brexit novel par excellence. Deeply personal at all turns, Britain’s new political reality is ever present in the background, directly and indirectly. Luke Brown explores the psychology of modern relationships, as his protagonist and friends experience the end of lifelong relationships and the birth of new ones, relationships which, like that of the UK and the EU, largely consist of people who dislike as much as they like each other. Every relationship, every new beginning in the novel is fraught with doubts and uncertainties. It is at the same time a personal and a communal story, a story of beginnings and endings. Is it a political novel? A romance? A coming-of-age story? An apology - or an apologia? That will, I think, be up to each individual reader, just as much as Brexit is what every individual makes of it.
This is a Brexit novel par excellence. Deeply personal at all turns, Britain’s new political reality is ever present in the background, directly and indirectly. Luke Brown explores the psychology of modern relationships, as his protagonist and friends experience the end of lifelong relationships and the birth of new ones, relationships which, like that of the UK and the EU, largely consist of people who dislike as much as they like each other. Every relationship, every new beginning in the novel is fraught with doubts and uncertainties. It is at the same time a personal and a communal story, a story of beginnings and endings. Is it a political novel? A romance? A coming-of-age story? An apology - or an apologia? That will, I think, be up to each individual reader, just as much as Brexit is what every individual makes of it.
mlautchi's review against another edition
4.0
'I can't propose to someone. I haven't yet made my fortune'
'It's not the nineteenth century.'
'It's not not the nineteenth century either.' 179
Wandering round a gallery on a day off I mooched along behind a woman with a buggy, thinking how similar she looked to Monica. I felt so thirsty looking at her, not only for Monica and the woman who resembled her but also for the melancholic feelings which she flooded me with, for those memories which were so delicious in their painfulness, memories that became harder and harder to reach and which I didn't want to drift away from any more than I already had. 232
I was becoming more and more aware how ordinary my aspirations were, how I admired wealth in those depths of the heart that were immune to convictions. 236
I was still willing to take my happiness one day at a time; if willing is the right word for it. 284
'You're not still thinking about her?'
'Sometimes.'
'Oh Paul. She's gone.' 127
'If you're not careful we'll start agreeing on things,' I said. 'Then we'll have nothing to say to each other.' 133
'This is just a bit of fun yeah?' she said one morning as I walked her to the Overground station.
'I know. Of course!' I said, but I was too enthusiastic.
'Oh Paul,' she said. 'We need to talk.' 138
We could call it home for now. It would be home until we left it behind. 311
'It's not the nineteenth century.'
'It's not not the nineteenth century either.' 179
Wandering round a gallery on a day off I mooched along behind a woman with a buggy, thinking how similar she looked to Monica. I felt so thirsty looking at her, not only for Monica and the woman who resembled her but also for the melancholic feelings which she flooded me with, for those memories which were so delicious in their painfulness, memories that became harder and harder to reach and which I didn't want to drift away from any more than I already had. 232
I was becoming more and more aware how ordinary my aspirations were, how I admired wealth in those depths of the heart that were immune to convictions. 236
I was still willing to take my happiness one day at a time; if willing is the right word for it. 284
'You're not still thinking about her?'
'Sometimes.'
'Oh Paul. She's gone.' 127
'If you're not careful we'll start agreeing on things,' I said. 'Then we'll have nothing to say to each other.' 133
'This is just a bit of fun yeah?' she said one morning as I walked her to the Overground station.
'I know. Of course!' I said, but I was too enthusiastic.
'Oh Paul,' she said. 'We need to talk.' 138
We could call it home for now. It would be home until we left it behind. 311
chantalsbookstuff's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you Netgalley and Saga Egmont Audio of the audiobook ARC.
This book covered a wide range of topics. Although I felt like some fell short. It did bring a lot of truths to the table, and you could feel yourself trying to connect. I kept trying to figure out what type of book it actually is with the broadness of everything.
The storyline was good and the Narrator was excellent.
This book covered a wide range of topics. Although I felt like some fell short. It did bring a lot of truths to the table, and you could feel yourself trying to connect. I kept trying to figure out what type of book it actually is with the broadness of everything.
The storyline was good and the Narrator was excellent.
ruthmaloney's review against another edition
2.0
I was given the audiobook through Net Galley and thought it sounded interesting. I am afraid I couldn't get beyond 20% through. Not sure I'm the target audience to be fair. I found the narrative voice irritating and I just couldn't empathise. I think I'm a generation or two too old.
hollyedwards_98's review
3.0
3.5 stars
i liked this book, it was fine as far as contemporary fiction goes. there wasn’t anything particularly stand out about it. parts of it were funny, i enjoyed the state of the nation commentary woven in but it wasn’t anything particularly amazing.
i liked this book, it was fine as far as contemporary fiction goes. there wasn’t anything particularly stand out about it. parts of it were funny, i enjoyed the state of the nation commentary woven in but it wasn’t anything particularly amazing.
fredsphere's review
dark
funny
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Someone named this book as an example of a male author making a rare splash in the current female-dominated literary landscape. I found the first part simpatico and a lot of fun. The main character works for a hip, edgy print magazine called White Jesus and his only claim to fame in the short, ironic column he writes for it called "The London Review of Haircuts." Otherwise he makes his living working in a bookstore, and the chaotic, loser-y patterns of his life, and his stubborn insistence on ruining it and the lives of others through his envy, gradually takes the book to some tedious scenes of pissy dialog and Category 2 debauchery.
And for what?--the protag's motivations are never made clear. Why do women sleep with him?--I guess he must be good looking; he's certainly not pleasant to be around. At least the novel's ending was an ending, and saved the book my 4th star, but I will warn the reader the book isn't quite as brilliant and hip and fun as the first 25% make it appear.
Still, congrats to the author for getting published in an environment unwelcoming to his kind, and the best of luck to him on his future projects.
And for what?--the protag's motivations are never made clear. Why do women sleep with him?--I guess he must be good looking; he's certainly not pleasant to be around. At least the novel's ending was an ending, and saved the book my 4th star, but I will warn the reader the book isn't quite as brilliant and hip and fun as the first 25% make it appear.
Still, congrats to the author for getting published in an environment unwelcoming to his kind, and the best of luck to him on his future projects.
swalk's review against another edition
4.0
As a millennial living in London this tale was hugely relatable, if cringeworthy to realise how very cliché we all are. It was quite funny with some good tongue in cheek jokes and familiar conversations at ‘secret speakeasies’ in back rooms.
It is serious and lighthearted in equal measure.
The magazine he works for is totally identifiable as Vice or similar and made me laugh at how accurate it is, even his ‘haircuts column’ reminds me of Vice’s mean, yet funny dos & don’ts from years back, the culture of the magazine is spot on!
I found the whole thing very entertaining and on point, the narrator was great too. 4/5
It is serious and lighthearted in equal measure.
The magazine he works for is totally identifiable as Vice or similar and made me laugh at how accurate it is, even his ‘haircuts column’ reminds me of Vice’s mean, yet funny dos & don’ts from years back, the culture of the magazine is spot on!
I found the whole thing very entertaining and on point, the narrator was great too. 4/5
talliereadsandwrites's review against another edition
2.0
While I think this book was well written, it just wasn’t for me. The protagonist, Paul, is a middle aged white man who I had a hard time relating with. I feel like my mind just went blank around halfway through listening.