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jannak's review
3.0
I definitely enjoyed his first book "The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-time" much better than this book. He's a great writer, but this book had trouble keeping my attention and seemed to be a bit incoherent at times.
deanna_c's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
ninglulu's review
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
trin's review
3.0
Okay, here's how this breaks down:
Book about a real-life serial killer
Trin: I think I'll read this my first night in a strange, new apartment, in an unfamiliar neighborhood, when I'm all alone, and almost all the lights are off! La la la!
Book featuring one plot thread about a man's slow descent into madness, including a scene of botched self-surgery
Trin: *hides under the bed* *whimpers*
Yeah. I found this novel very hard to get through—which, if anything, should I suppose be a compliment to Haddon. As he demonstrated with [book: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time], he has amazing skill when it comes to POV: while in the head of any given character (even an autistic boy, as in Incident, or a man slowly losing it, as in Bother), the reader is fully aware not only of how that character perceives the world, but of how that perception is subtly (or not-so-subtly) off. It's an incredible balancing act, and Haddon never stumbles. Just, if you're planning to read this book, know what you're getting into. It may be a light comic novel, but it is a light comic novel that will freak you the fuck out.
Book about a real-life serial killer
Trin: I think I'll read this my first night in a strange, new apartment, in an unfamiliar neighborhood, when I'm all alone, and almost all the lights are off! La la la!
Book featuring one plot thread about a man's slow descent into madness, including a scene of botched self-surgery
Trin: *hides under the bed* *whimpers*
Yeah. I found this novel very hard to get through—which, if anything, should I suppose be a compliment to Haddon. As he demonstrated with [book: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time], he has amazing skill when it comes to POV: while in the head of any given character (even an autistic boy, as in Incident, or a man slowly losing it, as in Bother), the reader is fully aware not only of how that character perceives the world, but of how that perception is subtly (or not-so-subtly) off. It's an incredible balancing act, and Haddon never stumbles. Just, if you're planning to read this book, know what you're getting into. It may be a light comic novel, but it is a light comic novel that will freak you the fuck out.
rhodaj's review
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
lowewatts76's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
lstevens78's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Started a little slow and I worried there would be too many characters to keep track of after several were introduced in the first few pages. The main characters though were clear and the book soon became very difficult to put down. This is in part due to the story being told from multiple character perspectives and some very short chapters making it is easy to read 'just one more'.
Overall, an enjoyable read with likeable characters.
Overall, an enjoyable read with likeable characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
ultimatekate's review
4.0
I really enjoyed "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time," so I was excited to read Mark Haddon's latest book. It took me a little while to get into, but once that happened, I couldn't put it down.
One of my favorite parts of this book is that it was told from multiple points of view, which, if done well, is always interesting. Another aspect I appreciated ("liked" isn't exactly the right word) is that the main character reminded me of my dad: in his 50s, recently retired, etc. The book made me scared for my dad, but I thought it was a really good portrayal of what a man like that is going through. (For those of you who have read the book: I think my dad's a lot better than George.)
One of my favorite parts of this book is that it was told from multiple points of view, which, if done well, is always interesting. Another aspect I appreciated ("liked" isn't exactly the right word) is that the main character reminded me of my dad: in his 50s, recently retired, etc. The book made me scared for my dad, but I thought it was a really good portrayal of what a man like that is going through. (For those of you who have read the book: I think my dad's a lot better than George.)
lugl's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5