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canaanmerchant's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this and Kunzru's other novel "Transmission" up at a book fair in July 2012. I thought Transmission was alright but decided to wait on My Revolution for a while. Eventually I picked it up because I needed something short to read. This is miles ahead of what I'd read in his other work and while I don't mean to denigrate the other work I want to make sure people understand the scale of the difference between the two.
And to do it in just a couple hundred pages as well.
And to do it in just a couple hundred pages as well.
kevin_shepherd's review against another edition
4.0
Chris Carver is intent on escaping his terrorist past but fate, piloted by Miles Bridgeman, has other plans. I love the way Hari Kunzru juxtaposes '70's counter-culture with '90's complacency. None of Kunzru's characters are especially likable—an element that plays well with the novel's neo-noirish feel. All the key elements of great noir are here including a masterfully crafted femme fatale, Anna Addison. For me, this was an enjoyably compelling read, even if it was a tad disheartening.
ericfheiman's review against another edition
4.0
A good case of how an innovative narrative structure can enhance the experience of a story rather than dilute it. "My Revolutions" is a fictional account of the making, unmaking and then remaking of an English radical in the 60s, and the fallout thirty years later, but it's told in a non-linear format, sometimes piling flashback upon flashback, that reflects well the unsettled nature of the main character, Michael Frame/Chris Carver. While the ending might feel a little pat and unfinished, it at least feels earned by the time we and Michael/Chris reach it. Nice to see a contemporary book grapple with the issues of that time in an evenhanded way—-neither celebrating the subversive (and often damaging) activities (like Bill Ayers' "Fugitive Days" memoir) nor completely condemning them either. It leaves the reader with both a disdain for the almost fascist leanings these movements emboldened in their followers (even as they claimed to be fighting just that) but also how passive towards our governments we've become in contemporary times.
kscaldwell's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-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
3.5
jwilly19's review against another edition
5.0
You might be expecting a thriller about revolutionaries with this one -- but really it's a pretty subtle and devastating commentary on the social upheaval of the sixties. The writing, characterization, and structural integrity of the novel is a thing to behold -- challenging, but in my opinion, close to flawless in execution.
ria_mhrj's review against another edition
2.0
It's been a rough week, so this may have coloured my view a bit as I have precious little time for entitled man pain, but I'm still looking forward to discussing this at book club, I hope it leads to interesting discussion.
Chris/Mike's upbringing and school years were cleverly depicted alongside the present day events and I had a degree of empathy - I remember joining protests in my youth (against war and top up fees), I only just recently had a blazing row with my dad about politics, and I still rail against the injustices of the world, so teenaged Chris was someone I could relate to a little.
But adult Mike gave me the rage, I found myself very indignant on Miranda's behalf from an early stage, even knowing full well if I had met this would-be Gwyneth Paltrow in real life, I'd probably be annoyed. Mike's disdain for the charmed existence he leads really got my goat and made me a lot less caring/interested as his story and past unfolded.
Let's hope I'm less cranky on Sunday when we discuss.
Chris/Mike's upbringing and school years were cleverly depicted alongside the present day events and I had a degree of empathy - I remember joining protests in my youth (against war and top up fees), I only just recently had a blazing row with my dad about politics, and I still rail against the injustices of the world, so teenaged Chris was someone I could relate to a little.
But adult Mike gave me the rage, I found myself very indignant on Miranda's behalf from an early stage, even knowing full well if I had met this would-be Gwyneth Paltrow in real life, I'd probably be annoyed. Mike's disdain for the charmed existence he leads really got my goat and made me a lot less caring/interested as his story and past unfolded.
Let's hope I'm less cranky on Sunday when we discuss.
carolynf's review
4.0
A British man in his 50s reflects on his violent revolutionary actions 1968-1974 as his false identify is exposed. Sometimes it is difficult to tell whether what you are reading is in the present, a fantasy, or a flashback, but that fits the story of a man scrambling to trying to get a grasp on his life.
corpsewhale's review against another edition
2.0
This book was interesting in that there would be plenty of stuff going on, but I would still find I was asking myself, "is anything going to happen?!"