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A review by katykelly
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
3.0
This book doesn't work well as an audiobook.
I was intrigued by the title, by the story - the recounting (with embellishments) of a twenty-something man who takes guardianship of his 9-year-old brother after both their parents die of cancers, just four months apart.
Eggers is clever. He uses verbal tricks and voices and styles that would have played better on paper than they did listening on CD, where sometimes they were confusing.
I did find some of the book very moving indeed. Especially the first part, as Eggers describes what it was like as his mother lay dying. Some parts though I admit I found boring and rambling. Toph, the little brother, is at times a lovely little character and at others little more than background. Though seeing Eggers as a parent struggling to get his child to school on time was amusing.
Hit and miss for me though, so a 3-star read.
I was intrigued by the title, by the story - the recounting (with embellishments) of a twenty-something man who takes guardianship of his 9-year-old brother after both their parents die of cancers, just four months apart.
Eggers is clever. He uses verbal tricks and voices and styles that would have played better on paper than they did listening on CD, where sometimes they were confusing.
I did find some of the book very moving indeed. Especially the first part, as Eggers describes what it was like as his mother lay dying. Some parts though I admit I found boring and rambling. Toph, the little brother, is at times a lovely little character and at others little more than background. Though seeing Eggers as a parent struggling to get his child to school on time was amusing.
Hit and miss for me though, so a 3-star read.