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patchworkbunny's Reviews (2.12k)
The Three was not what I was expecting but I loved it all the same. The focus is on the reactions to The Three from around the world, from the press interest to the Pamelists; those who see the events of Black Thursday as a biblical omen. The format reminded me very much of World War Z; an oral history of sorts combined of Skype conversations, transcripts and press cuttings. The idea is that all these bits of testimonials have been collected together by Elspeth, a journalist who wrote a book on The Three.
The real fear is nothing to do with the surviving children and what they may or may not be. That is almost an aside. Instead, it’s how easy it is for people to use tragedy to their own advantage, incite hatred and turn people against each other. There’s a lot about Christian fundamentalism and fanaticism as well as how lack of privacy from the media wears people down. Plus the underlying grief and guilt of families left behind.
My favourite characters were Chiyoko and Ryu, two Japanese teenagers from different spheres who chat online. Chiyoko is related to one of The Three and also has a well-known uncle, who is famous for his life-like robotic creations. Ryu is a hikikomori, a socially isolated individual who barely leaves their own room. And the idea of a suicide forest, where hundreds go to die was both sad and unusual. I’m not sure if this is a real place or not but the descriptions were wonderfully evocative, changing in tone depending on whose point of view it was.
It’s hard to say much more without revealing spoilers. I found myself changing my mind continuously throughout on whether The Three were a coincidental miracle, extra-terrestrial, supernatural or spiritual. It’s being classified as horror, but I think that’s just because it’s so hard to pin down. There are elements of horror but it’s certainly not a fright fest.
Review copy provided by publisher.
The real fear is nothing to do with the surviving children and what they may or may not be. That is almost an aside. Instead, it’s how easy it is for people to use tragedy to their own advantage, incite hatred and turn people against each other. There’s a lot about Christian fundamentalism and fanaticism as well as how lack of privacy from the media wears people down. Plus the underlying grief and guilt of families left behind.
My favourite characters were Chiyoko and Ryu, two Japanese teenagers from different spheres who chat online. Chiyoko is related to one of The Three and also has a well-known uncle, who is famous for his life-like robotic creations. Ryu is a hikikomori, a socially isolated individual who barely leaves their own room. And the idea of a suicide forest, where hundreds go to die was both sad and unusual. I’m not sure if this is a real place or not but the descriptions were wonderfully evocative, changing in tone depending on whose point of view it was.
It’s hard to say much more without revealing spoilers. I found myself changing my mind continuously throughout on whether The Three were a coincidental miracle, extra-terrestrial, supernatural or spiritual. It’s being classified as horror, but I think that’s just because it’s so hard to pin down. There are elements of horror but it’s certainly not a fright fest.
Review copy provided by publisher.
2345: The human race is living underground. How did we get there and will the world above ever be hospitable again?
Like Wool, Shift was originally published as separate novellas so I’ll discuss them an individual parts first. The First Shift is the highlight, with a fantastic political backstory and creepy senators filling in a lot of the blanks on how the world ended up destroyed and humanity living in silos. It follows the story of Donald, a rather average man who has ended up involved in the silos because of who he knows and an old architectural project that was dismissed as too utilitarian. The very first page tells us that humans discovered their destruction and the way to forget at the same time. Two technologies created for the betterment of humankind that were twisted and turned into their downfall.
The origins story flits back and forth with that of Troy, woken up from a cryogenic sleep for his first shift in Silo 1. It’s interesting to see the silos from the side of those in charge although the stirrings of rebellion are starting to show. Troy’s time is still well before that of Wool, which was quite compact in its timeline despite being over five novellas. Shift, on the other hand, spans centuries. My brain wanted to link it to Wool a bit much and I found it hard to reconcile the timelines with what I already know. Having said that, I really enjoyed the first novella and it was only the next start that I started to struggle.
The Second Shift follows Donald again, interspersed with the story of Mission a young porter who gets involved in the first uprising of Silo 18. That’s the same silo featured in Wool but at a different point in time. The guys in charge want to get to the bottom of why some silos fall and they are looking for the one who remembers. It’s very much the men in charge; the women have been conveniently frozen along with the children. Anna, who was involved with the early planning, only gets woken up because her dad misses her. I think with all the focus on diversity in SFF lately, I was even more aware that Shift completely fails the Bechdel test and literally refrigerates the entire female population of a silo.
The Third Shift continues to follow Donald, who has turned out to be rather a bland character, alongside Jimmy who, finally, has a connection to the first set of novellas. This shift coincides with Juliette’s timeline although I still felt I’d spent a lot of time reading to get to pretty much the same point as before. I had some answers, but not enough for the whole thing to feel a rewarding read. Whereby the high points of Wool for me were the character tableaus, I found the whole characterisation a disappointment in Shift and it was the world building and back story I was reading on for.
Like Wool, Shift was originally published as separate novellas so I’ll discuss them an individual parts first. The First Shift is the highlight, with a fantastic political backstory and creepy senators filling in a lot of the blanks on how the world ended up destroyed and humanity living in silos. It follows the story of Donald, a rather average man who has ended up involved in the silos because of who he knows and an old architectural project that was dismissed as too utilitarian. The very first page tells us that humans discovered their destruction and the way to forget at the same time. Two technologies created for the betterment of humankind that were twisted and turned into their downfall.
The origins story flits back and forth with that of Troy, woken up from a cryogenic sleep for his first shift in Silo 1. It’s interesting to see the silos from the side of those in charge although the stirrings of rebellion are starting to show. Troy’s time is still well before that of Wool, which was quite compact in its timeline despite being over five novellas. Shift, on the other hand, spans centuries. My brain wanted to link it to Wool a bit much and I found it hard to reconcile the timelines with what I already know. Having said that, I really enjoyed the first novella and it was only the next start that I started to struggle.
The Second Shift follows Donald again, interspersed with the story of Mission a young porter who gets involved in the first uprising of Silo 18. That’s the same silo featured in Wool but at a different point in time. The guys in charge want to get to the bottom of why some silos fall and they are looking for the one who remembers. It’s very much the men in charge; the women have been conveniently frozen along with the children. Anna, who was involved with the early planning, only gets woken up because her dad misses her. I think with all the focus on diversity in SFF lately, I was even more aware that Shift completely fails the Bechdel test and literally refrigerates the entire female population of a silo.
The Third Shift continues to follow Donald, who has turned out to be rather a bland character, alongside Jimmy who, finally, has a connection to the first set of novellas. This shift coincides with Juliette’s timeline although I still felt I’d spent a lot of time reading to get to pretty much the same point as before. I had some answers, but not enough for the whole thing to feel a rewarding read. Whereby the high points of Wool for me were the character tableaus, I found the whole characterisation a disappointment in Shift and it was the world building and back story I was reading on for.
The Müller family are fictional, but implanted into real events. The events of the putsch did happen and people were killed on both sides. What’s really interesting about this, is the plot could so easily be that of our modern day dystopian YA fiction but this stuff actually happened. It’s really quite scary and I hope a few Daily Mail readers will pick this up and take note. In a time of financial hardship, it’s easy to blame people that aren’t like yourselves but that way leads to persecution and to the horrors seen in WWII. Not many people would openly agree with what the Nazi’s did but some of their early propaganda is certainly mirrored in some of the right wing views aired today. It's just different groups of people being blamed.
How much you get out of this book might depend on how much of the history you know. Most of my knowledge of WWII is more around the later years, so I found the early politics quite interesting. I did know what happened to Geli though, which might have been a bit of a spoiler, even though she isn’t a main character.
Reinhard’s character is representative of the sociopathic nature of those who supported Hitler’s plans and indeed, helped carry them out. There was plenty of pressure for people to appear supportive or to go along with everyone else, but those who really revelled in other’s suffering would have been the most dangerous. It did seem a bit tenuous for Gretchen to use her brother’s behaviour as a way to research Hitler’s mental state.
It might be surprising to some readers how Hitler starts off portrayed as just a man, not a beast. Gretchen has always seen him as the man who cared for her family after her father died, he’s her honorary uncle. But she has never done anything to defy him or be subject to his anger. As her perception of Hitler begins to change, his behaviour appears to worsen.
The mystery aspect wasn’t really needed and I found the threads of Gretchen’s story meandered a bit. She could have just befriended a Jewish boy and get into trouble for that without all the pretence at intrigue and piecing together things that seem a bit too obvious for a modern reader. I would be interested in reading the second book to see where their journey takes them. It does work entirely as a standalone novel fortunately.
Review copy provided by publisher.
How much you get out of this book might depend on how much of the history you know. Most of my knowledge of WWII is more around the later years, so I found the early politics quite interesting. I did know what happened to Geli though, which might have been a bit of a spoiler, even though she isn’t a main character.
Reinhard’s character is representative of the sociopathic nature of those who supported Hitler’s plans and indeed, helped carry them out. There was plenty of pressure for people to appear supportive or to go along with everyone else, but those who really revelled in other’s suffering would have been the most dangerous. It did seem a bit tenuous for Gretchen to use her brother’s behaviour as a way to research Hitler’s mental state.
It might be surprising to some readers how Hitler starts off portrayed as just a man, not a beast. Gretchen has always seen him as the man who cared for her family after her father died, he’s her honorary uncle. But she has never done anything to defy him or be subject to his anger. As her perception of Hitler begins to change, his behaviour appears to worsen.
The mystery aspect wasn’t really needed and I found the threads of Gretchen’s story meandered a bit. She could have just befriended a Jewish boy and get into trouble for that without all the pretence at intrigue and piecing together things that seem a bit too obvious for a modern reader. I would be interested in reading the second book to see where their journey takes them. It does work entirely as a standalone novel fortunately.
Review copy provided by publisher.
Seventeen-year-old Friday Brown has spent all her life travelling from town to town, brought up on stories of the family curse. When her mother dies, Friday runs away from home, determined to continue the lifestyle her mother showed her. But in the city she meets a mute boy who shows her families are not always what you’re born with.
I honestly don’t know why more people aren’t talking about Vikki Wakefield; her writing is just a pleasure to read. Friday Brown feels like a quiet sort of tale, intimate in its telling but has big themes. Friday runs away from home after her mother’s death and ends up living in a squat. She’s set apart from the other kids who have fled unhappy homes where Friday left by choice; turned away money that would have set her on the right path.
It’s kind of refreshing for a young adult book to stay away from romantic love. It’s not that Friday doesn’t express any interest in dating, it’s just not a big part of her life. She’s still finding out who she is. Instead, Friday befriends Silence, a boy who doesn’t speak. Their bond is that of siblings within a wider family, one she doesn’t always feel she fits into.
The story goes from the big city out into Australia’s outback. Friday might never be street smart but she had grown up on the road with her mother. There’s little bits of everyday drama, details of things as simple as making dinner when you have little money to spare as well as moments of heartbreaking tragedy. I urge you to read it.
I honestly don’t know why more people aren’t talking about Vikki Wakefield; her writing is just a pleasure to read. Friday Brown feels like a quiet sort of tale, intimate in its telling but has big themes. Friday runs away from home after her mother’s death and ends up living in a squat. She’s set apart from the other kids who have fled unhappy homes where Friday left by choice; turned away money that would have set her on the right path.
It’s kind of refreshing for a young adult book to stay away from romantic love. It’s not that Friday doesn’t express any interest in dating, it’s just not a big part of her life. She’s still finding out who she is. Instead, Friday befriends Silence, a boy who doesn’t speak. Their bond is that of siblings within a wider family, one she doesn’t always feel she fits into.
The story goes from the big city out into Australia’s outback. Friday might never be street smart but she had grown up on the road with her mother. There’s little bits of everyday drama, details of things as simple as making dinner when you have little money to spare as well as moments of heartbreaking tragedy. I urge you to read it.
All Petri’s friends are on Glaze but she’s got to wait for her sixteenth birthday to get the chip. Her mother’s an ex-hacker genius who works for her “uncle” Max’s company; the very company who created and run the mega social network. She counting down the days until she matters as far as her peers are concerned. When a peaceful protest turns sour, Petri is identified as inciting violence, (she was just being sarcastic). Instead of a trial, she’s given a blank chip, a ban from accessing Glaze for another 5 years. In her eyes her life is over before it even began. But there is another option, one which means delving into the dangerous and illegal world of hackers.
Glaze is an action packed social commentary on both the positive and negative aspects of social media. So interesting to see some of our current behaviour brought out into the open and examined in this fictional world. The wealth of knowledge and support we have at our fingertips is amazing when you compare it to 20 years ago, imagine if it was all in your head, accessible with just a thought. Is limiting access to individual impeding on their civil rights? Are our happy social circles shielding us from other viewpoints, for better or for worse?
Not to mention the scary thought of what giant corporations could be doing with our data. At what point do you draw the line, especially if all you can see are personal benefits? In Glaze there is only one social network that matters, there isn’t any choice in the matter other than not joining. And not joining means being excluded, something many people already feel about Facebook today.
The hackers that Petri meets seems harmless at first. As the story progresses, it follows the fine line between doing something for the greater good and doing more harm than good. There are always two sides to the coin. Some have noble causes but others can threaten the systems we rely on so much. Sometimes it’s a bit of both.
One thing Petri cares about is her right to vote, to make sure there is a future for her generation. Her naivety is something that slowly wears off throughout the book. There’s a quote, that I have lost, which is about the true meaning of privilege, which struck a chord. I don’t think we are too far away from her world, which is frightening stuff. I loved every page.
Review copy provided by author.
Glaze is an action packed social commentary on both the positive and negative aspects of social media. So interesting to see some of our current behaviour brought out into the open and examined in this fictional world. The wealth of knowledge and support we have at our fingertips is amazing when you compare it to 20 years ago, imagine if it was all in your head, accessible with just a thought. Is limiting access to individual impeding on their civil rights? Are our happy social circles shielding us from other viewpoints, for better or for worse?
Not to mention the scary thought of what giant corporations could be doing with our data. At what point do you draw the line, especially if all you can see are personal benefits? In Glaze there is only one social network that matters, there isn’t any choice in the matter other than not joining. And not joining means being excluded, something many people already feel about Facebook today.
The hackers that Petri meets seems harmless at first. As the story progresses, it follows the fine line between doing something for the greater good and doing more harm than good. There are always two sides to the coin. Some have noble causes but others can threaten the systems we rely on so much. Sometimes it’s a bit of both.
One thing Petri cares about is her right to vote, to make sure there is a future for her generation. Her naivety is something that slowly wears off throughout the book. There’s a quote, that I have lost, which is about the true meaning of privilege, which struck a chord. I don’t think we are too far away from her world, which is frightening stuff. I loved every page.
Review copy provided by author.
Jean is a dancer in the corps. She knows she’ll never be good enough for principle, but she has her career ahead of her. She was the one who helped the great Arslan Rusakov defect from Russia, she loves him but she’s not good enough for him. Not a good enough dancer. There has always been one man who loved her, a man who will wait for her. Is it time to leave the ballet behind? And is she capable of turning her back on her life’s obsession?
Astonish Me is a tale of obsession and sacrifice told through evocative and expressive writing. The narrative flits back and forth between Joan’s time as a dancer and her time as a mother. But does she ever really leave her obsession behind? She teaches ballet and moulds a future generation of dancers. Is she just living her life through them?
At times it feels like it’s been written by a dancer. There is a lot of focus on the body, as a machine, a tool to dance with, separate from emotional needs. The characters feel quite distanced from reality, ballet and their bodies being the most important thing of all. It’s a tough choice for female dancers who wish for children but do not want to give up their passion. For these dancers, ballet is a passion, their life, and to give it up is to give up breathing. Although Joan appears to voluntarily step back, as the story unfolds, you see just how much hold ballet really has on her.
Perhaps this means the books will not appeal to those with no interest in ballet. The selfish drive of the characters is only put into context through the extremes of their world. The part about Russian defectors was an interesting piece of social history. They were driven so hard to be the best in the world but they wanted their freedom and they had to be smuggled out to the free world, given homes amongst the ballet companies.
The more I think about it, the more I like the book, although it feels very intense at the time. Harry’s path appears to be following his father’s and then veers off. It touches on the prejudice against male dancers but also on the hardships of all dancers going through puberty and not knowing if their bodies will be kind to them.
Elaine is held up as an example of what could have been for Joan. Although it is inferred that Elaine is the better dancer, had more potential, but she stays in the world whilst Joan is apart. Her story isn’t without sadness though but I liked her, more than the other characters. I felt she was more personable that a lot of the people in the industry would really be. The other characters are probably the norm.
Review copy provided by publisher.
Astonish Me is a tale of obsession and sacrifice told through evocative and expressive writing. The narrative flits back and forth between Joan’s time as a dancer and her time as a mother. But does she ever really leave her obsession behind? She teaches ballet and moulds a future generation of dancers. Is she just living her life through them?
At times it feels like it’s been written by a dancer. There is a lot of focus on the body, as a machine, a tool to dance with, separate from emotional needs. The characters feel quite distanced from reality, ballet and their bodies being the most important thing of all. It’s a tough choice for female dancers who wish for children but do not want to give up their passion. For these dancers, ballet is a passion, their life, and to give it up is to give up breathing. Although Joan appears to voluntarily step back, as the story unfolds, you see just how much hold ballet really has on her.
Perhaps this means the books will not appeal to those with no interest in ballet. The selfish drive of the characters is only put into context through the extremes of their world. The part about Russian defectors was an interesting piece of social history. They were driven so hard to be the best in the world but they wanted their freedom and they had to be smuggled out to the free world, given homes amongst the ballet companies.
The more I think about it, the more I like the book, although it feels very intense at the time. Harry’s path appears to be following his father’s and then veers off. It touches on the prejudice against male dancers but also on the hardships of all dancers going through puberty and not knowing if their bodies will be kind to them.
Elaine is held up as an example of what could have been for Joan. Although it is inferred that Elaine is the better dancer, had more potential, but she stays in the world whilst Joan is apart. Her story isn’t without sadness though but I liked her, more than the other characters. I felt she was more personable that a lot of the people in the industry would really be. The other characters are probably the norm.
Review copy provided by publisher.
Midnight, Texas is a small town and the residents have their secrets. Manfred’s new in town but is warmly welcomed, although he’s unsure about the man holding his hand under the diner table. He soon learns that one member of the community is missing, but no foul play is suspected. Well, not until the day the whole town goes on a picnic and finds something that definitely ruins the mood.
I love Charlaine’s idea for a new series. The town of Midnight is populated with minor characters from her other series. There’s been hints in the past that her books all exist in the same universe, with Lily Bard popping up in the Sookie Stackhouse mysteries. Although this universe contains vampires and witches, I like the idea that some people just don’t come into contact with them or bother thinking about them much.
Before going in, I was a bit anxious about spoilers for her other books. I have read Harper Connelly, Sookie and three of the Lily Bard books and want to read the Aurora Teagarden mysteries at some point. Midnight is a town of secrets, where people like to keep their business to themselves as much as they can. From the basis of what I’ve read, the only book spoiler I can think of would be for Shakespeare’s Champion, as Bobo’s past is discussed in a bit more detail. I guess any character that is in this book, obviously hasn’t been killed off or locked up, so you might want to put it aside if you’re new to Charlaine.
I recognised Manfred from the Harper books and was happy to see him as a more fleshed out character. However I did this his sudden and intense infatuation with Creek a little much. It skipped along the line of creepiness for me, even though he otherwise comes across as a nice young man. Arthur, the policeman from the Teagarden books, pops up but with a fairly minor role in this instalment (which gives me a chance to catch up on his native ground).
So Midnight has a bit of supernatural about it but overall, the tone felt just like Charlaine’s mysteries. The town has a small community feel with everyone pitching in and being friendly. Once they know you’re a good sort, that is. It’s a bit isolated and empty, but its site at the crossroads means enough people come through to keep life interesting. Oh and Mr Snuggly must be the best witch’s familiar ever. Just you wait… he’s the star of the show.
Review copy provided by publisher.
I love Charlaine’s idea for a new series. The town of Midnight is populated with minor characters from her other series. There’s been hints in the past that her books all exist in the same universe, with Lily Bard popping up in the Sookie Stackhouse mysteries. Although this universe contains vampires and witches, I like the idea that some people just don’t come into contact with them or bother thinking about them much.
Before going in, I was a bit anxious about spoilers for her other books. I have read Harper Connelly, Sookie and three of the Lily Bard books and want to read the Aurora Teagarden mysteries at some point. Midnight is a town of secrets, where people like to keep their business to themselves as much as they can. From the basis of what I’ve read, the only book spoiler I can think of would be for Shakespeare’s Champion, as Bobo’s past is discussed in a bit more detail. I guess any character that is in this book, obviously hasn’t been killed off or locked up, so you might want to put it aside if you’re new to Charlaine.
I recognised Manfred from the Harper books and was happy to see him as a more fleshed out character. However I did this his sudden and intense infatuation with Creek a little much. It skipped along the line of creepiness for me, even though he otherwise comes across as a nice young man. Arthur, the policeman from the Teagarden books, pops up but with a fairly minor role in this instalment (which gives me a chance to catch up on his native ground).
So Midnight has a bit of supernatural about it but overall, the tone felt just like Charlaine’s mysteries. The town has a small community feel with everyone pitching in and being friendly. Once they know you’re a good sort, that is. It’s a bit isolated and empty, but its site at the crossroads means enough people come through to keep life interesting. Oh and Mr Snuggly must be the best witch’s familiar ever. Just you wait… he’s the star of the show.
Review copy provided by publisher.
No Harm Can Come to a Good Man is another bleak vision of the near future from Mr Smythe, this time told through one man’s family. It’s a slow burn, the tension growing with one small event that snowballs out of control. The writing draws you in and I honestly started to feel anxious about these people. That’s a sign of good writing, when the characters become real enough to affect your emotions. So, maybe don’t read it when you’re feeling down, but do read it.
It just goes to show how much I love James Smythe’s style that I read this. Let’s face it, a political thriller isn’t really my thing. But like many of his books, it’s intimate and claustrophobic. The campaign for presidential candidate is a vehicle for what happens to Laurence and justifies the media interest. Laurence might not have started out as a character I would have empathised with but I felt for him by the end. There’s no justice or sympathy.
The story highlights the media circus surrounding presidential candidates and the incredible invasion of privacy they must face. Where do you draw the line between knowing the candidate is a good enough man to run the country and intruding on personal life?
There is a small science fiction aspect to this of course. The science of predictions; which is already a big thing in the US. How reliable are they and when does a prediction shape the future? The Walker family suffer a loss they are unlikely to recover from, but they can carry on their lives; can a computer really differentiate between those kinds of subtleties?
Review copy provided by publisher.
It just goes to show how much I love James Smythe’s style that I read this. Let’s face it, a political thriller isn’t really my thing. But like many of his books, it’s intimate and claustrophobic. The campaign for presidential candidate is a vehicle for what happens to Laurence and justifies the media interest. Laurence might not have started out as a character I would have empathised with but I felt for him by the end. There’s no justice or sympathy.
The story highlights the media circus surrounding presidential candidates and the incredible invasion of privacy they must face. Where do you draw the line between knowing the candidate is a good enough man to run the country and intruding on personal life?
There is a small science fiction aspect to this of course. The science of predictions; which is already a big thing in the US. How reliable are they and when does a prediction shape the future? The Walker family suffer a loss they are unlikely to recover from, but they can carry on their lives; can a computer really differentiate between those kinds of subtleties?
Review copy provided by publisher.
Tom’s girlfriend has left, but she hasn’t left him. At least that’s what the note she leaves behind for him says. Feeling confused and angry, Tom sets out to find out where she’s gone. His path leads him to a Holiday Inn Express and a group of people with an odd way of life.
I’ve loved Danny Wallace’s previous books, including his debut novel Charlotte Street, however I struggled to get into Who is Tom Ditto? There’s lots of wonderful little observations throughout the pages and trademark Wallace charm but the story was slow and maybe a bit too surreal for the realistic setting.
At times, it does sort of feel like something Danny might have done in real life, like his Join Me book. The group of people Tom finds like to follow people, to experience the lives of strangers. Some take it a bit too far, others just spend evenings eating and drinking the same things as their chosen target. It’s a way to break free from the routine of everyday life and add some spontaneity.
Tom’s story is broken up by snippets of what seems like a newspaper interview, with the man behind the following movement. These didn’t add much at all and just slowed the pace down. Tom is also a radio newsreader and a lot of the time is spent in the studio. His job actually provided some of the funnier moments but it just didn’t quite all mesh together. I did really like the escape of Binky though.
On a positive note, it’s refreshing to see a character suffering from depression where it’s not the main focus. He gets on with his life, even if he’s not fulfilled, he’s coping. Although it could be argued that the whole following thing was a symptom, a way of deflecting but I don’t think Tom got that into it. The distractions of new people did seem to help him.
Review copy provided by publisher.
I’ve loved Danny Wallace’s previous books, including his debut novel Charlotte Street, however I struggled to get into Who is Tom Ditto? There’s lots of wonderful little observations throughout the pages and trademark Wallace charm but the story was slow and maybe a bit too surreal for the realistic setting.
At times, it does sort of feel like something Danny might have done in real life, like his Join Me book. The group of people Tom finds like to follow people, to experience the lives of strangers. Some take it a bit too far, others just spend evenings eating and drinking the same things as their chosen target. It’s a way to break free from the routine of everyday life and add some spontaneity.
Tom’s story is broken up by snippets of what seems like a newspaper interview, with the man behind the following movement. These didn’t add much at all and just slowed the pace down. Tom is also a radio newsreader and a lot of the time is spent in the studio. His job actually provided some of the funnier moments but it just didn’t quite all mesh together. I did really like the escape of Binky though.
On a positive note, it’s refreshing to see a character suffering from depression where it’s not the main focus. He gets on with his life, even if he’s not fulfilled, he’s coping. Although it could be argued that the whole following thing was a symptom, a way of deflecting but I don’t think Tom got that into it. The distractions of new people did seem to help him.
Review copy provided by publisher.