Scan barcode
thecriticalreader's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Review:
It’s easy to see why Monkey Grip by Helen Garner generated controversy upon its release in 1977: the novel dares the reader to judge its characters: urban bohemians who spend their days engaging in drug use, casual sex, and endless cycles of amateurish relationship drama. The main character, Nora, loves her daughter Gracie—but she places her own on-and-off relationship with a heroin addict, Javo, over her child’s needs and wants. To Nora, Gracie resembles a needy companion to be tended to in an abstract sort of way. The novel follows Nora in her endless situationship (to borrow an apt neologism) with Javo as she spends her days rotating through various drugs, communal living situations, and lovers.
Garner neither glamorizes nor condemns her characters and their lifestyle, opting for a straightforward prose style and realist lens that leaves the reader at a significant emotional distance from Nora and the other characters. Garner is not interested in explaining, defending, or contemplating the origins of her characters’ perspectives and situations. Nora remarks that “Nobody knows what I get out of Javo, or out of knowing him,” a sentiment that likely extends to the reader. That is not to say that Monkey Grip does not contain any thematic commentary. Garner repeatedly shows that within these free-living bohemian communities, the women end up performing the majority of the work—childcare, household chores, moneymaking, and emotional labor. They struggle against jealousy and catfighting despite their commitment to non-monogamy, and frequently end up ‘mothering’ the needy men in their lives. Seemingly aware of these patterns yet unwilling or unable to change them, Nora and the other women continue on with their lives.
While the emotional distance, cyclical plot, and slow pace are undoubtedly stylistic choices on the part of the author, there’s no denying that Monkey Grip can, at times, be something of a frustrating read. Whether Garner’s sharp, incisive prose and careful attention to detail make up for these qualities will depend on the reader.
The Run-Down:
You will probably like Monkey Grip if . . .
· You like realist, gritty literature about urban subcultures
· You are interested in reading a twentieth-century Australian classic that deals with themes of emotional alienation, feminism, and drug addiction
You might not like Monkey Grip if . . .
· You want to feel an emotional connection with a book’s characters
· You don’t like repetitive, slow-paced books that lack narrative momentum
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Sexism and Vomit
Minor: Abortion
More...