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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
The best book I've read all year - and one of the best in several years. Evokes Irving, Heller and Roth in her dark humor, awkward sexual escapades, and compassion for very flawed human beings. The transformation of the lead character from schmuck to generous, helpful soul is deft, and the side investigation into the mind of Nixon does not feel like a distraction.
This book grabs you and pulls you in to a story that is wonderfully crafted and full of dark humor. The book opens at George Silver's house for Thanksgiving dinner. George's family is depicted as disconnected. George's wife Jane is running around serving, cleaning and trying to create an image of perfection. The children, Nate and Ashley, are completely checked out on phones and playing games while televisions are on throughout the house. Harry Silver (George's older brother) is openly hit on by Jane while cleaning up from dinner and the story of dysfunction and relationships is off and running. A few months later when George's unpredictable behavior lands him incarcerated and Harry is left guardian of the children the real story of living and life begins.
As the book unfolds each character is put in positions that could be a farce but Homes seems to be able to push it to the edge and then tie it back to reality. Homes depicts three different children introduced as special needs who emerge as bright and thoughtful. They were each deeply touched by events beyond their control. Harry is initially a boring (if not weak) man living a normal, repetitive life he doesn't even realize is devoid of all that truly matters until what matters is thrust at him. Homes uses dark humor and some satire to effectively display what is lacking in her character's lives. As a reader you get it because you can easily see how so many basic human interactions are lacking in the digital age. Through far fetched events and wild encounters Harry discovers life and love and family and so do those around him.
It's a book that ends in a much different place than it starts. In a hopeful and warm place and despite the wild ride you believe that it could be and more importantly you wanted it to be. I will definitely look at previous books by Homes for future reading.
As the book unfolds each character is put in positions that could be a farce but Homes seems to be able to push it to the edge and then tie it back to reality. Homes depicts three different children introduced as special needs who emerge as bright and thoughtful. They were each deeply touched by events beyond their control. Harry is initially a boring (if not weak) man living a normal, repetitive life he doesn't even realize is devoid of all that truly matters until what matters is thrust at him. Homes uses dark humor and some satire to effectively display what is lacking in her character's lives. As a reader you get it because you can easily see how so many basic human interactions are lacking in the digital age. Through far fetched events and wild encounters Harry discovers life and love and family and so do those around him.
It's a book that ends in a much different place than it starts. In a hopeful and warm place and despite the wild ride you believe that it could be and more importantly you wanted it to be. I will definitely look at previous books by Homes for future reading.
Yes to the clever, snappy dialogue and yes it's a roller coaster of a plot. But in the end, for me, the self discovery of the narrator is too far -fetched. It rendered him oddly feminine.
Fantastically well written. Laugh out loud dark comedy. This book was different from anything I have read.
When you think his luck can't get any worse another amazingly bad episode unravels.
This story is a journey of self discovery. How sometimes your life needs to be completely broken in order to see
the pieces actually belong together differently. Through the pain and change boure a better life. A reality that things
And experiences are made to be shared.
I enjoyed the story and the excellent comedic style. I gave the book 4 stars because I'm not sure I enjoyed all the frivolous
sexual content. It was also a bit long and some of the content although definitely readable seemed out of place.
When you think his luck can't get any worse another amazingly bad episode unravels.
This story is a journey of self discovery. How sometimes your life needs to be completely broken in order to see
the pieces actually belong together differently. Through the pain and change boure a better life. A reality that things
And experiences are made to be shared.
I enjoyed the story and the excellent comedic style. I gave the book 4 stars because I'm not sure I enjoyed all the frivolous
sexual content. It was also a bit long and some of the content although definitely readable seemed out of place.
For about 350 pages I absolutely did not expect this to be more than about a 3.25. I also did not expect to be crying on page 475. But I was.
Loved this book. Funny in places, thought provoking throughout. Like "This Book Will Change Your Life", it really does make you think about the way we live today and the choices we make.
I did enjoy, although, as others have remarked, it seems a little random at times. Long though, which is a good thing.
You know what CocoChanel said about jewelry: before you leave the house look in the mirror and take at least one piece off. The same could be applied to this book. It had a lot to say about redemption and forgiveness and family, but at least two of the plotlines could have been scaled back and it would have made the message much more powerful.
This book is wild in a seemingly unsustainable way - it starts out unrelentingly dark and doesn't let up for a good while, moving rapidly to the absurd, and then morbid hilarity. But then out of nowhere it's suddenly moving. This won't be for everyone but was unexpectedly a really satisfying read for me.