Scan barcode
deanna_rigney's review against another edition
3.0
Dysfunctional British family goes through upheaval and realizations in this amusing and witty book. It starts a bit slow and dry, but it does get better. It wraps up a little too nice and neatly, but is pretty good overall. Haddon hasn’t wowed me yet, but much like Nick Hornby, I really like his wit and voice.
chelseaviolet's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I read this because I liked his other work but it felt like a worse version of The Curious Incident. The characters simply didn't ring true and were hard to relate to. I wanted to like this, I really did. I didn’t hate it, but after 500 pages about some fairly awful people and a very meh ending, I wouldn’t recommend it either.
kkonda's review against another edition
3.0
Very different from "A Curious Incident..." I suppose to let Haddon flex his writerly skills, but personally I thought a few of the characters fell flat. George, the father of the family, goes crazy but Haddon neither makes it relatable, like his autistic character in the aforesaid book, nor highly entertaining. However, I loved the characters of the grown children. It was very plot-driven and while not hard to put down, I definitely read more than I intended to before bedtime. A decent read, not so great that if you're pressed for time I'd recommend, but a solid time-filler for bookworms.
ilegnealle's review against another edition
3.0
3,5 stars, I think?
At first, this book made me sad, and not in a good way. But over time, some of the characters really grew on me and I actually found it funny eventually. There were some kind of uncomfortable moments, but in general, I found myself really wanting to finish this book. I do think that it's kind of too long, though.
At first, this book made me sad, and not in a good way. But over time, some of the characters really grew on me and I actually found it funny eventually. There were some kind of uncomfortable moments, but in general, I found myself really wanting to finish this book. I do think that it's kind of too long, though.
jacksontibet's review against another edition
4.0
Glad to see that Mark Haddon is not a one trick pony, as this book stands up to par with the Curious Incident. While it's only downside could be that it revels in the whole "aren't all families dysfunctional that's why they're normal but love conquers all" genre (is that a genre?), it does it so strangely and hilariously that it's easy to overlook. None of the characters are likeable, per se, but they're all stunningly rendered in dram/com turbulence that makes their problems and lives completely relateable yet strikingly realistic. The gay son, the bitchy daughter, the hypocritically proper mum, and the distant-and-fading-after-retirement father have been done before, but rarely this well. Plus, it's British, so they say things like loo and nappy.