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rosiejordansmith's review
3.0
Just as well written as the first, perhaps not quite as witty - but a lot of that came from David’s character in the first novel. Really quick read also.
aviva28's review
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use and Drug abuse
sdownsy's review
2.0
A disappointment after the first Patrick Melrose novel, although it still had its moments. Perhaps the next will be better.
jaymoran's review
4.0
What did it mean that he was about to see his father’s corpse? What was it meant to mean? He hovered in the doorway. His father’s head was lying towards him and he could not yet see the face, just the grey curls of his hair. They had covered the body with tissue paper. It lay in the coffin, like a present someone had put down halfway through unwrapping.
“It’s Dad!” muttered Patrick incredulously, clasping his hands together and turning to an imaginary friend. “You shouldn’t have!”
It’s very hard to judge the Melrose books individually; I would say they’re probably better read as one whole...but I always find I need a little break from Patrick. I really love the books—the prose is delicately beautiful, not oversaturated or overly glossy, and I am captivated by Patrick’s story. I just find them a little too heavy to read in one gulp.
Bad News introduces us to Patrick as an adult whose body is populated with practically every single drug in existence. His cruel father, who has cast a damning shadow over Patrick’s life, has died and we follow Patrick as he collects the remains and stuffs himself with drugs, and that’s pretty much it.
Patrick himself isn’t the most likeable but you can’t help but feel for him, and I’m definitely invested in this story—I just need a little break in between each volume.
“It’s Dad!” muttered Patrick incredulously, clasping his hands together and turning to an imaginary friend. “You shouldn’t have!”
It’s very hard to judge the Melrose books individually; I would say they’re probably better read as one whole...but I always find I need a little break from Patrick. I really love the books—the prose is delicately beautiful, not oversaturated or overly glossy, and I am captivated by Patrick’s story. I just find them a little too heavy to read in one gulp.
Bad News introduces us to Patrick as an adult whose body is populated with practically every single drug in existence. His cruel father, who has cast a damning shadow over Patrick’s life, has died and we follow Patrick as he collects the remains and stuffs himself with drugs, and that’s pretty much it.
Patrick himself isn’t the most likeable but you can’t help but feel for him, and I’m definitely invested in this story—I just need a little break in between each volume.
lostinthelibrary's review
3.0
I still find this series well written and like its slice of life style. But woah its a downer. Oh and descriptions of intravenous drug use make me queasy. A quick read though so I will persevere with this series.
reggikko's review
4.0
The second installment of the Patrick Melrose novels picks up when Patrick, who was 5 years old in Never Mind, is a 22-year old junkie in New York to collect the ashes of his abusive father. Patrick has grown up to be a not very likeable young man and his self-destructiveness is difficult to read. St Aubyn's writing--with the exception of one nearly incoherent chapter--is still top-notch, though this book is even more bleak than the first. There are a few Waugh-like comedic scenes, but the overall tone is very, very dark and rather heartbreaking.
jennicakes's review
2.0
2.5 stars. Not bad enough to put my off the series, because it wasn't bad, so much as it was almost entirely about heroin. I know now that all of these novels take place in a one-day period, which I admire in theory, but I had a hard time getting into Heroin Day. It's actually weird that this book is not called "Heroin Day," but I guess then all the cocaine would feel left out.
chursh's review
3.0
About drug abuse/addiction. The boy who was sexually abused by his father grows into a young man who abuses drugs. This book presents his life, in the wake of his father's death.