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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
hopeful
informative
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
This is less a state of the nation novel from Coe and rather a personal ode to his mother and the years of change she would have witnessed. It is not without allusions to real life figures and events that have marred and scarred the British landscape as Coe uses the most important keystones of recent British history to furnish us with a further story or narrative about Mary, the fictive stand in for Coe’s mother, and her close family.
From VE Day 1945 to the 75th Anniversary of the same in 2020, we view episodes of these lives and how they are touched or even defined by the events of British history. The family dynamics and the background upon which they play out are immensely recognisable with grudges and irritations building over the years. The trauma of Lockdown is revisited in the latter stages of the book and the nightmare came back pretty vividly topped off with snippets of speeches from The Queen and Boris Johnson showing the way Britain lives in thrall to its past and traditions even with the transparency of how much Monarchy and Government truly mean.
On the whole, it isn’t a gripping or stirring book, but hugely readable in the style that Coe has honed over the years with realistic characters therein. Maybe one more for the Coe completists among us.
From VE Day 1945 to the 75th Anniversary of the same in 2020, we view episodes of these lives and how they are touched or even defined by the events of British history. The family dynamics and the background upon which they play out are immensely recognisable with grudges and irritations building over the years. The trauma of Lockdown is revisited in the latter stages of the book and the nightmare came back pretty vividly topped off with snippets of speeches from The Queen and Boris Johnson showing the way Britain lives in thrall to its past and traditions even with the transparency of how much Monarchy and Government truly mean.
On the whole, it isn’t a gripping or stirring book, but hugely readable in the style that Coe has honed over the years with realistic characters therein. Maybe one more for the Coe completists among us.
Charlie is a star! The book is very good on the silences of family life, what is allowed to be said and what not, and who gets to speak.
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really liked this one - the characters were interesting and realistic, even if I'd wanted to spend a bit more time with some of them (and some do appear in other books, I learned at the end). A very enjoyable read, as always with Coe.
A very entertaining and amusing attempt to write a novel about two of England's recent traumas, Covid and Brexit. It's mostly about our changing relationship with Europe over the last 75 years and how society and taboos have changed during this time. I'm not sure it irritated me too much but the reliance on the characters being in the orbit of critical moments in British history each chapter was very noticeable.
Horrifically cringe COVID references were the cherry on the top after reading about sucking cock to the sound of Princess Diana’s funeral. Absolutely do not recommend.
A beautiful potential that ultimately fell short. Read like modern day fiction but in the head of an elderly person grieving a different time. It could’ve been beautiful, or maybe it is. Definitely one to come back to but just not working for me now. 🖤
Characterisation just wasn’t there - didn’t care for them or the words I was reading
Wanted it to be more about the experiences and what it was like to live through set times
Wanted it to be more about the experiences and what it was like to live through set times