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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
The Rotter’s club has bumbled into middle age in middle England. While the country is upheaved by Brexit, Doug finds he has become estranged from the values of his youth,and his daughter. Benjamin learns to accept his failures (and successes). Louis barely makes an appearance at all. Middle England is easy to read but lacks the spark of Coe’s earlier novels. Ironically, it’s full of the moral preachiness that it’s characters decry.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
I listened to the audiobook of this through my library's app.
Told to a backdrop of the political landscape leading to, and following the referendum, Middle England followed a collection of people navigating changes in their lives.
There were a lot of characters to keep tabs on (perhaps if I'd have been reading it, it would have been less "hang on, who was he again?") but it was a great read. I'm sure I'm not the only one left wishing they lived in a massive house on the river following reading this book.
Told to a backdrop of the political landscape leading to, and following the referendum, Middle England followed a collection of people navigating changes in their lives.
There were a lot of characters to keep tabs on (perhaps if I'd have been reading it, it would have been less "hang on, who was he again?") but it was a great read. I'm sure I'm not the only one left wishing they lived in a massive house on the river following reading this book.
New to Jonathon Coe, I initially found sone of the characters to be lazy stereotypes, mouthpieces for received Brexit views, effectively lampooned. It was a therapist who reminded us that the disagreements run deep because they concern a gulf in values rather than mere opinions. But there was a weight and development to the principals and it didn’t matter that they were making reappearances, likeable enough that I’ll be seeking out the earlier volumes. Amusing and thought provoking, and not just about the Brexit debacle.
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hard to decide if this is 3 or 4 stars, I did enjoy it but it does rely on the whole brexit political situation for structure and that can get a bit tedious in parts. I haven’t read the other books in this series, but I probably will at some point. I enjoyed the writing, and it’s an easy read with enough to keep you interested. It was perfect for a plane trip.
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I absolutely loved this book. I've read other Jonathan Coes, but not the first two in this trilogy, which I didn't find affected my experience at all. I found myself feeling immense empathy for us, the British, and particularly the English, having had nigh on ten years of political upheaval and societal confusion parcelled up so eloquently in this book. I was bought to tears on a couple of occasions, and found it extraordinarily moving.
emotional
slow-paced
I enjoyed this follow up to The Rotters Club, particularly its references to my hometown of Birmingham and its surroundings. The characters, now in their 60s with grown children, navigate a Britain divided by Brexit and the associated differences of opinion. Coe does well to portray both sides fairly equally, though with probably more sympathy for the Remainers. He weaves in lots of the major news stories from the period, from celebrity deaths to the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, and uses these to demonstrate pivotal moments in the changing socio-political landscape. At times it feels a bit like a "Year in Review" newspaper magazine feature, and occassionally the characters feel more like predictable caricatures used to make a point, rather than fully formed individuals. But an enjoyable, easy read nonetheless.