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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
Non saprei come parlarvi di questo romanzo, visto che ha più di un protagonista del quale seguiremo le vicende lungo un arco di tempo (da aprile 2010 a settembre 2018) abbastanza lungo. E, altra cosa, scopro che è il terzo di una trilogia (odio sempre leggere libri che non partano dal primo!).
A me ha colpito Benjamin, lo scrittore che non riesce a scrivere, anzi, in realtà scrive, e tanto, anzi, così tanto che dovranno tagliare moltissime parti del suo mattonazzo per poterglielo alla fine pubblicare. Oppure la vita di Sophie, nipote di Benjamin, che combatte con le difficoltà lavorative che tutti noi, alla sua età, abbiamo vissuto, vivendo in un periodo di incertezza e di precarietà.
Durante tutto il romanzo poi si discute spesso del referendum dove si potrà scegliere se il Regno Unito rimanga dentro o fuori dall'Unione Europea, la cosidetta Brexit.
Lo stile di scrittura di Jonathan Coe, prima opera che leggo di lui, mi è piaciuto: ha una buona tecnica, è scorrevole, pieno di umorismo inglese (che non piace a tutti, credo). Leggerò sicuramente altre sue opere.
A me ha colpito Benjamin, lo scrittore che non riesce a scrivere, anzi, in realtà scrive, e tanto, anzi, così tanto che dovranno tagliare moltissime parti del suo mattonazzo per poterglielo alla fine pubblicare. Oppure la vita di Sophie, nipote di Benjamin, che combatte con le difficoltà lavorative che tutti noi, alla sua età, abbiamo vissuto, vivendo in un periodo di incertezza e di precarietà.
Durante tutto il romanzo poi si discute spesso del referendum dove si potrà scegliere se il Regno Unito rimanga dentro o fuori dall'Unione Europea, la cosidetta Brexit.
Lo stile di scrittura di Jonathan Coe, prima opera che leggo di lui, mi è piaciuto: ha una buona tecnica, è scorrevole, pieno di umorismo inglese (che non piace a tutti, credo). Leggerò sicuramente altre sue opere.
I really should stop writing my reviews so late; as it is right now, I can hardly recall a thing about this book! First of all, I got it for Christmas from my Dad, who did not know that this was part 3 of a series. Poor Dad. But luckily, neither did I, nor did I notice it while reading! So that was great. Usually I absolutely hate reading books right from the middle (or in this case, even end...) of a series, because either read all of it and start from the beginning, as it is the PROPER way, or don't do it at all, right? BUT! This series is the ultimate exception. Because even though the book was quite a good and decent read, I have no interest whatsoever in reading the first two parts that lead to it. That's because I liked the novel mainly for its take on the whole Brexit debate, an issue that was so tangled at some point that personally, I eventually just gave up on even trying to understand the whole thing. But thanks to this book, I feel like a real Brexit expert now! Obviously that's an overstatement, but Coe managed - through the use of my favorite stilistic manners, sarcasm and black humor - to give a really comprehensive and pointed view about Brexit even to someone who's never been particularly interested in it (can I just brag though about how I always knew the Brits were going to vote for Brexit even when all of my friends told me I was being a pessimistic lunatic? Was a light in the tunnel in those dark times of 2016). So the educational aspect was great! The characters, on the other hand, not so much. They felt bland and uninspired, and even though you get to know them over the course of the book and get all the more involved with their stories, in the context of the whole novel it's just not enough. Even though that may result from it being part 3 of a series after all. At first I was really flabberghasted about the blurb stating that this was supposed to be a funny book; it felt infinitely boring and dry over the first half. Luckily, it really picked up some space the nearer we got to Brexit, and even though it was still very subtle and at times barely noticable, I at least managed to get one or two really good chuckles out of it. I do have to say that much of it was very try-hard and contrived, though, and that I'm maybe just not one for British humor after all. Now, what more can I say of the book...actually not much. And that's the problem with it. Even though I enjoyed the story well enough, it's kind of forgettable. I don't think I'll remember anything much more than Brexit and one of the female characters already cheating on her husband a few months into the marriage, which was just...uuuuugh...At first Ian (the husband) is portrayed as this really likable, funny guy, but as soon as after their first meeting (!) is over, all you get to know about him are his negative qualities, which makes you ask, why exactly did she even get married to him in the first place?!?! That was a major part I disliked about the book, even though I drew mayor enjoyment from the fact that Sophie made a fool of herself on so many levels later on in regards to the whole cheating-issue (not gonna lie, I did feel for her. BUT nobody asked her to get married to Ian in the first place, so YEAH). And that's already all I have to say about the book. I liked it, but I don't really remember much of it. I don't rule out a reread though, especially if I want to freshen up my Brexit understanding a bit. Not that there's much to understand - some people are crazy, and in a terrible way at that.
PS: Don't read the blurb if you don't want to get spoiled about the whole novel. Christ, that's the reason I stopped reading them and I'll stay far away from ALL THE BLURBS in the future, even with novels that I don't get the point of after being well into them already. It's always a mistake. Instead, they could've at least mentioned that it was part 3 of a series. Yes, I'm still salty.
PS2: How boring and absolutely useless was the character of Benjamin - like what was his point? So we all know how unbearable we are when we're just sulking around in self-pity and regrets about our past? I don't want to read about myself in literature, thank you very much.
PS3: Nigel was hands-down the best, funniest and nuanced character of this book. If only everyone had been as crazy as him, oh, what a different novel that would have been! (certainly an unforgettable one)
PS: Don't read the blurb if you don't want to get spoiled about the whole novel. Christ, that's the reason I stopped reading them and I'll stay far away from ALL THE BLURBS in the future, even with novels that I don't get the point of after being well into them already. It's always a mistake. Instead, they could've at least mentioned that it was part 3 of a series. Yes, I'm still salty.
PS2: How boring and absolutely useless was the character of Benjamin - like what was his point? So we all know how unbearable we are when we're just sulking around in self-pity and regrets about our past? I don't want to read about myself in literature, thank you very much.
PS3: Nigel was hands-down the best, funniest and nuanced character of this book. If only everyone had been as crazy as him, oh, what a different novel that would have been! (certainly an unforgettable one)
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is the Brexit novel I've been waiting for, and it did not disappoint. I enjoyed pretty much every word of it. Even though I no longer live in England, the 2016 Brexit vote made me feel as though I had lost my country. Undoubtedly it was wrong of me to hope for anything better from the vote, but I previously had this rosy view of England as a bastion of tolerance and rationality that had remained with me since I read Voltaire's Lettres Philosophiques at university.
Middle England expresses my fury far more coherently and rationally than I could ever hope to do myself. I am all in favour of echo chambers when they come in such a wonderful, well-written and engaging form.
Middle England expresses my fury far more coherently and rationally than I could ever hope to do myself. I am all in favour of echo chambers when they come in such a wonderful, well-written and engaging form.
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
this book was a dull slog. Boring characters uninteresting, lives and not even an interesting conclusion. There were some funny bits for sure but I was glad to be done.
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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