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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
An extremely enjoyable read. Interesting descriptions of the “anger” and sense of loss caused by economic and social change that spawned Brexit (Trump, Hanson, Lambie etc) and the culture warriors intent on sustaining those sentiments for their own ends. Plausible, even recognisable, characters, well built and mostly likeable. There are few books I’ve deliberately slowed my pace in reading because I’m finding them so enjoyable but I did with this one. I look forward to reading more by this author. Thanks Rosie!
Ho letto middle England con il vago ricordo o pregiudizio che Jonathan Coe non mi piacesse. L'ho letto senza sapere che fosse il terzo libro della Banda dei Brocchi.
Eppure è un libro che sta in piedi con la proprie gambe. Ed è un bel libro.
Sono riuscita a voler bene ai personaggi senza averli conosciuti da giovani. E sono personaggi con cui passeresti volentieri tutte le sere.
In più senti parlare di brexit da chi ci si è trovato davvero in mezzo e ha gli strumenti per farlo bene.
E ancora di più, senti parlare del politically-correct in maniera non necessariamente politically-correct ;)
Da leggere.
Eppure è un libro che sta in piedi con la proprie gambe. Ed è un bel libro.
Sono riuscita a voler bene ai personaggi senza averli conosciuti da giovani. E sono personaggi con cui passeresti volentieri tutte le sere.
In più senti parlare di brexit da chi ci si è trovato davvero in mezzo e ha gli strumenti per farlo bene.
E ancora di più, senti parlare del politically-correct in maniera non necessariamente politically-correct ;)
Da leggere.
informative
reflective
sad
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:
No
it has been a while since I visited the world of Benjamin Trotter but i did not really need to remember the plot twist of the previous books to enjoy this novel of England between 2010 and 2018 as Jonathan Coe through the lives of Benjamin and his family brings his comic pen to the story of a country that descended in a place of division and intolerance.
The book starts as the 2010 election ushers in a coalition government after 13 years of Labour rule and moves chapter by chapter up to the 2016 Brexit vote. Coe uses the characters to show how a general mistrust of politicians post the financial collapse quickly changes into suspicion of anyone who does not fit the perception of Englishness which unfortunately inevitably is determined by a perception of race.
There are some well done set pieces such as the characters watching the 2012 Olympics, Benjamin and his father trying to find the old car works where his father was shop steward, sexual misadventures. The characters are ordinary people and their views believable , reflecting views expressed throughout the campaign of 2016 which perhaps makes this book even more sad in that as a reader you wonder how the country had descended to its current state.
As with any good satire this is a bitter sweet comedy which is a timely state of the nation story and I will be revisiting The Rotter's club very soon.
The book starts as the 2010 election ushers in a coalition government after 13 years of Labour rule and moves chapter by chapter up to the 2016 Brexit vote. Coe uses the characters to show how a general mistrust of politicians post the financial collapse quickly changes into suspicion of anyone who does not fit the perception of Englishness which unfortunately inevitably is determined by a perception of race.
There are some well done set pieces such as the characters watching the 2012 Olympics, Benjamin and his father trying to find the old car works where his father was shop steward, sexual misadventures. The characters are ordinary people and their views believable , reflecting views expressed throughout the campaign of 2016 which perhaps makes this book even more sad in that as a reader you wonder how the country had descended to its current state.
As with any good satire this is a bitter sweet comedy which is a timely state of the nation story and I will be revisiting The Rotter's club very soon.
lighthearted
relaxing
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
I have to say tit to move here was nothing really awful about this book but neither did it really take flight. There were times when i just wanted it to drag me in. The characters were for the most part soulless. Should i have read the other books that the author says are loosely aligned? I am not sure if I could have got through all three if this is what i would have got.
challenging
funny
informative
slow-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
Fin og meget underholdende roman om England for meget lidt siden - men alligevel så anderledes.
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes