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astridrv's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Short, gripping book about a dad living through the radicalisation of his son.
I remember a time, about ten years ago, when I first encountered the existence of the Front National and thought the real enemies were the people voting for her ("one person can be stupid and hateful, but if you are stupid enough to be convinced by her, you're the problem"). Of course, since, I have learned many things about the rampant disease of the far right. We know, we have known for decades, how and why people would vote for these parties. The perils of awakening these fears are well documented, and calling upon them for personal gain and pursuit of power is one of the most heinous acts one can do to humans and humanity. This story is about the rifts, senseless violence, hate, silences that pave the way of those sinking into these fears.
I have thought: I don't agree with this narrator. He could do more, he should do more. He's mixing up power dynamics, he's not angry enough, not constructive enough, not active enough. It's not all down to being at the wrong place at the wrong time. All the thoughts you can easily have when sitting on your couch reading about not-your-son. But this life was real, I think, and as someone who's always been at the right place at the right time, maybe I should shut the fuck up and listen.
The first half sometimes felt a bit artificial, gimmicky, down to linguistic choices. Even in the second half, the broad lines of the story are nothing special. But the book works, I have to admit, since it left me sobbing three times in less than 200 pages. It made me stop for a second, look into this "nothing special" story, take each hit with these men, wonder how we can heal in a world of "nothing special" lives broken over and over again. With just enough tenderness, it punched me in the gut.
Going back to listening to Petit Bonhomme by Wriggles.
I remember a time, about ten years ago, when I first encountered the existence of the Front National and thought the real enemies were the people voting for her ("one person can be stupid and hateful, but if you are stupid enough to be convinced by her, you're the problem"). Of course, since, I have learned many things about the rampant disease of the far right. We know, we have known for decades, how and why people would vote for these parties. The perils of awakening these fears are well documented, and calling upon them for personal gain and pursuit of power is one of the most heinous acts one can do to humans and humanity. This story is about the rifts, senseless violence, hate, silences that pave the way of those sinking into these fears.
I have thought: I don't agree with this narrator. He could do more, he should do more. He's mixing up power dynamics, he's not angry enough, not constructive enough, not active enough. It's not all down to being at the wrong place at the wrong time. All the thoughts you can easily have when sitting on your couch reading about not-your-son. But this life was real, I think, and as someone who's always been at the right place at the right time, maybe I should shut the fuck up and listen.
The first half sometimes felt a bit artificial, gimmicky, down to linguistic choices. Even in the second half, the broad lines of the story are nothing special. But the book works, I have to admit, since it left me sobbing three times in less than 200 pages. It made me stop for a second, look into this "nothing special" story, take each hit with these men, wonder how we can heal in a world of "nothing special" lives broken over and over again. With just enough tenderness, it punched me in the gut.
Going back to listening to Petit Bonhomme by Wriggles.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Hate crime
Minor: Abortion, Cancer, Suicide, and Xenophobia
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