Never Mind – Edward St. Aubyn

”I just have to get rid of this piece of glass,' said Anne. 'I guess something broke here earlier?'
'It was me,' said Patrick.”

This book killed me, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be quite the same again. The story of Patrick Melrose is not a pleasant one, but it is so pleasantly told that I don’t think I have the words to adequately sum it up. I think this is one of the best books I will ever read.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

You might like this book if you: enjoy a dark (but still at times funny) story!
*please check content warnings – some very intense subject matter in this one!!!*

hollasan's review against another edition

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5.0

people are mean.

becka6131's review against another edition

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5.0

This has such a remarkably self-assured prose style and manages to so successfully combine comedy, tragedy and wit that I'm glad I finally read it to see what all the fuss is about. If I had the second book in my hands right now, I'd start it immediately. Extraordinary.

extemporalli's review against another edition

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5.0

should come with all the content warnings, but if you can withstand that, obviously a masterpiece

ronanmcd's review against another edition

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5.0

An absolute rocket of a book. This is a collection of the most odious characters with no redeeiming features to any of them. And so readable as a result, apart the central episode which is a deeply unsettling read.
But overall what a well observed lance through the mores, perceptions, rites and so on of English Society (capital S old chap).

carolinavpinto's review against another edition

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dark sad tense medium-paced

5.0

bawling...

anastlesia's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

frasersimons's review

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challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

All of these people are varying degrees of bad. From slightly narcissistic to irredeemable and vile. However, the strange, almost Pushing Daisies-esk quality to the narration. Spinning a yarn, but it’s biting and unwilling to let the characters off the hook. Which is good, considering what happens to Patrick Melrose in this book at the age of 5.

It won’t be for everyone. It’s traumatic, and looks to be teeing up Patrick’s future in a way that probably examines the trauma cycle. This is particular to my interests and the voice and prose is really well done, so it was for me, but I can see why probably most people wouldn’t be interested in it. I think it will only be more interesting when it moved past his childhood. We’ll see what happens.

Content Warnings

caroparr's review against another edition

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3.0

A day and a half in the life of five-year-old Patrick and his hideous parents and their hangers-on. Witty, wicked, perceptive. Every other line of dialogue contains an aperçu worthy of Oscar Wilde, and the child abuse is horrific. You have been warned.

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