Scan barcode
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
I thought at first this was five separate short stories, but I soon worked out that each of the five contains at least one of the characters from the previous segments, and they actually work together to portray a lifetime’s-worth of scenes and incidents of various members of a couple of connected families.
From a girl’s childhood experience in an old cathedral, to an ageing singer’s attempt at a TV comeback, we hear the tale of a man’s desperate obsession with a beautiful childhood memory, enjoy the humour of a police case investigating murders of comedians, and a final story set in the upper class world of dog-walking and nannies.
There are connections, and the number Eleven appears in each, for some it’s a fleeting appearance, for others it holds more significance. I spent time pondering on the title – what DOES it mean, when it means so little in some of these stories? I came to the conclusion that it’s possibly to show that little things connect us, that coincidences exist and happen all the time, that insignificant things can play a bigger role later, when we’re not expecting it.
It’s hard to jump from one story to the next, with a nearly-all-different set of characters and settings, but I got used to this fairly easily as each story has a genre and interest all of its own. I enjoyed seeing characters recurring at later times in their lives, it felt like ‘catching up’ with them after the events I’d read earlier.
The final story was the only one to puzzle me, I wasn’t sure where Coe was taking the reader, the genre veered around a few times and I’m still not sure I agree with his ending, it felt so out-of-step with everything that had gone before.
But I did relish reading what felt like short stories but were actually vignettes in the lives of a few connected friends. My favourite parts were those with a hideous journalist, two very different policemen (and their nicknames), the story of an old film, and the glimpse into the lives of the uber-rich and their homes.
Not a straightforward read by any means, it’s no thriller (though the police segment is pretty hilarious and also contains a murder story) but is a really enjoyable read and a breath of fresh air to see snatches from a person’s life, and their growing connections with a series of others.
You’ll think and concentrate, and hopefully enjoy it as much as I did. Definitely a good discussion choice for reading groups.
From a girl’s childhood experience in an old cathedral, to an ageing singer’s attempt at a TV comeback, we hear the tale of a man’s desperate obsession with a beautiful childhood memory, enjoy the humour of a police case investigating murders of comedians, and a final story set in the upper class world of dog-walking and nannies.
There are connections, and the number Eleven appears in each, for some it’s a fleeting appearance, for others it holds more significance. I spent time pondering on the title – what DOES it mean, when it means so little in some of these stories? I came to the conclusion that it’s possibly to show that little things connect us, that coincidences exist and happen all the time, that insignificant things can play a bigger role later, when we’re not expecting it.
It’s hard to jump from one story to the next, with a nearly-all-different set of characters and settings, but I got used to this fairly easily as each story has a genre and interest all of its own. I enjoyed seeing characters recurring at later times in their lives, it felt like ‘catching up’ with them after the events I’d read earlier.
The final story was the only one to puzzle me, I wasn’t sure where Coe was taking the reader, the genre veered around a few times and I’m still not sure I agree with his ending, it felt so out-of-step with everything that had gone before.
But I did relish reading what felt like short stories but were actually vignettes in the lives of a few connected friends. My favourite parts were those with a hideous journalist, two very different policemen (and their nicknames), the story of an old film, and the glimpse into the lives of the uber-rich and their homes.
Not a straightforward read by any means, it’s no thriller (though the police segment is pretty hilarious and also contains a murder story) but is a really enjoyable read and a breath of fresh air to see snatches from a person’s life, and their growing connections with a series of others.
You’ll think and concentrate, and hopefully enjoy it as much as I did. Definitely a good discussion choice for reading groups.
darllenydd's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
h4nn4's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lucieloureads's review
5.0
Loved the interwinding stories with a tinge of unreality creeping into the everyday occurrences of the characters.
periklis's review
3.0
Quite enjoyable, but perhaps not thrilling. It narrates its story through five, loosely connected chapters. Full of Coe's political preoccupations about social injustice, and the question of monetising, normally immeasurable, values.
In my view, it pales in comparison to its prequel, but matching up to the standard of such a brilliant book as the "What a carve-up!" is no trivial feat.
The humour in the chapter introducing PC Pilbeam was just brilliant!
...But maybe I am being unfair- just because I didn't find the old Coe that I was looking for, this is not to say that this has not been a great book! There are so many different styles in this book, the satire is followed by melancholy and this by a terror spoof. Number 11 is majestically weaved into the story to expose the decadence of modern Britain...
In my view, it pales in comparison to its prequel, but matching up to the standard of such a brilliant book as the "What a carve-up!" is no trivial feat.
The humour in the chapter introducing PC Pilbeam was just brilliant!
...But maybe I am being unfair- just because I didn't find the old Coe that I was looking for, this is not to say that this has not been a great book! There are so many different styles in this book, the satire is followed by melancholy and this by a terror spoof. Number 11 is majestically weaved into the story to expose the decadence of modern Britain...
tancrni's review
4.0
Numero 11 più che un vero e proprio sequel de La Famiglia Winshaw rappresenta una concatenazione di vicende avvenute tra gli anni 2003 e 2015 in Inghilterra tessuta secondo la tradizione simil-calviniana del capolavoro di Jonathan Coe. Il libro presenta vari riferimenti a La Famiglia Winshaw, tuttavia non è necessario aver letto quest'ultimo per comprendere gli eventi narrati, anche se è comunque consigliabile.
Numero 11 è scritto in maniera impeccabile, si legge in un batter d'occhio e presenta una serie di tematiche politico-sociali già sviluppate in altri romanzi di Coe quali La Pioggia Prima che Cada, Circolo Chiuso e La Casa del Sonno. È capace di essere comico e dissacrante in alcuni punti, malinconico e amareggiato in altri, il tutto immerso in un'atmosfera da thriller con ampi riferimenti cinematografici (come ogni romanzo di Coe che si rispetti). Merito in particolare di questo ultimo romanzo è riuscire a descrivere in maniera molto fedele, verosimile e toccante il modo in cui l'uomo degli anni 2010 vive, come i social e i reality show sono entrati nelle nostre vite e come possono avere voce in capitolo sulle nostre ambizioni e sui nostri sogni.
Dopo l'insipido e semi-deludente Expo 58, Numero 11 rappresenta un ritorno in grande stile, un libro da togliere il fiato e intriso di emozioni intense, in cui potranno immedesimarsi coloro che non hanno saputo ancora adattarsi alla società tecnologica – da una parte – e alla negazione del welfare – dall'altra –, ma che porteranno a riflettere persino il più conforme degli uomini del XXI secolo.
Numero 11 è scritto in maniera impeccabile, si legge in un batter d'occhio e presenta una serie di tematiche politico-sociali già sviluppate in altri romanzi di Coe quali La Pioggia Prima che Cada, Circolo Chiuso e La Casa del Sonno. È capace di essere comico e dissacrante in alcuni punti, malinconico e amareggiato in altri, il tutto immerso in un'atmosfera da thriller con ampi riferimenti cinematografici (come ogni romanzo di Coe che si rispetti). Merito in particolare di questo ultimo romanzo è riuscire a descrivere in maniera molto fedele, verosimile e toccante il modo in cui l'uomo degli anni 2010 vive, come i social e i reality show sono entrati nelle nostre vite e come possono avere voce in capitolo sulle nostre ambizioni e sui nostri sogni.
Dopo l'insipido e semi-deludente Expo 58, Numero 11 rappresenta un ritorno in grande stile, un libro da togliere il fiato e intriso di emozioni intense, in cui potranno immedesimarsi coloro che non hanno saputo ancora adattarsi alla società tecnologica – da una parte – e alla negazione del welfare – dall'altra –, ma che porteranno a riflettere persino il più conforme degli uomini del XXI secolo.
the_old_gray_cat's review
3.0
Jonathan Coe's "The House of Sleep" is my favorite book, and I love others of his earlier work (The Dwarves of Death, The Rotters' Club, The Winshaw Legacy aka What a Carve-up!). I've found that since his huge success with the Rotters' Club and its sequel (and then later another sequel), his writing has not been the same. This is not unique to Coe; many authors will write books which win so many prizes and accolades, and then their writing thereafter is never as good again. Some of his books are overly ponderous and trying to be important. Others are revisiting his old work and trying to add on to it. This book is in the second category, expanding upon minor characters and themes from The Winshaw Legacy (What a Carve -up! outside the U.S.).
I enjoyed reading it, but it's a disjointed book. Coe never goes back to revisit characters who seem very important, and he never ties up various bits of plot. And with the ending (no spoilers here), he just seems to run amok for a few pages, as though he were tired of writing this novel, had no good ideas for how to end it, and then decided "what the hell, let's just get this over with."
Jonathan Coe shall forever be one of my favorite authors, but my expectations for him are very low nowadays. I just treasure his earlier work.
I enjoyed reading it, but it's a disjointed book. Coe never goes back to revisit characters who seem very important, and he never ties up various bits of plot. And with the ending (no spoilers here), he just seems to run amok for a few pages, as though he were tired of writing this novel, had no good ideas for how to end it, and then decided "what the hell, let's just get this over with."
Jonathan Coe shall forever be one of my favorite authors, but my expectations for him are very low nowadays. I just treasure his earlier work.
tucholsky's review
3.0
not bad not more than ok. a few good lines. perhaps too much chaterati or hampstead labour club opinions for me.
kelbi's review
3.0
One of the weirdest books I’ve read for a while. No idea how to describe it. In fact I’m not even sure what it was about. I’ve rated it at three stars but not sure if I mean that. It held my attention anyway