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A review by katykelly
Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny
5.0
Sharp, sly and darkly funny portrait of an extended ‘family’.
Heiny doesn't make her books or characters easy to describe. Which is certainly no bad thing. I love her writing, her insanely batty creations, her slow but fascinating stories that are both sad and hilarious. But I'm still having trouble putting into words exactly what the book is about or who the characters are.
I could let Duncan speak for me though:
"'I'm sorry but how is it possible that you don't remember having sex with me after a Grateful Dead concert in nineteen ninety-four?' Duncan looked up from his plate. 'I went to thirteen Grateful Dead concerts in nineteen ninety-four. Could you be more specific?'"
Jane immediately feels an attraction to Duncan, even though, as she soon discovers, he has slept with almost every adult female in the area, all of whom still seem to remember him. His ex-wife even has him round regularly doing chores. Their relationship is a shared one, with Duncan never committing but always attentive and loving. But Jane finds it hard being with a man whose protege, the childlike Jimmy, is forever on the scene. Whose attractive ex-wife still phones up for help.
The story takes in years of their winding story, and it's such a pleasurable trek alongside a group of varied, memorable and often utterly nuts characters. I loved that Duncan's extended menagerie of acquaintances includes the vulnerable and "simpleminded" Jimmy, who walks in on 'intimate couple' scenes and amicably asks questions about work. My favourite though is Gary, Duncan's ex-wife's new partner. The man who dislikes everything, must be catered for at all times, and is so indubitably unattractive that it's hysterical.
"'You know as well as I do that Gary doesn't like to be alone after dark,' Duncan said, 'He says the toilet whispers.'"
An absolute joy of characterisation and of intertwined lives. There may be frustration and antagonism, but there is also a developing sense of care and family. I loved this. Loved Standard Deviation and its protagonist, but this ensemble piece is mature writing and utterly fantastic storytelling.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
Heiny doesn't make her books or characters easy to describe. Which is certainly no bad thing. I love her writing, her insanely batty creations, her slow but fascinating stories that are both sad and hilarious. But I'm still having trouble putting into words exactly what the book is about or who the characters are.
I could let Duncan speak for me though:
"'I'm sorry but how is it possible that you don't remember having sex with me after a Grateful Dead concert in nineteen ninety-four?' Duncan looked up from his plate. 'I went to thirteen Grateful Dead concerts in nineteen ninety-four. Could you be more specific?'"
Jane immediately feels an attraction to Duncan, even though, as she soon discovers, he has slept with almost every adult female in the area, all of whom still seem to remember him. His ex-wife even has him round regularly doing chores. Their relationship is a shared one, with Duncan never committing but always attentive and loving. But Jane finds it hard being with a man whose protege, the childlike Jimmy, is forever on the scene. Whose attractive ex-wife still phones up for help.
The story takes in years of their winding story, and it's such a pleasurable trek alongside a group of varied, memorable and often utterly nuts characters. I loved that Duncan's extended menagerie of acquaintances includes the vulnerable and "simpleminded" Jimmy, who walks in on 'intimate couple' scenes and amicably asks questions about work. My favourite though is Gary, Duncan's ex-wife's new partner. The man who dislikes everything, must be catered for at all times, and is so indubitably unattractive that it's hysterical.
"'You know as well as I do that Gary doesn't like to be alone after dark,' Duncan said, 'He says the toilet whispers.'"
An absolute joy of characterisation and of intertwined lives. There may be frustration and antagonism, but there is also a developing sense of care and family. I loved this. Loved Standard Deviation and its protagonist, but this ensemble piece is mature writing and utterly fantastic storytelling.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.