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A review by routergirl
The Gum Thief by Douglas Coupland
I've enjoyed other books by Douglas Coupland, but never in that enthralling lost-in-a-book way. So I didn't have huge expectations for this, although I was intrigued by the story.
The main character is an older (40's) guy working at Staples. He's working at Staples due to several bumps in the road he's encountered in his life - and through the book you learn more about those events, though never enough that you feel you know or care about Roger. One of the first entries we read is from the point of view of a 20-ish Goth girl, Bethany, who also works at Staples. She finds this, and rather than getting creeped out or upset about it, starts writing him back.
The premise sounded promising, and I really hoped this would be the one Coupland novel that would really impress me...but it just didn't.
As others have said - the characters I found almost completely unlikable. Yes, Roger has experienced some tragedies, yes Bethany is a bit lost in the world, but man, I just didn't care. There wasn't anything that resonated with me. I should be easy enough to reach, I've experienced many of the same things these characters have. But their retelling of events is just so...dry and emotionless. The other thing is that they're not individuals. They all seem to speak the same language, and the language is Coupland's - not Roger's, not Bethany's. It felt at times like I was at a party, and the most boring person in the world had cornered me to tell me the story of their life, only with all exciting details left out. There were many times I wanted to just put it down, and honestly I can't tell you why I didn't. Maybe because I hear so often how Coupland is "a terrific author" or because I *did* enjoy Microserfs, and I kept thinking it would somehow redeem itself.
At one stage we're thrust into Roger's novel, which is about the saddest couple in the world. Gloria and Steve drink like fish, their kitchen contains nothing but a pancake mix (inhabited by weevils) and numerous bottles of booze, and yet they've invited guests over for dinner. Although I disliked Gloria and Steve, I actually enjoyed this novel within a novel more than hearing about Bethany and Roger. They were at least intriguing - did they have a child? How DID they survive without food? I also enjoyed the writing more - like when Gloria was getting annoyed by the sound of the doorbell not ringing. I have to say, though, the saddest thing about this couple is that they were trapped in The Gum Thief.
And how on earth does a video of a girl stealing gum from a Staples become viral? Did anyone else skip the toast papers entirely? Did anyone else find themselves hearing about Joan and Zoe and thinking, "Who cares?!" It felt a bit like Coupland doesn't care if he engages with his reader. Unlike some authors, who will even go so far as to address things to their audience, Coupland is on the far end of the spectrum, seemingly saying "I don't care if you like this or not. I'm writing it down, damn it."
I would have given this 2.5 stars if goodreads would allow it, but I had to give it three, if only for Gloria and Steve. I'm not sure Coupland is for me, honestly. Another reviewer said that one always knows what they'll get with a Coupland novel, and I suppose I should have figured that out by now. I'll be a lot less likely to pick up any more books by him after this mess, though.
The main character is an older (40's) guy working at Staples. He's working at Staples due to several bumps in the road he's encountered in his life - and through the book you learn more about those events, though never enough that you feel you know or care about Roger. One of the first entries we read is from the point of view of a 20-ish Goth girl, Bethany, who also works at Staples. She finds this, and rather than getting creeped out or upset about it, starts writing him back.
The premise sounded promising, and I really hoped this would be the one Coupland novel that would really impress me...but it just didn't.
As others have said - the characters I found almost completely unlikable. Yes, Roger has experienced some tragedies, yes Bethany is a bit lost in the world, but man, I just didn't care. There wasn't anything that resonated with me. I should be easy enough to reach, I've experienced many of the same things these characters have. But their retelling of events is just so...dry and emotionless. The other thing is that they're not individuals. They all seem to speak the same language, and the language is Coupland's - not Roger's, not Bethany's. It felt at times like I was at a party, and the most boring person in the world had cornered me to tell me the story of their life, only with all exciting details left out. There were many times I wanted to just put it down, and honestly I can't tell you why I didn't. Maybe because I hear so often how Coupland is "a terrific author" or because I *did* enjoy Microserfs, and I kept thinking it would somehow redeem itself.
At one stage we're thrust into Roger's novel, which is about the saddest couple in the world. Gloria and Steve drink like fish, their kitchen contains nothing but a pancake mix (inhabited by weevils) and numerous bottles of booze, and yet they've invited guests over for dinner. Although I disliked Gloria and Steve, I actually enjoyed this novel within a novel more than hearing about Bethany and Roger. They were at least intriguing - did they have a child? How DID they survive without food? I also enjoyed the writing more - like when Gloria was getting annoyed by the sound of the doorbell not ringing. I have to say, though, the saddest thing about this couple is that they were trapped in The Gum Thief.
And how on earth does a video of a girl stealing gum from a Staples become viral? Did anyone else skip the toast papers entirely? Did anyone else find themselves hearing about Joan and Zoe and thinking, "Who cares?!" It felt a bit like Coupland doesn't care if he engages with his reader. Unlike some authors, who will even go so far as to address things to their audience, Coupland is on the far end of the spectrum, seemingly saying "I don't care if you like this or not. I'm writing it down, damn it."
I would have given this 2.5 stars if goodreads would allow it, but I had to give it three, if only for Gloria and Steve. I'm not sure Coupland is for me, honestly. Another reviewer said that one always knows what they'll get with a Coupland novel, and I suppose I should have figured that out by now. I'll be a lot less likely to pick up any more books by him after this mess, though.