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A review by bookcraft
When the Bough Breaks by Jonathan Kellerman
1.0
To some degree, the fact that I don't particularly like this book comes from the era in which it was written; there's a lot of unexamined racism and sexism throughout the narrative, and while I don't feel outdated attitudes in books should be retroactively censored, I also don't necessarily want to read them — especially when the books are just average pulp genre works. The one positive thing I can say in this area is that at least he did a good job with the non-stereotypical portrayal of Milo (the gay cop) and Milo's doctor boyfriend.
In general, there was a lot of cognitive dissonance for me while listening to this. The narrative says that the protagonist is a nice guy, but his words, thoughts, and actions often feel kind of skeevy to me, not to mention ethically questionable for a mental health professional, suggesting that in reality he's a Nice Guy(tm). One of the things I really noticed is that almost everything Alex thinks about women revolves around whether or not they're attractive, which is not an appealing trait. Note that I don't inherently object to main characters of questionable ethics — I'm a big fan of the antihero, and occasionally even the villain — but I prefer that they be self-aware, or at least that the author be aware of what they're creating. I get the feeling that Kellerman actually thought Alex was a nice guy and a hero...which says more about Kellerman than I really want to know, to be honest.
In fact, I felt like Kellerman — whose background is in child psychology, just like his fictional avatar, Alex Delaware — was using the book as a soapbox from which to preach his opinions on a variety of topics he felt strongly about. While that's certainly his prerogative, as far as I'm concerned it doesn't make for an interesting narrative; when I pick up a novel, I want to be entertained, not lectured about the (over)medicating of ADHD children.
With so much already making me unhappy about the book, there was some stupidity for the sake of plot that I just couldn't handwave away like I might have otherwise been able to. Specifically, there's the incredible stupidity of, and pretty much the rest of his actions from that point on.
As I noted in an update while reading this, it became glaringly obvious midway through that it had been written in the mid-1980s when I realized that the plot was going to a place inspired by the
Despite not liking the book, I'm probably going to read another in the series — perhaps one written closer to the present — because so much of what I disliked could be attributed to attitudes of the period in which it was written.
Warnings, for those who like them:
In general, there was a lot of cognitive dissonance for me while listening to this. The narrative says that the protagonist is a nice guy, but his words, thoughts, and actions often feel kind of skeevy to me, not to mention ethically questionable for a mental health professional, suggesting that in reality he's a Nice Guy(tm). One of the things I really noticed is that almost everything Alex thinks about women revolves around whether or not they're attractive, which is not an appealing trait. Note that I don't inherently object to main characters of questionable ethics — I'm a big fan of the antihero, and occasionally even the villain — but I prefer that they be self-aware, or at least that the author be aware of what they're creating. I get the feeling that Kellerman actually thought Alex was a nice guy and a hero...which says more about Kellerman than I really want to know, to be honest.
In fact, I felt like Kellerman — whose background is in child psychology, just like his fictional avatar, Alex Delaware — was using the book as a soapbox from which to preach his opinions on a variety of topics he felt strongly about. While that's certainly his prerogative, as far as I'm concerned it doesn't make for an interesting narrative; when I pick up a novel, I want to be entertained, not lectured about the (over)medicating of ADHD children.
With so much already making me unhappy about the book, there was some stupidity for the sake of plot that I just couldn't handwave away like I might have otherwise been able to. Specifically, there's the incredible stupidity of
Spoiler
getting his fingerprints all over the motorcycle helmet of someone he'd caused the death of, and then taking away the gun that was evidence it had been self defenseAs I noted in an update while reading this, it became glaringly obvious midway through that it had been written in the mid-1980s when I realized that the plot was going to a place inspired by the
Spoiler
'day care center where satanic sexual abuse goes on' hysteria of the time, which I remember clearly.Despite not liking the book, I'm probably going to read another in the series — perhaps one written closer to the present — because so much of what I disliked could be attributed to attitudes of the period in which it was written.
Warnings, for those who like them: