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A review by sjlee
The Gum Thief by Douglas Coupland
4.0
This is the second Douglas Coupland novel that I have read, the first being jPod. I did not enjoy this book as much as jPod, but that was the funniest book that I may have ever read. The Gum Thief is written as a collection of notebook entries, letters and notes. The main characters are Roger and Bethany. Roger is a middle aged man going through a deep depression and crisis. Bethany is a twenty-something, lacking ambition or direction. The pair meet working in a Staples, an office supply big box store.
Roger's notebook is discovered by Bethany, which includes a description of her. It provokes a reaction and an exchange. The exchange is almost exclusively unidirectional. Roger never directly responds and addresses Bethany. The story is largely build out of Bethany's replies, Roger's letters and his novel Glove Pond. Significant sections of the novel are composed of excerpts of this novel within the novel. Glove Pond reflects the character and backstories of "real" characters in the story.
The humour in the story is quite good, but I must admit the misery and angst of the story troubled me. As a person caught within a moment of transition and difficulty I saw elements of myself in Roger and Bethany which was unsettling. The book was published in 2007 and feels very reflective of that and our time period. Like jPod I wonder if it will age poorly over time. At this moment it is a funny, miserable snapshot at contemporary life.
Roger's notebook is discovered by Bethany, which includes a description of her. It provokes a reaction and an exchange. The exchange is almost exclusively unidirectional. Roger never directly responds and addresses Bethany. The story is largely build out of Bethany's replies, Roger's letters and his novel Glove Pond. Significant sections of the novel are composed of excerpts of this novel within the novel. Glove Pond reflects the character and backstories of "real" characters in the story.
The humour in the story is quite good, but I must admit the misery and angst of the story troubled me. As a person caught within a moment of transition and difficulty I saw elements of myself in Roger and Bethany which was unsettling. The book was published in 2007 and feels very reflective of that and our time period. Like jPod I wonder if it will age poorly over time. At this moment it is a funny, miserable snapshot at contemporary life.