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A review by katarinabee
Man Out of Time by Stephanie Bishop
5.0
4.5 ⭐
I went and bought Man Out of Time after it was long-listed for the Stella Prize. I'm glad that it was chosen by the panel, because I don't think I would have otherwise read it - it wasn't really a book that was previously on my radar.
In brief, this is a book about mental health and the relationships within a small family; particularly the father-daughter dynamic. And as the title might suggest, the book is also pre-occupied with time.
The book is tense and introspective. Bishop did a wonderful job of really getting inside these characters' minds. In particular, the sections which explored Leon's mental state while he was unwell were very effective - you felt the heaviness of the catatonia and disembodiment, and the frenzy and fear during his more manic episodes.
The book has some interesting stylistic choices. The story shifts back and forth across time, and sometimes abruptly shifts between tense or person, disorienting the reader. During sections where Leon (the father) is unwell, the book often switches into second person, giving you a sense of his alienation from himself, but also having the effect of drawing the reader more immediately into his experience. Some sections also include photographs and drawings - and first I found this a bit unusual, but it did help with getting more inside Leon's head.
Overall, this was an unsettling (sometimes disturbing) but beautifully written novel.
I went and bought Man Out of Time after it was long-listed for the Stella Prize. I'm glad that it was chosen by the panel, because I don't think I would have otherwise read it - it wasn't really a book that was previously on my radar.
In brief, this is a book about mental health and the relationships within a small family; particularly the father-daughter dynamic. And as the title might suggest, the book is also pre-occupied with time.
The book is tense and introspective. Bishop did a wonderful job of really getting inside these characters' minds. In particular, the sections which explored Leon's mental state while he was unwell were very effective - you felt the heaviness of the catatonia and disembodiment, and the frenzy and fear during his more manic episodes.
The book has some interesting stylistic choices. The story shifts back and forth across time, and sometimes abruptly shifts between tense or person, disorienting the reader. During sections where Leon (the father) is unwell, the book often switches into second person, giving you a sense of his alienation from himself, but also having the effect of drawing the reader more immediately into his experience. Some sections also include photographs and drawings - and first I found this a bit unusual, but it did help with getting more inside Leon's head.
Overall, this was an unsettling (sometimes disturbing) but beautifully written novel.