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A review by willowbiblio
What a Carve Up! by Jonathan Coe
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
"There comes a point, where greed and madness become practically indistinguishable. One and the same thing, you might almost say. And there comes another point, where the willingness to tolerate greed, and to live alongside it, and even to assist it, becomes a sort of madness too. Which means that we're all stuck with it, in other words. The madness is never going to end."
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This book was part whodunit, part scathing social commentary, and part witty/inventive humor. There was such an excellent balance of the author's critique of modern society, politics, and capitalism. Each member of the Winshaw family represented an industry that has caused irreperable harm to humanity and our planet, which was ingenious from Coe. Coe managed to weave together each of the vignettes from these family members, back to the narrative of the main character, Michael.
I found the hospital sequence to be heartbreaking in large part because it was reflective of what occurs today, but even worse and with effective extortion for health care in the US. I suppose I felt that way with almost every topic Coe approached in this book. He balanced this very real critique with whip-smart humor and dialogue that felt more like a real conversation one would witness/be part of than a constructed scene in a book.
This book made me sad, angry, and uncomfortable and that was entirely the point. I also loved Coe's use of various literary methods- diaries, news articles, first person, and third person writing. It really kept this book interesting.
---------------------
This book was part whodunit, part scathing social commentary, and part witty/inventive humor. There was such an excellent balance of the author's critique of modern society, politics, and capitalism. Each member of the Winshaw family represented an industry that has caused irreperable harm to humanity and our planet, which was ingenious from Coe. Coe managed to weave together each of the vignettes from these family members, back to the narrative of the main character, Michael.
I found the hospital sequence to be heartbreaking in large part because it was reflective of what occurs today, but even worse and with effective extortion for health care in the US. I suppose I felt that way with almost every topic Coe approached in this book. He balanced this very real critique with whip-smart humor and dialogue that felt more like a real conversation one would witness/be part of than a constructed scene in a book.
This book made me sad, angry, and uncomfortable and that was entirely the point. I also loved Coe's use of various literary methods- diaries, news articles, first person, and third person writing. It really kept this book interesting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty