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A review by zoolmcg
The Rachel Papers by Martin Amis
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This had been on my radar for a while, and after the recent passing of Amis, I decided to finally crack it open. I wasn't actual aware that this was his debut novel, but I knew while reading it that it was unmistakably his. His themes of sex-obsessed men, of their misogyny and their narcissism, is essentially textbook for him. This book serves as the first of many, and I did find myself enjoying it quite a lot.
In his classic style, so much of his narrator's expressions come through hilariously. He manipulates prose in a hilarious way, reframing things in metaphor and simile like no other writer I've ever seen before - my favourite in this novel was someone holding a newspaper like it was a stingray. It struck me as brilliant.
A criticism I might have of this is its aimlessness, which I do still believe to be the point of it It's quite a true to life story in that not a whole lot happens. Then ending is fitting, and it seems like everything that happen occurred without consequences. Reading an Amis novel is more of an experience, and less of an action packed whiplash inducing bout of twists and turns. It's enjoyable, and even if it can be repetitive, it's all part of the journey.
I'd recommend this to Amis enjoyers, but maybe not as an introduction to his writing. It's a good one to get into if you already know what you're getting into.
In his classic style, so much of his narrator's expressions come through hilariously. He manipulates prose in a hilarious way, reframing things in metaphor and simile like no other writer I've ever seen before - my favourite in this novel was someone holding a newspaper like it was a stingray. It struck me as brilliant.
A criticism I might have of this is its aimlessness, which I do still believe to be the point of it It's quite a true to life story in that not a whole lot happens. Then ending is fitting, and it seems like everything that happen occurred without consequences. Reading an Amis novel is more of an experience, and less of an action packed whiplash inducing bout of twists and turns. It's enjoyable, and even if it can be repetitive, it's all part of the journey.
I'd recommend this to Amis enjoyers, but maybe not as an introduction to his writing. It's a good one to get into if you already know what you're getting into.