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A review by burialshroud
Good Behavior by Molly Keane
2.0
Thought I'd give this book a go because it was advertised in the back of [b:Tin Toys Trilogy|17172496|Tin Toys Trilogy|Ursula Holden|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1358471971s/17172496.jpg|24505519] by Ursula Holden, probably my favourite book from last year. I was also lured in by the Virago Modern Classics Designer edition hardback. I've got a couple of these, they're nice to handle and look well on the shelf.
Good Behaviour deals with the decline of an upper-class Anglo-Irish family as the money starts to run out and the family's values and behaviours become anachronistic. I didn't particularly enjoy Good Behaviour. It was slow to start, and quite nasty. Aroon St Charles is the narrator. She careens through life, dubiously heedless of what's going on around her. Whenever Aroon says something especially oblivious, whoever she's talking to will cock an eyebrow. Wake up Aroon! You mum's a block of ice, your brother's gay and your dad is banging anyone who leans over too far. I get that it's a satire, that these dismissive, entitled jerks are acting as though they're still on top when they're clearly not, it's funny isn't it? Ha ha ha, my sides, please! If any of the main characters could have been given even a teeny tiny ounce of humanity, that would have made the book a little easier. I don't require every book I read to be all about me, but an in would be nice, just a little something to relate to.
Good Behaviour deals with the decline of an upper-class Anglo-Irish family as the money starts to run out and the family's values and behaviours become anachronistic. I didn't particularly enjoy Good Behaviour. It was slow to start, and quite nasty. Aroon St Charles is the narrator. She careens through life, dubiously heedless of what's going on around her. Whenever Aroon says something especially oblivious, whoever she's talking to will cock an eyebrow. Wake up Aroon! You mum's a block of ice, your brother's gay and your dad is banging anyone who leans over too far. I get that it's a satire, that these dismissive, entitled jerks are acting as though they're still on top when they're clearly not, it's funny isn't it? Ha ha ha, my sides, please! If any of the main characters could have been given even a teeny tiny ounce of humanity, that would have made the book a little easier. I don't require every book I read to be all about me, but an in would be nice, just a little something to relate to.