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A review by stefhyena
One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I tried to redeem this book in my own mind and not be swayed by the fact I was really irritated by the last book by the same author I read. I told myself a different genre might be better and my favourite genre is mystery...but about that! There was really no mystery in there. There's an ex cop and a cop and they are both morally grey in a way that is believable but where's the mystery?
Then there are too many coincidences and implausible connections. I tried to read it as a cross between Red Dwarf and Raymond Chandler (partly because Martin's whiny tone reminded me of Rimmer but sort of softened with elements of Lister- which is as bad as it sounds). I tried to see all the gritty negativity as like Philip Marlowe who I used to adore as a depressed teen (I might not like him now come to think of it) but the tone of every single character was whiny rich stereotypical boomer. There was no variety in this at all unless you count the cop who is a middle-class person in the lifestyle of a working class person...only not really because she is the boss and wears power suits. And Tatiana who is a real working class person (both careers) but is a 2 dimensional cartoon Russian spy not a full character (at least Gloria speculates that the Russianness might be fake, someone had to say it but it was sort of pointless to the plot- the fakeness or not). It's quite a long book with so many pointless flights of fancy, I think it's trying to be a psychological type mystery in the vein of PD James. Jackson did remind me somewhat of Dalgleish though I hated him slightly less (but he was still irritating).
There were 2 good twists at the end, both partially predictable but nonetheless very satisfying however both of these could not redeem for me the 500+ pages wading through reactionary whinging about how much better the (imaginary) past was and really annoying heterosexist stuff. On the reactionary ideology I felt that sometimes Atkinson almost managed to be reflexive about it (and start undermining her characters) but there is a basic disrespect for anything post 80s that comes through and we all have a relative with that world view and noone wants to listen to it for 500 pages...please try to at least understand what you are mocking.
Please!
Then there are too many coincidences and implausible connections. I tried to read it as a cross between Red Dwarf and Raymond Chandler (partly because Martin's whiny tone reminded me of Rimmer but sort of softened with elements of Lister- which is as bad as it sounds). I tried to see all the gritty negativity as like Philip Marlowe who I used to adore as a depressed teen (I might not like him now come to think of it) but the tone of every single character was whiny rich stereotypical boomer. There was no variety in this at all unless you count the cop who is a middle-class person in the lifestyle of a working class person...only not really because she is the boss and wears power suits. And Tatiana who is a real working class person (both careers) but is a 2 dimensional cartoon Russian spy not a full character (at least Gloria speculates that the Russianness might be fake, someone had to say it but it was sort of pointless to the plot- the fakeness or not). It's quite a long book with so many pointless flights of fancy, I think it's trying to be a psychological type mystery in the vein of PD James. Jackson did remind me somewhat of Dalgleish though I hated him slightly less (but he was still irritating).
There were 2 good twists at the end, both partially predictable but nonetheless very satisfying however both of these could not redeem for me the 500+ pages wading through reactionary whinging about how much better the (imaginary) past was and really annoying heterosexist stuff. On the reactionary ideology I felt that sometimes Atkinson almost managed to be reflexive about it (and start undermining her characters) but there is a basic disrespect for anything post 80s that comes through and we all have a relative with that world view and noone wants to listen to it for 500 pages...please try to at least understand what you are mocking.
Please!