A Spot of Bother

Well worth the bother

Don't be put off by the cover - it's quirky and the characters are engaging. Wish I could have gotten it as an audio book - I like the laugh out loud moments it provides.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A Change Of Pace

The author deserves credit for taking his writing in a very different direction. The temptation to follow up a critical and popular success with a work of similar style must be great. The only similarity in Mark Haddon's books is originality.

This book's central character is a middle-aged, middle class man from middle England. His retirement results in a life crisis that shakes his grip on reality. Each member of his family's reaction to his state, and their various personal crises make up the narrative flow of the novel.

The plot is well crafted and reminds me of a comedy of manners, with a very contemporary twist. There are memorably graphic episodes which may be unsettling for some. I trust the author to craft each detail of his work in a way that fully explores the subject at hand.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Unreadable

Failed my 100 page rule

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Disappointing

This was a very disappointing sophomore effort from the writer that brought us the brilliant "The Curious incident of the Dog in the Night Time." What was supposed to be a humorous look into a dysfunctional yet slightly eccentric family, wound up being a mess of characters you ultimately didn¿t really care about, playing out in the fathers whacky descent into insanity. A basic premise done better in other books. The latest crop of BBC comedies do it It better, sharper and edgier. Nothing at all special.

Brilliant.

This is officially my favorite book. Although its a little bit slow at the beginning, Haddon soon engulfs you in the story. I especially enjoyed the character of Tony:)

Witty and Great

I absolutely adored this novel. Such a great read that I could not put it down. I felt as though I had a true connection with each of the characters and had an honest concern for every single one of them. I felt a very strong connection with both George and Jamie. A bit wordy and slow to begin with but definately a delight once it engulfs you. I cannot wait for Haddon's next!

Almost five stars

A friend recommended this to me. His wife is British and he had a strong connection to the way the characters in the book respond to one another. Starts off a bit slow but then you can't stop reading and caring about what happens to each of the characters. Makes your own life feel a bit less complicated in comparison.

Wonderful!

I listened to the audio on a recent trip, and Simon Vance did an outstanding job as reader, voicing the different characters in a way that was distinct but not distracting. The story is funny, the characters are engaging, and Mark Haddon's typically British understatements had me laughing out loud on a regular basis. Loved it!

A spot of boring

What an unbelievably disappointing follow up to the author's previous book. This book is heavy on dialogue & the characters are extremely shallow and superficial. I am open minded yet I found I could not relate nor care about any of the characters: a gay son, an angry daughter & her boyfriend/fiance, a mom who is having an affair, a crazy/depressed husband. The antics of the family are quite dysfunctional and the story just drags on and on. After reading 200+ pages I just gave up. The story has no point & I am not attached to any of the characters.

A Great British Farce

A clever, engaging story that weaves it's characters and their antics into a real fun farce.

Great British Humour

Absolutely wonderful read. Superb writing, had me laughing out loud, couldn't put it down.

Scratch The Surface and You Will Be Surprised

The comings and goings of a family and all their issues is the basis for this very good read. Each character has their own point of view and you wonder how they ever lived together in one home. As their issues are exposed and the layers of their lives fall away, the thread of who they are is very clear and each one is interesting and strong and someone you might want to know. While some issues are a bit blurred, it all becomes clear at the end and with no total solution...the family flourishes and begins to regroup. A potpourri of emotions and personalities that is really very interesting.

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