Customer Reviews: Read 126 more reviews...
 Funny, real, preposterous. October 8, 2008
This is a superb novel about a group of characters that might just be real but clearly are not. Haddon is able to write to produce a whole gamut of reactions, from amusement to stomach-churning. His characters fill a whole host of societal boxes: mentally ill, homosexual, single mother, adulteress. They are at the same time completely real and completely preposterous.
Don't approach this as a social commentary, nor as representing reality. Relax and be let yourself be taken along with their journey, through the many short chapters (encouraging you to read just one more, just another, until before you know it you're through). Forget also what else Haddon has written - this is not supposed to be set against his previous works, and comparison of such different works is unfair.
Clearly, judging by some reviews here, this book isn't for everybody; but I would have been happy if it had continued for a further 144 chapters.
Captivating.
 POOR September 26, 2008
I'm sorry to say I couldn't get into this book. The writing is poor, the characters are forgetable and it all drags on...until I finally gave up reading it halfway through.
 Enjoyable but unremarkable September 24, 2008
It took me a while to get into this book...about 200 pages to be more accurate.
The 'plot' took some time to develop but one could say it was worthwhile. On the surface, this is a pretty normal family...noted that some say the way these characters emerge is a bit cliched and could be compared to a TV sitcom - the feisty daughter, the gay son, the hand-wringing wife, a dopey and cuckolded husband.
However, I found the way the author dealt with these issues intelligent, and although simply worded, quite profound in places. Indeed, there were some amusing vignettes which I wish I'd written down whilst reading as it would involve a re-reading to find them again! The descent into mental illness/hypochondria/depression/whatever you want to call it of George was especially well dealt with and gives someone an idea of how it may be to live with someone going through this if one hasn't experienced it before.
The book has an underlying humour but the issues are all real and some specifically raw. I sometimes found myself guiltily chuckling at parts that perhaps were really not amusing at all.
Criticisms are that the book, at 500 pages, is arguably too long for what is essentially an elongated family episode. Also, to be picky, I found Jacob's language a bit unrealistic for what I presume was a 3/4 year old.
Overall, stick with it and you might find yourself rewarded and having learnt something (specifically the 'illness' of George).
Not something I would re-read or a book that would stick in my mind..if there were a 3.5 stars, it would have got that, but 4 is too generous and 3 is probably fair.
 disappointed September 18, 2008
This one was ok but nothing exciting. The author is obviously trying very hard to show us how CRAZY everyday life can be in seemingly normal families. I found the story totally unbelievable(in particular the description of the scissors incident, disgusting) and strangely boring at the same time. It has its moments but overall I couldn't wait to get to the end. The Curious Incident... was a masterpiece, this one is not.
Richard & Judy Would Love This July 18, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
I don't know if this comedy (I use the term loosely) made it on to one of Richard & Judy's book lists but it is exactly the kind of vaccuous, trite, middle-class nonesense that I'd expect them to choose - on a par with A Starter For Ten which was equally underwhelming. I can almost picture the gruesome twosome rolling around on the sofa at the sheer side-splitting hilarity of it - except that, like "Starter", it's neither funny nor entertaining. It would, however, be perfect for one of those dreary comedy serials so favoured by BBC2 and Channel Four that usually feature Rob Brydon.
The characters are, at best, irritating. The "will they, won't they (get married)" plotline would only be interesting if I actually gave a damn. Frankly, my dear, I didn't.
I forced myself to read through to the end as a good friend bought it for me as a present and I felt obliged. Moreover, I thought that if they had bought it expecting me to like it then it must have some redeeming feature. I thought wrong.
If you like the film comedies of Richard Curtis then you'll probably love this. I don't, I think they stink. To be fair, this book doesn't stink but it does whiff a bit.
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