Reviewed by Patrick Walsh
What do an undisclosed “accident,” ₤8.5 million, and a small crack above a bathroom mirror have in common? Answer: together they are the catalysts behind Tom McCarthy’s first novel Remainder, the contemporary story of an anonymous, London-bred narrator and his painstaking efforts to precisely reconstruct specific moments in time. McCarthy begins his work slowly, as if consciously trying to preserve the ambiguity and detached nature of the narrator, who, after an inexplicable incident involving falling machinery and a resulting settlement, is left as wealthy as he is mentally distorted. Despite the deliberate start, Remainder cleverly diverges from the orderly and the methodical into what can only be described as bizarre and completely out of control. (more…)
I recently posted on here about Veronica, and said I was a little unsure on whether I liked it or not, but I was leaning more towards the negative. I’ve been very busy so I haven’t finished it yet, but I have to say I love how the author describes the surroundings and backdrop. I love how she describes NYC-I’ve been there a bunch of times and she definitely captures the somewhat alienating but full of life and possibilities aura of the city. Although this book still does not captivate me, I really enjoy the author’s use of details and setting descriptions. Plus, the cover art is amazing.
- Alicia M. (College Misericordia)
I’m about halfway through Veronica and honestly I’m quite undecided on whether I like it or not. I won’t go so far as to say its compelling- I feel like I’m reading it simply to finish it. Also, I liked how it had a sort of “gritty” feeling to it, not like ordinary “chick lit”, but I felt like this book was trying too hard to be gritty. It just feels fake. Has anyone read Dave Eggers “A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius”? I feel like this book is sort of trying to be a female version of “A Heartbre…”, except it does not succeed in showing the dirty side of reality like “A Heartbre…” does. I think this book would be successful if it relied a little less on the metaphors and slimy descriptions to illustrate reality. After all, true life isn’t peachy all the time.
Thanks,
Alicia M. (College Misericordia)
Adventures in Bookland
Here at 21st Century Lit, we have a problem: entirely too many books.
Oh, it was fun for a while. We crafted forts out of Harry Potter books (very sturdy!), complete with chairs fashioned from copies of The Devil Wears Prada (they were highly fashionable chairs). And there we would sit, naming our favorite authors of the past 10 years and puffing on imaginary cigars. (more…)
When I received a copy of Mary Gaitskill’s Veronica, I assumed that this book would fall under the category of “chick lit.” While I’m sure that chick lit has its own merits (millions of women on subways can’t be wrong), it’s not my style. However, once I started reading Veronica, I found myself being drawn into Alison’s heady experiences and complicated relationships. Gaitskill taps into the universal longing for exotic, dangerous sensations. Alison and Veronica are nothing like me; nevertheless, I empathized with them. While I stumbled over the sometimes inpenetrable shards of Gaitskill’s narrative style, I happily concede that Veronica is far from a frivolous read.
-Pam C. (Dartmouth)
