Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee

JM Coetzee's 1999 Booker Prize winner Disgrace is a simply told story with a powerful message, and worthy of the accolades it has received.

I expected something special from Disgrace, which is an exploration of racial politics in post-apartheid South Africa, but I find that I have a lot less to say about this book than I expected.

David Lurie is a middle aged divorced bachelor who finds himself unceremoniously out of his university teaching job following an affair with a student. He is a wretched character, someone whom I found difficult to respect. Finding himself in disgrace, he goes to stay with his daughter Lucy on her country farm, where she grows vegetables and cares for abandoned animals.

Here, he finds himself and his daughter victim of atrocities committed against them in a home invasion and they both struggle to deal with the consequences in their different ways.

David cannot come to terms with the events that have had such an impact on their lives, particularly Lucy's. Lucy quietly accepts what has been done to her as the price that she has to pay for staying on the land that he white ancestors once so barbarically took from the original inhabitants of the land. This doesn't mean that she isn't a changed person by what has happened to her, but she is unwilling to move from her home in the wake of the horrible events. David cannot comprehend her attitude, urging her to move away for fear of further attacks.

Disgrace is about misery and reconciliation on a personal as well as a political level. Coetzee creates a depressing picture of a land full of hate and misery attempting to cope with political change and racial politics.

There is a lot more to say about JM Coetzee's Disgrace that I am not able to adequately discuss in this review.

For the first time ever, I am not going to give this book a rating out of 8 according to my usual practice because I feel so ambivalent towards this book and I really can't explain why.

Is this feeling of ambivalence unique to me? I would love to know what other people think of this well-known book.

Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre; a Man Booker Prize winner

Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre is dark, it's gritty, it's modern and yet... it wasn't for me.

The book is described as "A 21st-century comedy in the presence of death". It is supposed to be a comedy, a satire of modern American life and it was at times deliciously wicked in that sense.

The book is written from the perspective of the protagonist, Vernon Little, who is accused of taking part in a school shooting with his Mexican friend Jesus Navarro. He finds himself caught in the legal system, desperately seeking to have his own story heard.

Vernon Little is a strong character; he sees all the injustices of the world through a teenagers eyes, watching all the ridiculousness of the world conspire against him but unable to do anything about it. Instead he is forced to escape to Mexico where he finds that he is ultimately unable to avoid the traps that life has set for him.

This books takes aim at many aspects of contemporary society; consumerism, materialism, opportunism, modern media hype, the legal system, the health system. It paints the picture of a world where people are willing to put themselves above all else, at great risk to others. It is these aspects of society that Pierre plays upon, showing us the worst side of ourselves by making fun of contemporary society and human relationships.

Objectively, I was able to greatly admire the DBC Pierre's writing - the use of Vernon's first person narrative voice was colloquial to say the least and I found the shock value that this added to the story was effective. I do think though, that at times the narrative voice wasn't true to a teenage boy. Despite the often crude language and colloquial tone, it was sometimes just a little too thoughtful and insightful to be the voice of someone of that age. I can't quite imagine a teenage boy, even one in Vernon's position, being able to analyse the world around him in quite the way that Vernon does.

I have to admit that although objectively I could see where the author was going with the satire and the comedy, it fell short for me. I didn't find it funny or humorous. In fact I found it dark and depressing.

More than that, I found that it didn't grab my attention in the way that I would have liked. I enjoyed the flaws of the characters and I enjoyed Pierre's piercing writing, but the story didn't move me enough to excite any great feeling. Some parts of the book I found myself skimming through, just flipping the pages until something caught my attention. When I stopped and delved back in to the book properly, despite having ostensibly missed some of the story, I was still able to pick it up again wherever I landed. The story just seemed to move along at a slower pace than I would have liked, with little happening to move the story along.

I did find myself becoming very emotional toward the end, which is a sign of a good book - but at the same time the book came to an end so suddenly with such a major twist that I felt a little bit cheated. I didn't have that emotional release - that chance to sigh and get used to the end of the story. I wanted to feel better but I was left with a lingering sense of malcontent in relation to the lead up to the end.

Perhaps all these things are what DBC Pierre intended me to feel at the end of Vernon God Little and perhaps not. Either way, although I admire the book objectively - it isn't a book that sat well with me at all.

Summary

What kind of read is this?
Great writing and challenging content.

Do I recommend this book?
I want to recommend it because I know it is a well written and meaningful book, but I just can't. I just didn't appreciate it on an emotional level, and that is what counts for me.

Do I recommend that you buy this book?
No.

Star Rating

5 / 8

Worth reading if you have the opportunity, but there's no need to prioritise it.

 Have you read Vernon God Little? I would be interested to know if people did find that they were drawn into the story and what it was that grabbed you and pulled you in. I feel as though I am missing out on something but I am not sure what.

The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas (an Australian contemporary classic)

There has been so much commentary about The Slap since it was published, that I have to say that I don't think that there is much of value that I can say about this book that hasn't been said before, and a lot more eloquently.

As such, I will write a little about my thoughts after reading the book, but if you are particularly interested in finding out more about Tsiolkas's brilliant novel, I recommend that you read these wonderful reviews:

And the Plot Thickens...

Start Narrative Here

Whispering Gums

Reeling and Writhing

The Slap explores the consequences of an adult's decision at a family bbq in suburban Melbourne to slap a child that is not their own.

The book is comprised of eight chapters, and each chapter is written from the perspective of someone who was present at the bbq at the time of this event. The book isn't focused on plot per se, in fact the main plot point is resolved approximately three quarters of the way through the book. Tsiolkas's main concern was exploring the inner working of this range of characters.

Some of the characters were more authentic than others, and some were more interesting than others. I particularly found the character of Manolis (the Greek father of the host of the bbq) to be very uninteresting. I also found the choice of Richie (a teenager trying to come to terms with his sexuality) as the voice of the final chapter a little disappointing. He was so far removed from the main plot point that I wasn't really sure what value he added to the story.

The truth is, I didn't like any of the characters. They were all selfish, racist and narrow-minded in their own different way. I was particularly frustrated by the hippie other of the child that was subjected to the slap. I would have slapped the mother rather than the child if it had been me.

Essentially, Tsiolkas paints this really depressing picture of family life in suburban Australia; rife with drug use, violence and infidelity. He also explores issues related to gender, religion and cultural differences in a way that it is so honest that it was horribly confronting.

That's what the sad thing about this book is. I suspect that it is an accurate reflection of centemporary Australian life for a lot of people. I say "I suspect", for two reasons. First, I couldn't identify with the characters of the book; who were either a lot older or younger than myself and dealing with issues that are not within my experience. Secondly, because as an Australian it is hard to be objective.

I want to say that I loved this book, but I can't. I can't say that I loved it becuase I had such a negative emotional response to it. I was disturbed by The Slap; to the extent that it actually gave me disturbing dreams. I felt depressed when I finished it and couldn't help but wonder - is this really what people honestly think?

Having said that, I acknowledge that this books ability to elicit such a strong emotional response from me is a testament to how good it is. I am pleased that such an Australian book has had such an impact around the world and I was particularly pleased to see it long listed for the Man Booker Prize. The book deserves all the hype around it and I do recommend it despite my feelings upon finishing it.

Summary

What kind of read is this?
A very Australian read; one that really reflects the experience of many Australian people. Be prepared to be emotionally confronted though.

Do I recommend this book?
Yes absolutely, I recommend it to everyone.

Do I recommend that you buy this book?
I am pleased that I own a copy because I think that this will become an Australian classic. Other than that, it's up to you.

Star Rating

6.5 / 8

Brilliant, couldn't put it down. I recommend it.

Have you read this book? People either seem to love it or hate it. Have you ever such a strong emotional response to the book that you can't honestly say you love it, but you can honestly say that you acknowledge how good it is?

A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif

A Case of Exploding Mangoes is Mohammed Hanif's debut novel, set in Pakistan. It is a political comedy; exploring the mystery surrounding the assassination of General Muhammad Zia ul-Haq, the military dictator of Pakistan. THis book came to my attention at the Sydney Writers Festival 2009, when I watched Mohammed Hanid do a reading from the book. It appealed to me very much. Hanif had a wonderful reading voice, and I didn't want him to stop. I finally managed to read the book 1 week before the Sydney Writers Festival 2010.

Assassination fiction is not a genre that I am overly familiarly with, but I can say without reservation this is the funniest and cleverest book that I have opened in a very long time.

We know that General Zia is killed wen his C130-Hercules plane, Pak One, explodes and crashes in August 1988, after General Zia has been watching a military display. A Case of Exploding Mangoes takes a unique look at what, or who, may have been responsible. But it is that not a typical exploration of this question. The publisher's description of the book reads:

"There is an ancient saying that when lovers fall out, a plane goes down. This is the story of one such plane. Why did a Hercules C130, the world's sturdiest plane, carrying Pakistan's military dictator General Zia ul-Haq, go down on 17 August 1988? Was it because of:

1. Mechanical failure
2. Human error
3. The CIA's impatience
4. A blind woman's curse
5. Generals not happy with their pension plans 
6. The mango season

Or could it be the narrator Ali Shigri?"

The plot is ingenious and complex, and the main character Ali Shigri has a very clear, unique and sardonic voice. The story is told through a series of vignette's; mostly comprised of the events from Shigri's perspective, but also third-person accounts of events from the perspective of various other characters, like General Zia himself.


I can't really go into the plot too much for fear of spoiling the fun if you decide to read this book, which I recommend that you do. I will say that the characterisation is extremely rich, every person comes alive before the readers eyes. There is a whole range of fun characters including Lieutenant Bannon, an American who is part of the Pakistan Army, Obaid or Baby O, Shirgri's best and closest friend and Uncle Starchy, the Army Academy's laundryman (who comes to play a significant role).

The story largely plays out in a Pakistani Airforce Academy, and begins when Shigri is being blamed for Obaid's disappearance in an Airforce plane. It is evtually revealed that Shigri has developed an assassination plot, because he believes that General Zia is responsible for the death of his father. At the very beginning we are suspicious of Shigri's true involvement in General Zia's downfall, particularly after he proudly states: "The only witness to that televised walk, the only one to have walked that walk, would be completely ignored. Because if you missed that clip, you probably missed me. Like history itself, I was the one who got away." This quote gives you a good insight into the tone of the book, and Shigri's feelings toward the role he played in the death of Zia.

Ultimately, it is not important who killed General Zia. This book is a political satire, it satirises the military using caricature and very clever one-liners, like "You can blame our men in uniform for anything, but you can never blame them or being imaginative" and "By the time it comes down to the questions about whether I would rescue my best friend's kitten drowning in a river or tell myself that cats can swim, I have begun to enjoy the test, and my pencil ticks the squares with the flourish of someone celebrating their own sanity."

Amoungst all the fun though, Hanif makes some important statements about the role of military in controling the State, the role of religion in government and the way in which governments can manipulate the population for their own benefit.

If you are looking for something fun, unique and thoughtful, the A Case of Exploding Mangoes is for you.

Summary

What kind of read is this?
It is not a challenging book in terms of its length and the writing, but it is an absolutely unique and hilarious book. It is a political satire and it is historical fiction, but with some important modern messages.

Do I recommend this book?
Absolutely. There are not many books that I could recommend more highly.

Do I recommend that you buy this book?
Yes, this is one that I am proud to have on my shelf, and one that I know will stand up to lots of re-reading.

Star Rating

7 / 8

Brilliant, couldn't put it down. Recommend that you buy it. 

Book Details: Paperback, 295 pages, published by Vintage Books, published in 2008, English

Brick Lane by Monica Ali

I saw Monica Ali speak at the Sydney Writers Festival 2009 in a segment on freedom of speech, meant to commemorate 20 years since the fatwa against Salman Rushdie. She was a fascinating speaker and I had heard great things about her first novel, Brick Lane, which was long listed for the 2003 Man Booker Prize. When I came across the book at Elizabeths in Newtown, I couldn't resist.

It is undoubtedly a well written and topical book. It's main character, Nazneen, is taken from her traditional Bangladeshi village at age 18 and sent to England where she enters into an arranged marriage to an older man. In contrast, her sister Hasina breaks tradition and makes a love marriage, which eventually fails, ad Hasina is forced to return to Bangladesh and make her own way in the world. Nazneen on the other hand finds herself in better conditions, but in a world she doesn't understand and a country who's language she doesn't speak. She is lucky to have a 'good' husband by traditional standards; he does not beat her for which she is grateful. On the other hand, he does not encourage her to leave the house or learn English because there is no need for her to do so. She does her duty to her husband, and later to her children, but she is still unsatisfied at a basic level. As a result, she commences an affair with a young Islamic radical, Karim.

In the background to her personal story, are the race struggles going on the country and closer to home in her apartment buildings. There is particular emphasis to this post September 11. Nazneen is upset by the images of atrocities committed against other Islamic people throughout the world, although I think that participating in the movement had a lot to do with giving herself something to do and spending time with Karim. As I said, the book is very topical and is an interesting depiction of how racial differences and religious conflict affect people on an individual level.

I have to admit that although I enjoyed the book, it perhaps wasn't as good as I expected it to be, although perhaps my expectations were too high. I'm not sure that I really enjoyed Ali's writing style and that perhaps prevented me from enjoying the story as well as I might otherwise have done. Don't get me wrong, it was really well written, it just wasn't really my thing.

I particularly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in issues of racial and religious conflict throughout the work, particularly anyone looking for a fictionalised story of how these larger issues affect individuals in their daily lives.

Star Rating

6 / 8

Really enjoyable and well written. I would recommend it.