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I finished A Spot of Bother today by Mark Haddon. What a wonderful read it was, so full of painful truths about what looks on the outside to be an average family. There is George, the dad, who suffers from panic attacks and is convinced he is dying of cancer, his wife Jean, who yearns for a bit of excitement, so is having an affair with someone who by the description reminds me of David Dickenson, his daughter Katie who is planning to marry Ray, whom even she (never mind her family) thinks is the wrong man for her and his son Jamie, a committment-phobe who wants to have his cake and eat it with his boyfriend Tony. There is a smattering of other characters also, but the book concentrates mainly on the point of view from these four main characters, with the welcome addition of some insights into Ray's and Jacob's (Katie's son) characters. The book is set in a suburb in the lead up to the wedding of Ray and Katie.
I really loved this book. It was so witty, but so dark in places and so painfully honest, honest in its descriptions of marriage, of relationships in general, of sex, of ageing, of worries for the future. I think it would appeal to all ages. Some of the lines felt so true, so raw that I felt at times, as if I were watching a family unfold in real life, right before my eyes. It's rare that I feel a need to discuss a book, but this was one of those times. Here is one of the bits which for me stood out.
"Katie held Ray's hand.She didn't know wjhether to laugh or cry. 'God. this is meant to be our wedding day'.
Then Ray said something wise. Which took her by surprise. 'We're just the little people on top of the cake. Weddings are about families. You and me, we've got the rest of our lives together'
So all in all, an excellent book, very accessible, flows easily but with a cast of characters that you really start to care about.
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Give me the gratuitous sax and the senseless violins.
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