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Hoo - I forgot to take my new hat on holiday so this is the holiday snap that didn't happen. I read a goodly number of books on holiday but some disappointments there amidst a couple of treats. What was most disappointing was reading the ones that were reviewed so well when they are not. I have now come to the conclusion that there is a wee cartel of critics/writers/publishers because how could anyone/everyone get them so wrong. So here is my list of they say I say:
Ian McEwan, Solar, Sunday Times, "Savagely funny..." Me - "dull, dull, and unbelievably unfunny..."Alan Hollinghurst, The Stranger's Child, The Guardian, "will undoubtedly be one of the best novels this year.." Me, "Then god help us..."Howard Jacobson, The Finkler Question, Observer, "Full of wit, warmth, intelligence..." Me, "A mirror image of a self-referring bore..."Moshim Hamid, Moth Smoke, LA Times, "Stunning..." Me, "Dull teenage angst..."Rose Tremain, Trespass, Observer, 'Taut... full of suspense..." Me, "Very well written but predictable ending with little suspense..."William Boyd, Any Human Heart, Mail on Sunday, "Astounding. One of Boyd's greatest...." Me, "I liked this, thoughtful and well crafted without being great."Tea Obreht, The Tiger's Wife, Independent, "Beautifully executed..." Me, "How dare she... a first novelist has no right to be this good - humpph, I like..."
Am not just becoming cynical just because I didn't like most of them. It was a shame cos I bought them and thought I would wallow in them, the McEwan, Hollinghurst and Jacobson were just so unbelievably smug and dull, especially the Hollinghurst. I just thought, who cares, I can't see any of this mattering to anyone, it was so sub Brideshead and dull. I need to find new novels or writer's fast! Gillian Welch is my fave new singer and I love these Tiny Desk Concerts - there's loads of them. The song is the new novel, watch this space, I have spent the summer writing a few myself. But oh, I have just blogged again, does this mean I am back from the brink?
