Beautiful Ugly
I read this book by Alice Feeney recently. I found it initially interesting but ultimately unbelievable.
The obsessive writer, Grady Green, has lost his wife in peculiar circumstances. His faltering career – one best-seller published and another needed – is boosted by his agent advising him to go to a remote Scottish island to live in a cabin and concentrate on his writing. He finds the islanders difficult to understand and get to know, but he thinks his perception is affected by the gallons of bog myrtle tea he drinks and which he decides is causing him to hallucinate. (Bog myrtle tea is not hallucinogenic)
I read it very quickly because I wanted to get to the end and discover the solution. I was able to skim much of it because there was so much repetition. How many times does the reader need to be told that the main character, the writer, is tired, confused, sleepless, and drinking too much? Many, many times, it would seem. Perhaps the author was being paid by the word.
Switching the point of view from main character to missing wife made it a little more comprehensible, but I wondered why she had bothered to stay with a husband who had so little time for her and for whom she had little respect. All was revealed, unconvincingly, at the end.
I had no empathy with any of the characters, apart from the dog, whose fate worried me, though he seemed to survive without harm.
I understand that the author is British, so wondered at the American spellings and expressions.
It is a
deeply unpleasant book.
Right then. One less book to read.
ReplyDeleteYes, that happens with books not written in the US. The US is the biggest market I suppose, but is it any wonder so many in the US are ignorant of basic differences with other countries. Others around the world deal with American writing without batting an eyelid, so why can't they deal with differences.
ReplyDeleteIt does sound like a terrible book and I agree too much repetition is not good. I gave up reading a series because the main character spent a lot of time in every book drinking coffee and munching antacids to settle her stomach and never having time for a proper meal.
ReplyDeleteLike Debby says, one less book to read. Thanks for the warning!
ReplyDeleteThat is a good review. I'll probably never come across it but if it does turn up in our book exchange I shall remember it now and won't pick it uo
ReplyDeleteRefreshing to read a bad book review.
ReplyDeleteA book to avoid then? Just like the one I mentioned today, I only kept reading because it was for the book group, but gave up in the end, too many other lovely books waiting for me to read.
ReplyDeleteSo, not something to put on my Christmas list then?
ReplyDeleteWell done for getting to the rnd, I think I would have given up on it.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a very strange book.
ReplyDeleteYour review is duly noted. I'm glad the dog came out OK, I wonder what his view of it all was!
ReplyDeleteI've read books where they tend to repeat information a lot throughout the book. It's quite annoying. This sounds like one that I would never have finished.
ReplyDeleteI find nothing worse than an unpleasant book; you don't want to finish it but you hope it'll get better.
ReplyDeleteThen it doesn't.
At first start, it sounds like an interesting premise and a book I'd like. But repetitive writing, unlikeable main character, and then down to skimming through to get to the end, which apparently was silly and unsatisfying as well. Very frustrating, hope the book was free at least, but our time isn't free is it.
ReplyDeleteI started to read this, but found it deeply unenjoyable, so gave up and skimmed to the last chapter. If I'd been his wife, I would have hit him over the head with something heavy! Xx
ReplyDeleteOkay, then. Hard pass.
ReplyDeleteI've not read it and honestly do not have time the rest of the month to try to do so...So..thank you for this review as now I know I won't be missing much.
ReplyDeleteThis definitely sounds like one to avoid! xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks for the honest review; it's saved me the bother if I come across it in future. Long-winded writers need a better editor!
ReplyDeleteI would not have finished it. I only read the ones I can't put down. there are many books and movies that I start and read a few pages or chapters or watch 5 to 10 minutes of a movie and just find another..
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this book and your thoughts on it.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Not a book I would want to read I don't think. You wrote a very honest review which I appreciate :)
ReplyDeleteSorry it was a bomb.
ReplyDeleteYep, I will pass on this one. Thanks for your honest review
ReplyDeleteShall definitely avoid that!
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your comments. It's quite possible that you might enjoy it if you read it - we're all different, after all.😳😁
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of energy expended on a book you didn't like.
ReplyDeleteAt least that's honest criticism. The only thing I like is that he was advised to go to a remote Scottish island to live in a cabin ! I would add some cats and why not also dogs !
ReplyDeleteLife is too short to spend time with a book. Once you know it is going nowhere. That’s my opinion anyway I used to feel guilty about abandoning books. I don’t any longer.
ReplyDeleteMaybe not on my reading wish list either.
ReplyDelete