I also recently read Eleanor Rigby, by Douglas Coupland.
I've been a follower of Coupland's writing since neraly the beginning -- all the way back to Generation X. In a lot of ways, he's been the true chronicler of my generation, and I appreciate his works for searching for the soul of a generation that was never given one.
His past books have been about relating to baby-boomer parents, God, work, death, relationships, and a host of other issues that arise as Gen X'ers age. This book is new territory for Coupland: it's about middle age, loneliness, and being a parent. There are a few twists and surprises in the book which I don't want to give away, so I won't say too much about the plot. It does get a little weird, almost paranormal, at times which really strains credibility.
I wouldn't say that this is one of Coupland's best works; it's also not his worst. In his classic style, he pokes fun at our times (mattress sales being the running joke for a good chunk of the book) but he also makes us ache for the main character as the story unfolds.
If you like Coupland, this is worth a read. If you don't like his stuff, don't bother with this. If you aren't familiar with his writing, start with some of the earlier books like Generation X, Microserfs, or Girlfriend in a Coma.
12:49:20 AM 
|
|
