Going Loco: A Comedy of Terrors - A Story From The Lynne Truss Omnibus

by Lynne Truss

A New York Times Bestselling Author
A CBA Bestseller Lynne Truss debuted in America as a guffaw-inducing grammarian with her #1 New York Times bestseller Eats, Shoots & Leaves, but her UK audience has known her for years as a critically acclaimed novelist and columnist. Going Loco features a critic trying to write a definitive account of the doppelganger in gothic fiction, amidst the chaos of her own domestic life.

Genres: Fiction, Humor, Audiobook

383 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Lynne Truss is a writer and journalist who started out as a literary editor with a blue pencil and then got sidetracked. The author of three novels and numerous radio comedy dramas, she spent six years as the television critic of The Times of London, followed by four (rather peculiar) years as a sports columnist for the same newspaper. She won Columnist of the Year for her work for Women's Journal. Lynne Truss also hosted Cutting a Dash, a popular BBC Radio 4 series about punctuation. She now reviews books for the Sunday Times of London and is a familiar voice on BBC Radio 4. She lives in Brighton, England.

Reviews

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this before and all I can remember is a Scandinavian man was in the picture. Re-reading and here he is again; the main female character Belinda didn't initially like him, Stefan, because he told stories about his first wife who had mental issues. How long do you think it would be before he was telling stories about Belinda? Despite this she has a relationship with him anyway. She tells her pals that all the men she had dated were undead or office cleaners. Nothing wrong with honest work, but undead? I think these two undesirables were made for each other.
The lady lies about liking or disliking fish although shellfish make her ill. She apparently has two similar men who want to date her, called Noel and Leon, and they claim to be doppelgangers. Stefan decides he can't face the main character after sleeping with her cleaning lady. He continues sleeping with that lady, but they move Belinda to the attic.
Garbage and not remotely funny. Dropping it to one star on second reading.

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

A marvellous, inventive opening, personifying anxiety as a stomach-dwelling circus rat, sadly degenerates into sub Tom Sharpe farce.

[Elayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggle with 'comic' novels especially if they have characters that are 'strange' or zany.

Humour is a very personal thing and frequently, for me, books that come highly recommended fail to amuse me - and it is the same with TV. I don't get on with most of the comedy series/sitcoms. And so it was here.

I had high hopes as I loved Lynne Truss's book on the manners of the English, Eat, Shoots and Leaves. But for me this one failed to tickle my funny bone and i couldn't be bothered to finish it.

[Laura Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a hoot! it was fun to read a Fanny Burney style novel set in the (relatively) modern times. lots of fun hidden references for ppl who enjoy, like, older literature. probably not everyone's cup of tea admittedly but if you fancy reading something a bit different that makes you laugh, you should give it a whirl.

[Karishma · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a crazy and fun ride, but the ending was messed up.

[Lana. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise, certainly hits on the want / need in modern life to subcontract out life's unpleasant tasks. Not sure how I feel about the ending.

[Linda]

I did actually finish this but I don’t know why!

[Karishma Udit Chhatrapati · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am still wondering why I read it till the end!

[Sheece · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful read. Imagination is also running wild here. The plot is alright, could have been more thrilling.

[Aneesha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of the most bizarre books I've ever read, but it did make me laugh!

[Puddock · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been an intermittent fan of Lynne Truss over the years but I gave up on this at a very early stage...the heroine was just too irritating for me.

[Blair Conrad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, but not as good as the other Lynne Truss books I've read. I thought it started a little better, and with more promise, but peaked early, and the grand rush of humorous events at the end that I was expecting never materialized. The Linda and Stefan characters were interesting, but most of the mean were indistinguishable (to me), so I found bits of the story a lot less interesting than they could've been.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this novel very much and rate it more than three stars really (but have just given four to Evelyn Waugh...). After reading Eats, Shoots and Leaves, I expected to enjoy this and was not disappointed. The plot thickens and thickens, the characters grow and the whole thing brilliantly gathers momentum, eventually boiling over in the most spectacular fashion. There is plenty to laugh about, plenty to shock, and something of Rose Macaulay in this clever book.

[Kerry-Anne Gilowey · Rating 2 out of 5]

As much as I (usually) love Lynne Truss's writing, this book is pretty awful. (In a bizarrely entertaining sort of way, admittedly.) The writing itself is great; the storyline, however, hits rock bottom on about page 111, and continues digging energetically until the very last paragraph. Don't say I didn't warn you.

[Cupcakencorset · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strange, convoluted, farcical novel of doubles and mistaken identities, this short novel is a fun read, but would have been better (for me) if I’d read it in a more compressed timeframe. Having stretched it out for so long (while moving, etc.), I had trouble remembering who was doing what to whom when I picked it up again this morning. Still, it’s worth the effort.

[Michael Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generally as mad as a basket of soup, and very well-written, with many moments of inspired lunacy. It was never dull though and went at farcical speed, but by the final third it felt like it was losing its plot - admirable metaphor for farcical lunacy, but not so good as far as the story was concerned.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been reading a lot of funny/weird books lately but Lynne Truss' Going Loco, is one of the strangest ones. Hilarious, too. But strange, strange, strange. The only problem was that there were many English phrases that the kindle dictionary didn't translate into anything that made sense to this American. Was a fun book, though, and the majority of characters were likeable.

[Jennifer B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fun. The little rat on the cover is what drew me to it. Put a rodent on the cover of the book, and I'm sure to read it. Anyway, it was an interesting and original novel, although it loses a bit of steam towards the end, despite everything working out neatly. Some of the auxiliary characters do blend together a bit, but it's not important for following and appreciating the story.

[Katherine Pershey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not at all what I expected... much more fun! This book isn't actually available in the US; we found it at a used/rare bookshop. Smart & funny. Sort of a blend of chick lit and Shakespeare. Definitely makes me want to track down more Lynn Truss - at the very least, her book about grammar.

[Hertzan Chimera · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd have given it 2.5 stars if I could for two reasons:

though it was 'well written' and (sometimes) funny in places it,
didn't compel me to finish it.

A half-finished book is no recommendation, really.

[Georgina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even more crazy than 'One Lousy Packet of Seed'! Very funny, clever... I just love her writing style and kooky storylines.

[Saya · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's pretty obvious this book is written by someone who works as an editor, and not in a good way.

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what to think of this book! It's got to be one of the wackiest books I've ever read, yet it's quite enjoyable. It's a very clever story of "doubles" gone out of control.

[David Grieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better than "With one lousy free packet of seeds". Funny and delightfully off the wall. Suspend disbelief and enjoy.

[Karen Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

laughed out loud, often. clever & funny. read as a talking book & was great for making car rides speed by.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weirdest book I've read so far.

[Ch J Loveall · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves" better but this a good book for those who enjoy mystery-romance books.

[Nicola · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very silly yarn but fun for all that.

[Frey Waelput · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one weird story. I loved the second half of the book a lot more than the first. Mainly because I genuinely barely had a clue what the heck was going on. Great read.