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Glass
Glass is pure. Glass is transparent. Glass is sharp.
Günter Glass, ex-milkman and aspiring window-cleaner, is certainly pure. And he's pretty transparent. But the jury's still out on how sharp he is.
What naïve young Günter does have is a head for heights and, ever since he visited a glassblower's workshop as a child, an unusual fixation with glass. When a minor adventure up the spire of Salisbury Cathedral makes Günter a local celebrity, John Blades - window-cleaner to the stars - comes calling. He wants Günter to join him in London to clean Europe's tallest skyscraper, the newly constructed Shard in London Bridge.
With his mother recently passed away, his dad retired and no money to pay off the mortgage, Günter takes Blades up on his offer and soon finds himself, for the first time, among the bright lights of London. He has his first experience of romantic love with short-range psychic Lieve Toureau, tries not to encourage Blades' frequent racist outbursts, and cohabits a Hackney 'bachelor-pad' with a reclusive landlord who has spent decades writing a never-ending book in his cork-lined bedroom. But above all, Günter spends his time trying to figure out how to be good and follow his dear departed mother's advice as best he can.
Will Günter find his way along the straight and narrow? Or will his innocence put him on collision course with the frequently baffling modern world?
Günter Glass, ex-milkman and aspiring window-cleaner, is certainly pure. And he's pretty transparent. But the jury's still out on how sharp he is.
What naïve young Günter does have is a head for heights and, ever since he visited a glassblower's workshop as a child, an unusual fixation with glass. When a minor adventure up the spire of Salisbury Cathedral makes Günter a local celebrity, John Blades - window-cleaner to the stars - comes calling. He wants Günter to join him in London to clean Europe's tallest skyscraper, the newly constructed Shard in London Bridge.
With his mother recently passed away, his dad retired and no money to pay off the mortgage, Günter takes Blades up on his offer and soon finds himself, for the first time, among the bright lights of London. He has his first experience of romantic love with short-range psychic Lieve Toureau, tries not to encourage Blades' frequent racist outbursts, and cohabits a Hackney 'bachelor-pad' with a reclusive landlord who has spent decades writing a never-ending book in his cork-lined bedroom. But above all, Günter spends his time trying to figure out how to be good and follow his dear departed mother's advice as best he can.
Will Günter find his way along the straight and narrow? Or will his innocence put him on collision course with the frequently baffling modern world?
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2015
6 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
About the author
Alex Christofi
5 books35 followersALEX CHRISTOFI is Editorial Director at Transworld Publishers and author of books published in twelve languages, including the novels Let Us Be True and Glass, winner of the Betty Trask Prize for fiction. He has written for numerous publications including the Guardian, the London Magazine, The White Review and the Brixton Review of Books, and contributed an essay to the anthology What Doesn't Kill You: Fifteen Stories of Survival. Dostoevsky in Love, his first work of non-fiction, was selected as a Times and Sunday Times literary non-fiction book of the year and shortlisted for the Slightly Foxed Best First Biography Prize. His latest book is CYPRIA: A journey to the heart of the Mediterranean (Bloomsbury, 2024).
@alex_christofi
@alex_christofi
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
April 19, 2020
This is the most fun I’ve had with a British debut since Ned Beauman’s
Boxer, Beetle
came out in 2010. Christofi recounts the brief and gently tragic life of Günter Glass, a milkman turned window cleaner in the cathedral town of Salisbury. The comedic, mock-picaresque approach should appeal to fans of Beauman, Joshua Ferris and Matthew Quick.
Although he is a figure of fun, Günter is also a sympathetic protagonist trapped in an existential search for meaning. Only by scaling tall glass structures does he get closer to understanding himself. His preoccupations include Wikipedia, Dutch waffles, sign language, and the interrobang (a little-known punctuation mark formed by merging a question mark and an exclamation point). On the other hand, there are also the highbrow literary references: the footnotes are pure David Foster Wallace, and Günter’s near-namesake is the Nobel Prize-winning German author Günter Grass.
With a first novel this good, great things are surely in store for Alex Christofi.
Related reading:
The Teleportation Accident by Ned Beauman
To Rise Again at a Decent Hour by Joshua Ferris
The Good Luck of Right Now by Matthew Quick
Although he is a figure of fun, Günter is also a sympathetic protagonist trapped in an existential search for meaning. Only by scaling tall glass structures does he get closer to understanding himself. His preoccupations include Wikipedia, Dutch waffles, sign language, and the interrobang (a little-known punctuation mark formed by merging a question mark and an exclamation point). On the other hand, there are also the highbrow literary references: the footnotes are pure David Foster Wallace, and Günter’s near-namesake is the Nobel Prize-winning German author Günter Grass.
With a first novel this good, great things are surely in store for Alex Christofi.
Related reading:
The Teleportation Accident by Ned Beauman
To Rise Again at a Decent Hour by Joshua Ferris
The Good Luck of Right Now by Matthew Quick
February 24, 2015
A strange book that I’m still processing, but was slightly underwhelmed with.
Glass tells the story of Gunther Glass, a twenty-year-old ex-milkman and aspiring window cleaner. Sounds a bit unusual right? Well it was the main reason I was attracted to this book. I’m a bit sick of characters always having the same few professions, so thought this would be a nice change. Anyway, back to the plot.
Gunther, having a head for heights, becomes a minor-celebrity when he climbs the spire at Salisbury Cathedral in London to replace a light fitting. After this, he receives a phone call from a man called John Blades, a famous window-cleaner, who offers him a job in London cleaning one of the tallest buildings there, the newly erected Shard.
Glass, told in the first-person in past tense, recounts the period in Gunther’s life when his Mother has just passed away and he accepts this job offered by Blade because his father is in debt, (the family home being threatened with repossession) and wanting to help out.
I enjoyed this book to a degree. Chiefly I enjoyed spending time with Gunter, who was fairly likeable. The real reason this book suffered though was because it was trying just a bit too hard to be smart. In order to highlight the points it wished to, it worked with stark contrasts. For example Gunther, while being a window-cleaner, came out with a lot of keen observations about humanity. I think what the book was trying to do was stamp on the supposition that a window-cleaner has a lack of knowledge. While I liked how the author did this and completely agreed with the sentiment, it wasn’t smoothly translated to the character. Instead of retaining this air, Gunther would sway back and forth from these realisations meaning, in the end, that his voice didn’t ring exactly true. It was the same for most of the other characters in that something felt a little false about them. I think that if the character’s had been developed more instead of a concentration on the nature of existence, this would have been a more successful book.
There was another bizarre situation where Gunther moved into a flat in London with a man who’d been trying to write a book that he couldn’t finish. The book was supposed to be a guide to living. It’s fairly obvious to see the contradiction here; a man writing a guide to living life who can’t complete it during his life. Again, while I appreciated this idea, it didn’t really work when translated to the page.
Footnotes were often attached at the end of sentences and often these were unneeded, serving as more of a distraction to the narrative than adding anything.
The ending was quite a let down, epitomising the book really, and it felt as if the author ran out of steam.
Glass tells the story of Gunther Glass, a twenty-year-old ex-milkman and aspiring window cleaner. Sounds a bit unusual right? Well it was the main reason I was attracted to this book. I’m a bit sick of characters always having the same few professions, so thought this would be a nice change. Anyway, back to the plot.
Gunther, having a head for heights, becomes a minor-celebrity when he climbs the spire at Salisbury Cathedral in London to replace a light fitting. After this, he receives a phone call from a man called John Blades, a famous window-cleaner, who offers him a job in London cleaning one of the tallest buildings there, the newly erected Shard.
Glass, told in the first-person in past tense, recounts the period in Gunther’s life when his Mother has just passed away and he accepts this job offered by Blade because his father is in debt, (the family home being threatened with repossession) and wanting to help out.
I enjoyed this book to a degree. Chiefly I enjoyed spending time with Gunter, who was fairly likeable. The real reason this book suffered though was because it was trying just a bit too hard to be smart. In order to highlight the points it wished to, it worked with stark contrasts. For example Gunther, while being a window-cleaner, came out with a lot of keen observations about humanity. I think what the book was trying to do was stamp on the supposition that a window-cleaner has a lack of knowledge. While I liked how the author did this and completely agreed with the sentiment, it wasn’t smoothly translated to the character. Instead of retaining this air, Gunther would sway back and forth from these realisations meaning, in the end, that his voice didn’t ring exactly true. It was the same for most of the other characters in that something felt a little false about them. I think that if the character’s had been developed more instead of a concentration on the nature of existence, this would have been a more successful book.
There was another bizarre situation where Gunther moved into a flat in London with a man who’d been trying to write a book that he couldn’t finish. The book was supposed to be a guide to living. It’s fairly obvious to see the contradiction here; a man writing a guide to living life who can’t complete it during his life. Again, while I appreciated this idea, it didn’t really work when translated to the page.
Footnotes were often attached at the end of sentences and often these were unneeded, serving as more of a distraction to the narrative than adding anything.
The ending was quite a let down, epitomising the book really, and it felt as if the author ran out of steam.
July 31, 2017
Glass, by Alex Christofi, is a gentle, intelligent tale that, in the hands of a lesser wordsmith, could have slipped down the cracks of more typical, cheap humour. It is the story of one young man’s attempts to cope in our modern world. The protagonist is propositioned by older women, observes what teenage boys get up to in the privacy of their bedrooms, worries about losing his virginity and then his subsequent performance; yet his musings never descend into the bawdy or salacious. They retain a subtlety that enables empathy; canny observations succinctly expressed.
Günter Glass is twenty-three years old when his mother dies, leaving him to cope alone with a brother who he mainly argues with and a father who has turned to drink. Günter has lost his job as a milkman and spends his days studying Wikipedia in an attempt to further his education. It is here that he reads about a businessman who received an OBE for services to the Queen as her appointed window cleaner. He decides that this could be the career for him.
Günter’s grief following his mother’s death takes him to Salisbury Cathedral where he meets Dean Angela Winterbottom, a lady in need of a worker with a head for heights. It is she who is telling Günter’s story, following his death. Alongside the narrative are occasional footnotes which add a further layer of droll quirkiness to the tale.
Günter’s adventures as a window cleaner lead him into a number of regrettable, sometimes dangerous, situations. After being featured in the local newspaper he is offered a job in London where he shares a flat with an eccentric aspiring writer. Their conversations are sometimes bizarre but also piquant. Günter is aware of his lack of social skills and is trying to teach himself to fit in. His interactions make for amusing if somewhat poignant reading.
The story is told with wit and wisdom. Günter is overweight and regarded by many, including his father, as lacking basic intelligence. He may struggle to empathise with those he interacts with but he recognises the contradictions by which they live.
“It was so hard to act in the world without indirectly harming someone else, or contributing to the net misery brought about wherever humanity flourished. One couldn’t buy from fast-food shops, because they were cruel to chickens, exploited their workers and deforested the Amazon to farm cows, which in turn contributed to global warming with their imperfect digestion. One couldn’t buy cheap clothes because they would have been made in a sweatshop, but expensive clothes played into the hands of the fashion world, which peddled insecurity as their stock in trade. Besides, cotton was too often grown and wasted on T-shirts that were never bought, and fair trade only served to elevate a few lucky landowners. And if you were rich enough to be buying everything fair trade, you probably had one of those jobs that creates inequality in the first place.”
Günter mulls the workings of the world as he wades through each day. He may appear fat, foolish and difficult yet his thoughts demonstrate an acute if blinkered awareness. The Dean adds her own nuggets of wisdom.
“There is a story in the bible (Judges 12:6) in which two tribes are at war. In one tribe, people pronounce a word ‘shibboleth’; in the other ‘sibbolet’. They use this to identify the enemy, and to kill them, little realising the real tragedy that this is the sum total of their difference.”
Günter knows that he should eat fewer delicious waffles, a food his mother offered him, and partake in more frequent exercise. He decides to cycle to work and to visit his lady friend, pondering why people choose to go out running when they have nowhere to be. The Dean’s comment on this thought is typically pithy.
“Sisyphus was a (non-Biblical) king who tried to cheat death and was punished by being made to exercise constantly; truly, a modern parable.”
Although entertaining and engaging the joy of reading this tale was the understated depth and intelligent humour in the telling. Günter is a man derided, largely ignored and misunderstood, who does his own share of misunderstanding even those close to him.
The denouement is fitting, despite its poignancy. An impressive debut and recommended read.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Serpent’s Tail.
Günter Glass is twenty-three years old when his mother dies, leaving him to cope alone with a brother who he mainly argues with and a father who has turned to drink. Günter has lost his job as a milkman and spends his days studying Wikipedia in an attempt to further his education. It is here that he reads about a businessman who received an OBE for services to the Queen as her appointed window cleaner. He decides that this could be the career for him.
Günter’s grief following his mother’s death takes him to Salisbury Cathedral where he meets Dean Angela Winterbottom, a lady in need of a worker with a head for heights. It is she who is telling Günter’s story, following his death. Alongside the narrative are occasional footnotes which add a further layer of droll quirkiness to the tale.
Günter’s adventures as a window cleaner lead him into a number of regrettable, sometimes dangerous, situations. After being featured in the local newspaper he is offered a job in London where he shares a flat with an eccentric aspiring writer. Their conversations are sometimes bizarre but also piquant. Günter is aware of his lack of social skills and is trying to teach himself to fit in. His interactions make for amusing if somewhat poignant reading.
The story is told with wit and wisdom. Günter is overweight and regarded by many, including his father, as lacking basic intelligence. He may struggle to empathise with those he interacts with but he recognises the contradictions by which they live.
“It was so hard to act in the world without indirectly harming someone else, or contributing to the net misery brought about wherever humanity flourished. One couldn’t buy from fast-food shops, because they were cruel to chickens, exploited their workers and deforested the Amazon to farm cows, which in turn contributed to global warming with their imperfect digestion. One couldn’t buy cheap clothes because they would have been made in a sweatshop, but expensive clothes played into the hands of the fashion world, which peddled insecurity as their stock in trade. Besides, cotton was too often grown and wasted on T-shirts that were never bought, and fair trade only served to elevate a few lucky landowners. And if you were rich enough to be buying everything fair trade, you probably had one of those jobs that creates inequality in the first place.”
Günter mulls the workings of the world as he wades through each day. He may appear fat, foolish and difficult yet his thoughts demonstrate an acute if blinkered awareness. The Dean adds her own nuggets of wisdom.
“There is a story in the bible (Judges 12:6) in which two tribes are at war. In one tribe, people pronounce a word ‘shibboleth’; in the other ‘sibbolet’. They use this to identify the enemy, and to kill them, little realising the real tragedy that this is the sum total of their difference.”
Günter knows that he should eat fewer delicious waffles, a food his mother offered him, and partake in more frequent exercise. He decides to cycle to work and to visit his lady friend, pondering why people choose to go out running when they have nowhere to be. The Dean’s comment on this thought is typically pithy.
“Sisyphus was a (non-Biblical) king who tried to cheat death and was punished by being made to exercise constantly; truly, a modern parable.”
Although entertaining and engaging the joy of reading this tale was the understated depth and intelligent humour in the telling. Günter is a man derided, largely ignored and misunderstood, who does his own share of misunderstanding even those close to him.
The denouement is fitting, despite its poignancy. An impressive debut and recommended read.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Serpent’s Tail.
December 18, 2023
Early on in reading this book I was starting to think it was completely and utterly ludicrous...and then I realised that was entirely the point. Not meant to be a serious bildungsroman, nor to be a super earnest proselytization on love, life and loss, but a cross-breed between that and something silly and funny and clownish. Once I embraced that I had a wonderful time reading and was able to absorb the moving and the serious set against the humour to deliver a delightful reading package. Our bumbling protagonist is a sort of Icarus, who gets carried away with his own confidence with mortal consequences, and demonstrates all the flaws of your bog-standard human and more, serving as a comfortable reminder that to be flawed is to be normal. The other characters each in their own way espouse the charming virtues of having issues, save for perhaps the dad who embodies the disasters of alcoholism. The narrator, for me, came across as representing the naivety of viewing the world through a strictly Christian lens. My recommendation - expect madness when setting out to read this book and you'll get the most out of it.
September 19, 2015
Wonderful!
August 14, 2025
I'm not sure where to begin with this - a strange fictional biography of someone who never existed written by someone who never existed, if that makes any sense at all. Some odd characters, an irritating number of footnotes making this feel like a non-fiction book rather than a novel, but I wanted to finish it to see if it would get any better. I'm still no closer to deciding if it's genius or just weird, but I do know I won't rush to read anything from this author...maybe I'm not advanced enough for this style of writing?
September 15, 2017
2.5 Sterne
Ich habe das Buch hauptsächlich wegen des Covers und als Mängelexemplar gekauft, von daher bin ich nicht sonderlich enttäuscht das es mir nicht wirklich gefallen hat.
Sicher, einige Stellen waren ganz witzig und komplett unerträglich ist Günter auch nicht, aber ich kann einfach nichts mit Büchern anfangen die am Ende mit keinerlei Geschichte aufwarten und ihre Versprechen nicht halten.
Ich habe das Buch hauptsächlich wegen des Covers und als Mängelexemplar gekauft, von daher bin ich nicht sonderlich enttäuscht das es mir nicht wirklich gefallen hat.
Sicher, einige Stellen waren ganz witzig und komplett unerträglich ist Günter auch nicht, aber ich kann einfach nichts mit Büchern anfangen die am Ende mit keinerlei Geschichte aufwarten und ihre Versprechen nicht halten.
September 21, 2022
The Tjmes describes the book as gleaming “with wit, inventiveness and an offbeat charm”. I have to say I agree with each of those ‘tags’. Trouble is, reading the plot, I didn’t really understand a word of it !
Nevertheless I am prepared to accept that is likely more due to deficiencies in the reader than the author.
Overall? A pleasure to read and I would recommend it for its powerful human observation but I’m still a bit baffled by its direction.
Nevertheless I am prepared to accept that is likely more due to deficiencies in the reader than the author.
Overall? A pleasure to read and I would recommend it for its powerful human observation but I’m still a bit baffled by its direction.
March 15, 2017
Glass is a very entertaining novel from Alex Christofi, focusing on our titular tubby hero as he copes with losing his job as a milkman, only to find that his lifelong passion of glass comes in a handy for his change of career as a window cleaner.
Written in the first-person perspective, Christofi's often humorous take on Gunter Glass' Wikipedia-obsessed knowledge means the reader really get into the head of this comic creation. Whilst the novelty wears out by the time our supporting characters reveal their true colours, the novel's pace and descriptive writing bring the characters to life on a somewhat cinematic level. Whilst the grand finale is sudden, and the very ending a bit open for complete closure on Glass' misadventures, this is an amusing and entertaining read from start to finish.
Christofi should be a name to keep an eye out for, as Glass is a recent novel that will offer plenty of scope and promise, as well as another comic creation for readers to get behind by through his misadventures. If Christofi has further plans for Gunter Glass, then we are all going to be in the presence of refreshing and entertaining novels in the future.
Written in the first-person perspective, Christofi's often humorous take on Gunter Glass' Wikipedia-obsessed knowledge means the reader really get into the head of this comic creation. Whilst the novelty wears out by the time our supporting characters reveal their true colours, the novel's pace and descriptive writing bring the characters to life on a somewhat cinematic level. Whilst the grand finale is sudden, and the very ending a bit open for complete closure on Glass' misadventures, this is an amusing and entertaining read from start to finish.
Christofi should be a name to keep an eye out for, as Glass is a recent novel that will offer plenty of scope and promise, as well as another comic creation for readers to get behind by through his misadventures. If Christofi has further plans for Gunter Glass, then we are all going to be in the presence of refreshing and entertaining novels in the future.
October 17, 2023
I really liked this debut novel; it was quirky & very entertaining, with unpredictable characters.
Some noteworthy comments about life, amongst the humour & far fetched events.
I would definitely read another book by this author.
Some noteworthy comments about life, amongst the humour & far fetched events.
I would definitely read another book by this author.
September 2, 2018
A witty tale of a young man who is trying to come to terms with himself and becomes sought after as a high rise window cleaner.
September 29, 2018
Fun book to read. A little draggy at some bits but mostly poignant.
April 1, 2024
Funny and interesting. Not sure about the ending, felt a bit like the cowards way out instead of solving the whole problem
August 25, 2025
This book was so bizarre. I half enjoyed it but also all of the characters were just awful awful people
May 10, 2015
Vom Fensterputzer zum Millionär, das wäre es doch! Nur nicht für Günter, der möchte es vom Milchmann zum weltbesten Fensterputzer bringen. Die ganz hohen Wolkenkratzer, die sind sein Ziel. Denn seit er einmal an der Turmspitze der Kathedrale von Salisbury hing, weiß er, da gehört er hin, in die luftigen Höhen.
Doch warum, verflixt noch eins, grübele ich seitdem, warum mir der Ort Salisbury etwas sagt? Rund 140 km südwestlich von London gelegen, ist das beschauliche Städtchen nicht unbedingt täglich auf meiner „Orte, über die ich heute nachdenken muss“-Liste zu finden. Und doch klingelt da was in meinem Hinterstübchen. Ha, natürlich, die Kathedrale! Die Kathedrale von Salisbury, oder auch ganz offiziell „The Cathedral Church Of St. Mary“. Dass mir dieses Bauwerk etwas sagt, liegt zum einen an meiner optischen Zuneigung für die gotische Architektur, aber auch an meiner Passion, mir unnützes Wissen rund um Bücher anzueignen, die ich nicht mal gelesen habe. Ken Follets opulentem Werk „Die Säulen der Erde“ (1990), das unter gleichnamigen Titel verfilmt wurde (2010), diente die Geschichte der Kathedrale von Salisbury nämlich als Vorlage für seinen Roman. Deshalb sagte mir der Ort etwas! Übrigens war eine der Hauptrollen in der Verfilmung mit Eddie Redmayne besetzt, der in diesem Jahr (2015) mit dem Oscar für seine Rolle als Stephen Hawking in „Die Entdeckung der Unendlichkeit“ (2014) ausgezeichnet wurde. So, damit ist mein Bedarf für triviale Informationen für heute gedeckt.
Mit dem hier vorliegenden Buch „Mr. Glas“ hat das alles nur in soweit etwas zu tun, als dass sein Protagonist Günter Glas in Salisbury aufgewachsen ist und die Kathedrale als Schauplatz für einen markanten Wendepunkt in seinem Leben und in der Handlung des Romans dient. Mehr kann ich dazu auch gar nicht verraten, denn sonst erwartet diejenigen, die das Buch noch lesen möchte, kaum noch etwas neues. Denn Überraschungen sind in „Mr. Glas“ leider ohnehin rar gesät, besonders nachdem man das Vorwort gelesen hat. Da wird dem geneigten Leser nämlich mal ganz locker-flockig das Ende kundgetan. Jedwede Spannung, die dem Roman durchaus gut getan hätte, ist damit von Tisch. Dabei hätte der Roman den Leser ohne Kenntnis vom Ausgang der Ereignisse mit seinem Ende wirklich berühren und eine tragische, emotionale Geschichte abliefern können. So ist es zwar auch ein nettes Buch, aber irgendwie ist nett hier wirklich unbefriedigend. Zumindest für mich. Mir hat der Clou gefehlt. Die Handlung plätschert vor sich hin wie die Themse an besonders schlechten Tagen, trotz Humor und liebevoller Figurenzeichnung fühlte ich mich von „Mr. Glas“ mit zunehmender Seitenzahl immer weniger gepackt. Gerade zu Beginn hatte die Geschichte noch Anleihen, sich irgendwo zwischen „Forrest Gump“ und „Das Labyrinth der Wörter“ einzureihen (beides Geschichten, die beweisen, dass ein großes Herz oft mehr bringt als ein großer Verstand), aber ich fand letztlich weder den Witz vom Erstgenannten noch den Zauber vom Zweitgenannten.
Es könnte sein, dass für mich der vielzitierte Hase im Pfeffer bei der gewählten Erzählperspektive lag. Denn dieses, Entschuldigung, unsägliche Vorwort nimmt ja nicht nur das Ende der Geschichte vorweg, es klärt auch erst einmal, wer einem die Geschichte überhaupt vorträgt. Das ist nämlich die Dekanin Angela Winterbottom, eine, das muss man wirklich sagen, bezaubernde, lebenskluge ältere Dame, deren Wirkungsstätte die besagte Kathedrale von Salisbury ist. Sie schreibt für uns Günter Glas Lebensgeschichte auf, erzählt sie dabei aber aus der Ich-Perspektive, also aus Günters Sicht. Das heißt, sie denkt sich das meiste aus, denn sie war schließlich bei rund 95 % der Ereignisse in Günters Leben überhaupt nicht anwesend. Da habe ich mich zunächst gefragt, warum der Autor nicht gleich einen Roman aus der Ich-Perspektive Günters schreibt. Wozu eine separate Erzählerin dazwischen schieben? Das macht spätestens dann Sinn, wenn man im Vorwort gelesen hat, wie das Ende der Geschichte lautet. So weit, so gut. Aber durch diese verschobene Erzählperspektive bleibt Günter genau so blass, wie eine Figur eben sein muss, wenn eine dritte Person über sie berichtet, die die meisten Dinge auch nur aus zweiter Hand erfahren hat. Wobei diese Person ja auch nur fiktiv und vom Autor erfunden ist und somit ein wenig mehr Kreativität im Füllen der Lücken hätte an den Tag legen können. Diese Art zu erzählen, empfand ich als umständlich. Ein Ich-Erzähler, der eigentlich keiner ist, das war nicht mein Fall. Das hätte man auch anders lösen können, auf diesem Umweg ist irgendwie eine Menge verlorenen gegangen von einer Geschichte, die eigentlich und ganz bestimmt ganz süß gemeint war.
Fazit: Eine britische Tragik-Komödie, ganz wunderbar gedacht, aber irgendwie ohne Clou. Muss ja auch nicht immer zwingend einen geben. Wäre hier aber doch irgendwie schön gewesen.
Bewertung:
Stil: 3/5 | Idee: 3/5 | Umsetzung: 2/5 | Figuren: 3/5 | Plot-Entwicklung: 2/5 |
Tempo: 2/5 | Tiefe: 3/5 | Komplexität: 1/5 | Lesespaß: 2/5
Rezension von WortGestalt
http://wortgestalt-buchblog.blogspot.de
Doch warum, verflixt noch eins, grübele ich seitdem, warum mir der Ort Salisbury etwas sagt? Rund 140 km südwestlich von London gelegen, ist das beschauliche Städtchen nicht unbedingt täglich auf meiner „Orte, über die ich heute nachdenken muss“-Liste zu finden. Und doch klingelt da was in meinem Hinterstübchen. Ha, natürlich, die Kathedrale! Die Kathedrale von Salisbury, oder auch ganz offiziell „The Cathedral Church Of St. Mary“. Dass mir dieses Bauwerk etwas sagt, liegt zum einen an meiner optischen Zuneigung für die gotische Architektur, aber auch an meiner Passion, mir unnützes Wissen rund um Bücher anzueignen, die ich nicht mal gelesen habe. Ken Follets opulentem Werk „Die Säulen der Erde“ (1990), das unter gleichnamigen Titel verfilmt wurde (2010), diente die Geschichte der Kathedrale von Salisbury nämlich als Vorlage für seinen Roman. Deshalb sagte mir der Ort etwas! Übrigens war eine der Hauptrollen in der Verfilmung mit Eddie Redmayne besetzt, der in diesem Jahr (2015) mit dem Oscar für seine Rolle als Stephen Hawking in „Die Entdeckung der Unendlichkeit“ (2014) ausgezeichnet wurde. So, damit ist mein Bedarf für triviale Informationen für heute gedeckt.
Mit dem hier vorliegenden Buch „Mr. Glas“ hat das alles nur in soweit etwas zu tun, als dass sein Protagonist Günter Glas in Salisbury aufgewachsen ist und die Kathedrale als Schauplatz für einen markanten Wendepunkt in seinem Leben und in der Handlung des Romans dient. Mehr kann ich dazu auch gar nicht verraten, denn sonst erwartet diejenigen, die das Buch noch lesen möchte, kaum noch etwas neues. Denn Überraschungen sind in „Mr. Glas“ leider ohnehin rar gesät, besonders nachdem man das Vorwort gelesen hat. Da wird dem geneigten Leser nämlich mal ganz locker-flockig das Ende kundgetan. Jedwede Spannung, die dem Roman durchaus gut getan hätte, ist damit von Tisch. Dabei hätte der Roman den Leser ohne Kenntnis vom Ausgang der Ereignisse mit seinem Ende wirklich berühren und eine tragische, emotionale Geschichte abliefern können. So ist es zwar auch ein nettes Buch, aber irgendwie ist nett hier wirklich unbefriedigend. Zumindest für mich. Mir hat der Clou gefehlt. Die Handlung plätschert vor sich hin wie die Themse an besonders schlechten Tagen, trotz Humor und liebevoller Figurenzeichnung fühlte ich mich von „Mr. Glas“ mit zunehmender Seitenzahl immer weniger gepackt. Gerade zu Beginn hatte die Geschichte noch Anleihen, sich irgendwo zwischen „Forrest Gump“ und „Das Labyrinth der Wörter“ einzureihen (beides Geschichten, die beweisen, dass ein großes Herz oft mehr bringt als ein großer Verstand), aber ich fand letztlich weder den Witz vom Erstgenannten noch den Zauber vom Zweitgenannten.
Es könnte sein, dass für mich der vielzitierte Hase im Pfeffer bei der gewählten Erzählperspektive lag. Denn dieses, Entschuldigung, unsägliche Vorwort nimmt ja nicht nur das Ende der Geschichte vorweg, es klärt auch erst einmal, wer einem die Geschichte überhaupt vorträgt. Das ist nämlich die Dekanin Angela Winterbottom, eine, das muss man wirklich sagen, bezaubernde, lebenskluge ältere Dame, deren Wirkungsstätte die besagte Kathedrale von Salisbury ist. Sie schreibt für uns Günter Glas Lebensgeschichte auf, erzählt sie dabei aber aus der Ich-Perspektive, also aus Günters Sicht. Das heißt, sie denkt sich das meiste aus, denn sie war schließlich bei rund 95 % der Ereignisse in Günters Leben überhaupt nicht anwesend. Da habe ich mich zunächst gefragt, warum der Autor nicht gleich einen Roman aus der Ich-Perspektive Günters schreibt. Wozu eine separate Erzählerin dazwischen schieben? Das macht spätestens dann Sinn, wenn man im Vorwort gelesen hat, wie das Ende der Geschichte lautet. So weit, so gut. Aber durch diese verschobene Erzählperspektive bleibt Günter genau so blass, wie eine Figur eben sein muss, wenn eine dritte Person über sie berichtet, die die meisten Dinge auch nur aus zweiter Hand erfahren hat. Wobei diese Person ja auch nur fiktiv und vom Autor erfunden ist und somit ein wenig mehr Kreativität im Füllen der Lücken hätte an den Tag legen können. Diese Art zu erzählen, empfand ich als umständlich. Ein Ich-Erzähler, der eigentlich keiner ist, das war nicht mein Fall. Das hätte man auch anders lösen können, auf diesem Umweg ist irgendwie eine Menge verlorenen gegangen von einer Geschichte, die eigentlich und ganz bestimmt ganz süß gemeint war.
Fazit: Eine britische Tragik-Komödie, ganz wunderbar gedacht, aber irgendwie ohne Clou. Muss ja auch nicht immer zwingend einen geben. Wäre hier aber doch irgendwie schön gewesen.
Bewertung:
Stil: 3/5 | Idee: 3/5 | Umsetzung: 2/5 | Figuren: 3/5 | Plot-Entwicklung: 2/5 |
Tempo: 2/5 | Tiefe: 3/5 | Komplexität: 1/5 | Lesespaß: 2/5
Rezension von WortGestalt
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April 15, 2015
“Mr. Glas” ist das Debüt des englischen Autors Alex Christofi und machte mich vor allem mit der Inhaltsbeschreibung neugierig.
Günter Glas ist sehr durchschnittlich. Nach dem plötzlichen Tod seiner Mutter, zu welcher er eine sehr gute Beziehung hatte, scheint er dafür zuständig zu sein, Geld für die Familie zu verdienen. Sein Vater, der tagtäglich über die vielen Schulden der Familie Glas lamentiert, tut nichts anderes, als sich zu betrinken und von Günter Geld zu verlangen. Günters Bruder hingegen ist taubstumm und ist genauso wenig eine Hilfe für Günter.
Also beschließt Günter, den Glas schon immer fasziniert hat, eines Tages der beste Fensterputzer der Welt zu werden. Er besorgt sich die benötigte Ausrüstung und geht in der Nachbarschaft Fenster putzen. Schon bald wird ein großes Putzunternehmen auf ihn aufmerksam.
Ein bisschen erinnerte mich der Inhalt ja gerade vom Protagonisten her an die Romane von Matthew Quick, die ich bisher sehr gerne gelesen habe. Und auch in “Mr. Glas” haben wir es mit einem eher bemitleidenswerten Protagonisten zu tun. Günter ist nicht besonders intelligent, hat bisher nicht viel aus seinem Leben gemacht und sieht die Welt oftmals ein wenig anders als es der durchschnittliche Mann tun würde. Während diese Eigenschaften einen Protagonisten erst Recht interessant machen könnten, blieb mir persönlich Günter leider die gesamte Handlung über durchgehend eher unsympathisch. Auch wenn es durchaus Momente gab, in denen ich dachte, ich könnte mich mit ihm anfreunden, so blieb er mir letztendlich doch zu unnahbar und befremdlich.
Auch von der Handlung an sich habe ich mir sehr viel mehr versprochen. Im Großen und Ganzen ist sie zwar durchaus lesenswert, gerade wenn man die Geschichte interpretiert und zwischen den Zeilen liest. Das machte für mich aber leider auch nicht die langatmigen Phasen währenddessen wett, die meiner Meinung nach dann doch eher dominierten. Diese überschatteten schließlich auch die wenigen unterhaltsamen Szenen.
Sehr gelungen finde ich dafür die Gestaltung des Covers. Die glänzende Oberfläche erinnert selbst an Glas und das eher schlichte Motiv passt perfekt zur Handlung.
Mich konnte “Mr. Glas” leider so gar nicht begeistern. Potenzial für eine interessante Geschichte war zwar durchaus vorhanden, allerdings konnte ich mich mit dem Protagonisten absolut nicht anfreunden und die Handlung hatte neben einigen wenigen unterhaltsamen Szenen viel mehr Längen zu bieten, so dass ich mich öfter gelangweilt als unterhaltet gefühlt habe.
Günter Glas ist sehr durchschnittlich. Nach dem plötzlichen Tod seiner Mutter, zu welcher er eine sehr gute Beziehung hatte, scheint er dafür zuständig zu sein, Geld für die Familie zu verdienen. Sein Vater, der tagtäglich über die vielen Schulden der Familie Glas lamentiert, tut nichts anderes, als sich zu betrinken und von Günter Geld zu verlangen. Günters Bruder hingegen ist taubstumm und ist genauso wenig eine Hilfe für Günter.
Also beschließt Günter, den Glas schon immer fasziniert hat, eines Tages der beste Fensterputzer der Welt zu werden. Er besorgt sich die benötigte Ausrüstung und geht in der Nachbarschaft Fenster putzen. Schon bald wird ein großes Putzunternehmen auf ihn aufmerksam.
Ein bisschen erinnerte mich der Inhalt ja gerade vom Protagonisten her an die Romane von Matthew Quick, die ich bisher sehr gerne gelesen habe. Und auch in “Mr. Glas” haben wir es mit einem eher bemitleidenswerten Protagonisten zu tun. Günter ist nicht besonders intelligent, hat bisher nicht viel aus seinem Leben gemacht und sieht die Welt oftmals ein wenig anders als es der durchschnittliche Mann tun würde. Während diese Eigenschaften einen Protagonisten erst Recht interessant machen könnten, blieb mir persönlich Günter leider die gesamte Handlung über durchgehend eher unsympathisch. Auch wenn es durchaus Momente gab, in denen ich dachte, ich könnte mich mit ihm anfreunden, so blieb er mir letztendlich doch zu unnahbar und befremdlich.
Auch von der Handlung an sich habe ich mir sehr viel mehr versprochen. Im Großen und Ganzen ist sie zwar durchaus lesenswert, gerade wenn man die Geschichte interpretiert und zwischen den Zeilen liest. Das machte für mich aber leider auch nicht die langatmigen Phasen währenddessen wett, die meiner Meinung nach dann doch eher dominierten. Diese überschatteten schließlich auch die wenigen unterhaltsamen Szenen.
Sehr gelungen finde ich dafür die Gestaltung des Covers. Die glänzende Oberfläche erinnert selbst an Glas und das eher schlichte Motiv passt perfekt zur Handlung.
Mich konnte “Mr. Glas” leider so gar nicht begeistern. Potenzial für eine interessante Geschichte war zwar durchaus vorhanden, allerdings konnte ich mich mit dem Protagonisten absolut nicht anfreunden und die Handlung hatte neben einigen wenigen unterhaltsamen Szenen viel mehr Längen zu bieten, so dass ich mich öfter gelangweilt als unterhaltet gefühlt habe.
June 8, 2020
A coming of age story about Günter Glass, an aspiring window cleaner who is too innocent and clueless for his own good. Overall this isn't a bad novel - it has a narrative that flows fairly well and you can't help but be amused by the scrapes Günter manages to get himself into. However, in my opinion, it has some issues.
Unfortunately this fell foul of one of my bugbears - the blurb on the back shared too much of the story. We know Günter will end up cleaning the Shard but the story takes too long to get there. You end up impatiently egging the story on to get to its inevitable conclusion.
There's very little character development. Günter starts off clueless and doesn't really seem to move on from there. Most of the other characters seem fairly one dimensional or just bizarre - I can't recall a character that I think I really liked.
Which brings me on to the final issue - whilst the story wasn't bad while reading it, with hindsight it was ultimately forgettable. I'll remember the basic story but overall I think this will just become a book that I read.
Unfortunately this fell foul of one of my bugbears - the blurb on the back shared too much of the story. We know Günter will end up cleaning the Shard but the story takes too long to get there. You end up impatiently egging the story on to get to its inevitable conclusion.
There's very little character development. Günter starts off clueless and doesn't really seem to move on from there. Most of the other characters seem fairly one dimensional or just bizarre - I can't recall a character that I think I really liked.
Which brings me on to the final issue - whilst the story wasn't bad while reading it, with hindsight it was ultimately forgettable. I'll remember the basic story but overall I think this will just become a book that I read.
May 26, 2015
Superhirn sein, einen außergewöhnlichen Namen und ein lustiges Leben haben – diese Dinge treffen auf Günter Glas nicht zu. Als Milchmann gescheitert, entdeckt er einerseits seine Liebe für eine Frau und andererseits für Glas, jedoch nicht nur, weil er zufällig selbst so heißt. Wo andere vor Computerbildschirmen an ihrer Karriere feilen, möchte Günter nur eins: Der beste Fensterputzer der Welt werden. Durch einige Bekanntschaften und Zufälle, landet er auf den größten Wolkenkratzern und erkennt, dass es im Leben nicht nur Höhenängste zu überwinden gibt.
Wer nach der Inhaltsangabe meint, dass es sich bei ‚Mr. Glas’ um ein deutsches Buch handelt, der irrt. Autor Alex Christofi hat in Oxford Englisch studiert und lebt heute in London. Als sein Protagonist Günter Glas erzählt, wie er zu seinem Namen kam und zu seiner Berufung als Fensterputzer fand, ist das nicht nur amüsant, sondern die Hausfrauen unter uns hätten ihn am liebsten schon gestern zu sich eingeladen.
Günter ist wahrlich primitiv, das ist meist lustig und führt zu einigen Schmunzlern und trotzdem weiß man schnell, dass hinter der komischen Fassade eine gewisse Tragik schlummert. Nach einem Todesfall in der Familie, muss der 23-jährige sein Leben nun absolut selbst in die Hand nehmen und ein latenter Terrorist, sowie ein eigenartiger Intellektueller, sind nur der Bruchteil des zwischenmenschlichen Kontakts, dem sich der sonst so introvertierte junge Mann stellen muss. Er ist ein bemerkenswerter Charakter und wirklich toll getroffen. Auch die wundervollen Beschreibungen von und über Glas an sich, haben ihren ganz eigenen Glanz. Eben wie eine frisch geputzte Scheibe.
Verwunderlich und deshalb erwähnenswert, sind auch die Fußnoten einer gewissen Dekanin Winterbottom, die häufig auftauchen, teilweise Bibelpassagen beinhalten und oft so geschwollen sind, dass ich den Sinn nicht verstehe.
‚Mr. Glas’ beginnt heiter und anders, wird zunehmend schrullig und nicht zuletzt sonderbar. Die vollständige Message erkennt man wohl nur im genauen Hinblick zwischen die Zeilen. Eine interessant verpackte Liebeserklärung an einen Stoff, der alltäglich wurde und dennoch essentiell ist. Und die Moral von der Geschicht’? Entweder du verstehst sie… oder nicht.
Wer nach der Inhaltsangabe meint, dass es sich bei ‚Mr. Glas’ um ein deutsches Buch handelt, der irrt. Autor Alex Christofi hat in Oxford Englisch studiert und lebt heute in London. Als sein Protagonist Günter Glas erzählt, wie er zu seinem Namen kam und zu seiner Berufung als Fensterputzer fand, ist das nicht nur amüsant, sondern die Hausfrauen unter uns hätten ihn am liebsten schon gestern zu sich eingeladen.
Günter ist wahrlich primitiv, das ist meist lustig und führt zu einigen Schmunzlern und trotzdem weiß man schnell, dass hinter der komischen Fassade eine gewisse Tragik schlummert. Nach einem Todesfall in der Familie, muss der 23-jährige sein Leben nun absolut selbst in die Hand nehmen und ein latenter Terrorist, sowie ein eigenartiger Intellektueller, sind nur der Bruchteil des zwischenmenschlichen Kontakts, dem sich der sonst so introvertierte junge Mann stellen muss. Er ist ein bemerkenswerter Charakter und wirklich toll getroffen. Auch die wundervollen Beschreibungen von und über Glas an sich, haben ihren ganz eigenen Glanz. Eben wie eine frisch geputzte Scheibe.
Verwunderlich und deshalb erwähnenswert, sind auch die Fußnoten einer gewissen Dekanin Winterbottom, die häufig auftauchen, teilweise Bibelpassagen beinhalten und oft so geschwollen sind, dass ich den Sinn nicht verstehe.
‚Mr. Glas’ beginnt heiter und anders, wird zunehmend schrullig und nicht zuletzt sonderbar. Die vollständige Message erkennt man wohl nur im genauen Hinblick zwischen die Zeilen. Eine interessant verpackte Liebeserklärung an einen Stoff, der alltäglich wurde und dennoch essentiell ist. Und die Moral von der Geschicht’? Entweder du verstehst sie… oder nicht.
August 19, 2016
Shardenfreude.
Prospective readers looking at the cover of this book might be justified in expecting an ultra-cool novel reflecting the mysteries of life through the metaphorical prism of London’s Shard. This isn’t that. It’s the sad story of a somewhat overweight and gauche 22-year old from Salisbury who takes up window-cleaning after the loss of both his mother and his job as a milkman. His mother’s funeral introduces him to the Dean of Salisbury Cathedral, one Angela Winterbottom, and it is she who provides the droll footnotes to Günter Glass’s journal.
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, the author gives us a cast of original characters (Günter’s deaf brother, his loser dad, an agoraphobic philosopher landlord, a fascist boss) and interesting (if slightly vertigo-inducing) situations. On the other, I think Alex Christofi overdoes the quirky. Günter is a misfit with – it is implied – certain difficulties. Yet for all his naivety, he frequently comes out with pearls of wisdom. And is it plausible for a young man who exists solely on a diet of Dutch waffles to pass judgement on Mediterranean dishes and the “plummy richness you’d expect with duck”? I’m afraid I just couldn’t really believe in these people nor could I derive very much pleasure from their misfortunes. 2.5*
Prospective readers looking at the cover of this book might be justified in expecting an ultra-cool novel reflecting the mysteries of life through the metaphorical prism of London’s Shard. This isn’t that. It’s the sad story of a somewhat overweight and gauche 22-year old from Salisbury who takes up window-cleaning after the loss of both his mother and his job as a milkman. His mother’s funeral introduces him to the Dean of Salisbury Cathedral, one Angela Winterbottom, and it is she who provides the droll footnotes to Günter Glass’s journal.
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, the author gives us a cast of original characters (Günter’s deaf brother, his loser dad, an agoraphobic philosopher landlord, a fascist boss) and interesting (if slightly vertigo-inducing) situations. On the other, I think Alex Christofi overdoes the quirky. Günter is a misfit with – it is implied – certain difficulties. Yet for all his naivety, he frequently comes out with pearls of wisdom. And is it plausible for a young man who exists solely on a diet of Dutch waffles to pass judgement on Mediterranean dishes and the “plummy richness you’d expect with duck”? I’m afraid I just couldn’t really believe in these people nor could I derive very much pleasure from their misfortunes. 2.5*
March 23, 2015
This is one of the most enjoyable novels I've read in a long time. As other reviewers have said, Gunter really is the star of the show and is possibly the most likeable character I've come across in a novel, but that does not change the fact that all the characters are fascinating and easy to identify with (except perhaps Gunter's boss!). However, what made this stand out for me was the contrast between the gentle humour that comes across on every page and the frequent moments of sharp insight that would pass you by if you weren't paying attention. It's a narrative that leaves you with a residue of unquantifiable, subjective wisdom about growing up, about people, and about the complexities of the world as it is today. It can be quite easy to miss sometimes, given how difficult it is not to get swept along with Gunther's charm, but there is a real depth of insight lurking just behind the story. I don't think this means the book is "trying" to be clever; it just is. That's why I enjoyed reading this book so much and would recommend it to anyone. It's a very competent comedy, but it's also much, much more.
I really hope Christofi writes many more like it.
I really hope Christofi writes many more like it.
February 12, 2015
Perhaps it’s down to his surname, perhaps it stems from a childhood visit to a glass-blower’s workshop, but twenty-two-year-old Günter is enthralled by glass. After supermarket cut-price milk leads to redundancy from his job as a milkman, and following a few weeks dedicated to Wikipedia in an effort to make up for his poor school record, he reinvents himself as a window cleaner. Via his mother’s funeral, he is befriended by Angela Winterbottom, the Dean of Salisbury Cathedral, who co-opts him into replacing the aircraft warning light atop the spire. This turns Günter into a local celebrity as well as giving him a taste for heights. Then along comes John Blades, morose window-cleaner to the stars, with an invitation to join his small team in London cleaning Western Europe’s tallest skyscraper, the Shard
Full review at http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/annecdo...
Full review at http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/annecdo...
September 12, 2016
An endearing, quirky and funny book. If you like odd characters and random situations then you'll probably enjoy this. Our hero is a young and naive idealist, grieving over the loss of his mother whilst still believing in the best of people. It is a coming of age tale of sorts with many themes; the purity of glass/our hero, alcoholism, loss, love, religion and attempting to find the right path in life. The story is recounted from the point of view of the Dean of Salisbury cathedral, who also has a minor part in the main narrative, but is told in the first person. A curious way of doing it but it works pretty well. The Dean interjects with corrections, observations and scripture that begin as mildly irritating but soon add to the quirky, and occasionally sharp, wit. A real treat, and while technically it doesn't really have a plot, it doesn't matter when there are such rich characterisations. I would have given it full marks but I think the ending let it down slightly.
October 13, 2015
It says on the cover that Glass is a brilliant novel. I thought it was an ok novel. It traces the life of a dissatisfied young man who finds local fame as a window cleaner when he takes his life in his hands to clean the church spire. This leads to his move to London and becoming involved with a psychic followed by a whole load of unlikely events. We learn at the outset he will die young and the rest of the novel is seeing how he gets there! The narrative voice is interesting. The fictional Dean of Salisbury Cathedral explains at the off that she has written a semi-fictional novel about Glass that is then told in the first person - Glass' own voice. Quite clever. The events are deliberately far-fetched which I guess is humorous and there is insight into the human condition. Overall a quick read, but I found it distinctly average.
January 27, 2016
Neatly wedged between two of my favourite authors, J.Robert Lennon and Magnus Mills, sits this delightful debut novel. Alex Christofi has talents similar to those other two in that he delights in the absurd, the slightly grotesque and colours his dark humour with as near as damn it deadpan delivery as that of the master himself, Mister Mills. Okay so he isn't quite so straight faced as Mills, isn't so hell bent on presenting the absurd as J.R.L but he is cut from similar cloth. A fabulous start to what I hope is a glittering career.
April 8, 2016
J'ai été déçue par ce livre qu'on m'avait présenté comme un coup de coeur. Peut-être en attendais-je plus ? J'aurais aimé, en tout cas, m'attacher au personnage principal, m'attendrir sur son parcours. Ce ne fut pas le cas. En réalité, Gunther m'a plutôt agacée qu'autre chose. Trop immature, trop larvaire. Qui plus est, j'ai trouvé que ce livre manquait de naturel, comme s'il se donnait trop de mal pour avoir l'air intelligent. Même si j'ai plutôt aimé le personnage du colocataire ermite, rien dans sa vie ne faisait sens... Bref, une rencontre ratée de mon côté !
March 22, 2016
I love this style of novel. Not exactly a comedy, more of a novel about life which is full of humour. Protagonist is interesting in that he never quite comes into his own, which is why he is drawn to something as pure and permanent (it can break, but not decay) as glass. Lots of topical 21st century stuff in there too, I really liked that.
May 23, 2016
innocent abroad, milkman turned high rise window cleaner navigates some bizarre acquaintances, looking for meaning
unusual choice to present as third person account of vicar character at cathedral, not sure the footnotes really contribute
some hints of Douglas Adams, for me, in some of the humourous turns of phrase
unusual choice to present as third person account of vicar character at cathedral, not sure the footnotes really contribute
some hints of Douglas Adams, for me, in some of the humourous turns of phrase
June 9, 2016
This book prodded slowly, much as I imagine the overweight main character plods. I see from other reviews that people love or dislike this book. I'm a disclaimer. But why rely on reviews? If it sounds interesting to you, read it.
September 17, 2015
More like a 2.5. Quite a strange book, would often find that during my hour long commute to work nothing had happened. I did really like Gunther though!
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