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****: or, The Anatomy of Melancholy
Hailed as a modern day ‘Catcher in the Rye’, Matthew Selwyn’s acclaimed debut novel ‘****, or, The Anatomy of Melancholy’ is a startling look into the addled mind of a young man hooked on the culture of the internet and desperately reaching out for human connection. Encompassing some of the biggest themes of the digital age – isolation, mental illness, the nature of reality, relationships, and the root of both love and hate – Matthew Selwyn’s startling debut novel has been described by ‘The Lancet: Psychiatry’ as "... a well-crafted book, a bleak yet thought-provoking portrayal of a character whose very superficiality leaves us eager to find out what horrors lie beneath the surface..."
Written with verve and originality, ‘****, or, The Anatomy of Melancholy’ marks the emergence of a major new talent in literary fiction, a voice both “tough and empathetic”. Selwyn’s writing is reminiscent of the “savageness of ‘American Psycho’ and the nihilism of some of the twentieth century’s greatest existentialists” but mixed with a “lightness of touch that rivals Douglas Coupland’s comic approach to ‘digital fiction’.” Brutal and honest, amused and appalled, this is “the kind of novel that can inspire laughter and anxiety with a single sentence... horrifying, hilarious and evocative” (Emily May, #1 Goodreads UK reviewer). A must read for the twenty-first century reader.
PRAISE FOR ‘****, OR, THE ANATOMY OF MELANCHOLY’:
An early champion of the book, novelist Peter Maughan wrote: "there's a talent burning away throughout this work like a slow fuse... Matthew Selwyn is an emerging major writer." Since then a number of authors have praised the book, with internationally-published novelist Bob Van Laerhoven offering a glowing review: “The novel develops a disturbing, very modern and ambiguous theme, evoking the sinister, lonely, “wolf-eat-wolf” lifestyle of young people in the 21th century. Gradually, the dark humour and the cynical view on life evolve in something deeper, a hidden melancholy, a muffled cry of pain. The mysterious girlfriend Lexi fades slowly into a pixel-portrait, the protagonist into a young man who’s nearly cracking under the load of the digital world’s demands and illusions. And then there’s the style, the icing on the cake for me: from laconic, to Hollywood blockbuster-jibe, from street-wise philosophy to subtle, lyrical undertones. A complex, disturbing, compelling debut.”
Written with verve and originality, ‘****, or, The Anatomy of Melancholy’ marks the emergence of a major new talent in literary fiction, a voice both “tough and empathetic”. Selwyn’s writing is reminiscent of the “savageness of ‘American Psycho’ and the nihilism of some of the twentieth century’s greatest existentialists” but mixed with a “lightness of touch that rivals Douglas Coupland’s comic approach to ‘digital fiction’.” Brutal and honest, amused and appalled, this is “the kind of novel that can inspire laughter and anxiety with a single sentence... horrifying, hilarious and evocative” (Emily May, #1 Goodreads UK reviewer). A must read for the twenty-first century reader.
PRAISE FOR ‘****, OR, THE ANATOMY OF MELANCHOLY’:
An early champion of the book, novelist Peter Maughan wrote: "there's a talent burning away throughout this work like a slow fuse... Matthew Selwyn is an emerging major writer." Since then a number of authors have praised the book, with internationally-published novelist Bob Van Laerhoven offering a glowing review: “The novel develops a disturbing, very modern and ambiguous theme, evoking the sinister, lonely, “wolf-eat-wolf” lifestyle of young people in the 21th century. Gradually, the dark humour and the cynical view on life evolve in something deeper, a hidden melancholy, a muffled cry of pain. The mysterious girlfriend Lexi fades slowly into a pixel-portrait, the protagonist into a young man who’s nearly cracking under the load of the digital world’s demands and illusions. And then there’s the style, the icing on the cake for me: from laconic, to Hollywood blockbuster-jibe, from street-wise philosophy to subtle, lyrical undertones. A complex, disturbing, compelling debut.”
- GenresContemporary
212 pages, Paperback
First published November 14, 2014
2 people are currently reading
1976 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Selwyn
5 books36 followersMatthew Selwyn is a young writer from London, England. His debut novel, ****: The Anatomy of Melancholy was released in 2014. A student and librarian, he is often to be found hiding amongst the stacks in the Victorian library where he works, surrounded by piles of books.
He writes book reviews online at www.bibliofreak.net.
He writes book reviews online at www.bibliofreak.net.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 24, 2014
Disclaimer: The author of this book was a member of my book club in college and never complained when I coerced him into watching bad cop shows and eating frozen blueberries with me (a testament to his character, if ever there was one). That being said, I promised him my honest opinion with a guarantee that I would rip the book to shreds if I hated it.
Unfortunately, he's actually good. Damn him.
****: The Anatomy of Melancholy is an ambitious debut; both a darkly comic portrayal of modern youth and a disturbingly insightful look at the people who are products of the digital age. It is the kind of novel that can inspire laughter and anxiety with a single sentence and which is simultaneously - through the narrator - horrifying, hilarious and evocative.
Sex, drugs, violence, discontent... our narrator pulls us through his life, which is fuelled by the over-sexualized images and unrealistic expectations created by the digital world. His commentary on life, women and people in general is entirely offensive and chilling - be prepared for an unlikable protagonist. But, especially as more pages fly by, he seems increasingly worthy of our sympathy; an unfortunate victim of the modern world.
The fragmented format of the book, which tells the narrator's frantic life in small scenes that jump quickly from one to the next, works well with the themes. I love stories that give the impression of growth, progression and development by the end, and this is one of those books that starts as a light, profanity-laden look into the mind of a horny young man - hovering somewhere between humour and serious commentary with the frequent nihilistic rants - but gathers depth and meaning as the novel moves along. You feel like you've come a long way by the end.
Addressing the reader in a constant informal conversation, the narrator is at once our pal, someone we don't like, and an echo of parts of ourselves.
Mr Selwyn has written one hell of an intriguing book.
Unfortunately, he's actually good. Damn him.
****: The Anatomy of Melancholy is an ambitious debut; both a darkly comic portrayal of modern youth and a disturbingly insightful look at the people who are products of the digital age. It is the kind of novel that can inspire laughter and anxiety with a single sentence and which is simultaneously - through the narrator - horrifying, hilarious and evocative.
Sex, drugs, violence, discontent... our narrator pulls us through his life, which is fuelled by the over-sexualized images and unrealistic expectations created by the digital world. His commentary on life, women and people in general is entirely offensive and chilling - be prepared for an unlikable protagonist. But, especially as more pages fly by, he seems increasingly worthy of our sympathy; an unfortunate victim of the modern world.
The fragmented format of the book, which tells the narrator's frantic life in small scenes that jump quickly from one to the next, works well with the themes. I love stories that give the impression of growth, progression and development by the end, and this is one of those books that starts as a light, profanity-laden look into the mind of a horny young man - hovering somewhere between humour and serious commentary with the frequent nihilistic rants - but gathers depth and meaning as the novel moves along. You feel like you've come a long way by the end.
Addressing the reader in a constant informal conversation, the narrator is at once our pal, someone we don't like, and an echo of parts of ourselves.
Mr Selwyn has written one hell of an intriguing book.
February 17, 2017
This is a book like no other that I have read before. It is so unique at so many levels.
This time around, I am not going to give a summary of the book in my review, as I fear that – one, I will give out spoilers, and two, I feel that I will not be able to do justice to the book. Instead, all I will say is that the last line of the book blurb, ‘it is a very modern novel about a very modern life’, sums up the book just perfectly.
Let me start with the things that make this book stand out. First of all, there are no chapters in the book. Yes, that’s right. The whole big is just one BIG chapter. Add the author’s informal and friendly narration style, this book feels like a conversation between buddies. Then there’s the matter of the title – not that I expect many people to agree with me on this, but to me it felt like a title of a classic book with heavy content that fire debates and discussion. Well, the second part about heavy content and firing discussions turned out to be true, only this is a modern novel that talks about modern times.
The protagonist is someone who almost demands your hatred and empathy at the same time. His unpretentious and honest narration will draw you in and while some of the things will almost disgust you, some things will bring out your philosophical side. No matter which emotion this book evokes in you the strongest, it will be impossible to deny that it truly reflects the modern society of the 21st century. I absolutely loved the author’s take and his matured interpretation.
From the photo on the cover, it looks like the author is still pretty young. And that impressed me on two levels. Firstly, the quality of his writing and content shows maturity. Secondly because it gives me hope for both for literature world and the world in general.
A fantastic debut!
This time around, I am not going to give a summary of the book in my review, as I fear that – one, I will give out spoilers, and two, I feel that I will not be able to do justice to the book. Instead, all I will say is that the last line of the book blurb, ‘it is a very modern novel about a very modern life’, sums up the book just perfectly.
Let me start with the things that make this book stand out. First of all, there are no chapters in the book. Yes, that’s right. The whole big is just one BIG chapter. Add the author’s informal and friendly narration style, this book feels like a conversation between buddies. Then there’s the matter of the title – not that I expect many people to agree with me on this, but to me it felt like a title of a classic book with heavy content that fire debates and discussion. Well, the second part about heavy content and firing discussions turned out to be true, only this is a modern novel that talks about modern times.
The protagonist is someone who almost demands your hatred and empathy at the same time. His unpretentious and honest narration will draw you in and while some of the things will almost disgust you, some things will bring out your philosophical side. No matter which emotion this book evokes in you the strongest, it will be impossible to deny that it truly reflects the modern society of the 21st century. I absolutely loved the author’s take and his matured interpretation.
From the photo on the cover, it looks like the author is still pretty young. And that impressed me on two levels. Firstly, the quality of his writing and content shows maturity. Secondly because it gives me hope for both for literature world and the world in general.
A fantastic debut!
May 9, 2015
I’m not a young bloke anymore, being a Flemish author of nearly 62, having (traditionally) published more than 30 books in Holland and Belgium, but I can still be pleasantly surprised by debuts of young authors. One of these is definitely Matthew Selwyn. His debut novel ****: The Anatomy of Melancholy kept me enthralled from start to finish. The novel develops a disturbing, very modern and ambiguous theme, evoking the sinister, lonely, ”wolf-eat-wolf” lifestyle of young people in the 21th century. Gradually, the dark humour and the cynical view on life evolve in something deeper, a hidden melancholy, a muffled cry of pain. The mysterious girlfriend Lexi fades slowly into a pixel-portrait, the protagonist into a young man who’s nearly cracking under the load of the digital world’s demands and illusions.. And then there’s the style, the icing on the cake for me: from laconic, to Hollywood blockbuster-jibe, from street-wise philosophy to subtle, lyrical undertones. A complex, disturbing, compelling debut. We want more, mr. Selwyn!
July 28, 2015
This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.
Sex – it’s the new currency. Men reign supreme. Women are simply boobs on sticks. Warning – this is a bad novel. I’m sure you think I didn’t finish this novel. But I persevered! I hoped for something redeeming. But there just wasn’t anything there worth saving.
The author has a fabulous grasp of both inventive high profile vocabulary with a mix of swear and slang words spread in. It seems as if he’s taken the dictionary and swallowed it. That being said, I could see this style working in a more structured and focussed novel
I just couldn’t get away from the confusing bubble of words being constantly spat at me. The characters were one dimensional, which was fine because they were supposed to be women in their place. The protagonist came through as a man stroking his own ego and penis and that was certainly some solid characterisation – but in the wrong way. Bombarded by constant reminders of his penis’ superiority, it was difficult to get beyond those thoughts..
I’m sure this novel is supposed to be a powerful social commentary on the present world. Instead it comes across as an insane babble of internal consciousness flow that adds nothing to current informed literature. The one thing I got out of this novel was on page 154 – ‘Napoleon’s penis was dismembered and sold to an American urologist’. Now, who ever knew that fact?
If you want something with sex and commentary – PLEASE DON’T CHOOSE THIS NOVEL. There are far better examples on the market, 2094 for example. If you even just want some titillating sex scenes, Mercedes Lackey writes better ones! I wouldn’t go so far to read Fifty Shades of Grey instead – that has its own problems with the depiction of sex. If lesbian sex is more your style, pick something with an actual storyline, like The Purveyor
This novel request actually went though to my spam mail. I fished it out, I assumed it went there because most **** do by default, and I guess it had enough other trigger words in it. I almost wish I hadn’t fished it out, but other people deserve to be warned.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I can enjoy sex and swearing in the right context. But this novel didn’t leave me feeling anything other than dirty. If I could give negative eggs, I would. This makes Marked look like a literary piece of fiction.
Sex – it’s the new currency. Men reign supreme. Women are simply boobs on sticks. Warning – this is a bad novel. I’m sure you think I didn’t finish this novel. But I persevered! I hoped for something redeeming. But there just wasn’t anything there worth saving.
The author has a fabulous grasp of both inventive high profile vocabulary with a mix of swear and slang words spread in. It seems as if he’s taken the dictionary and swallowed it. That being said, I could see this style working in a more structured and focussed novel
I just couldn’t get away from the confusing bubble of words being constantly spat at me. The characters were one dimensional, which was fine because they were supposed to be women in their place. The protagonist came through as a man stroking his own ego and penis and that was certainly some solid characterisation – but in the wrong way. Bombarded by constant reminders of his penis’ superiority, it was difficult to get beyond those thoughts..
I’m sure this novel is supposed to be a powerful social commentary on the present world. Instead it comes across as an insane babble of internal consciousness flow that adds nothing to current informed literature. The one thing I got out of this novel was on page 154 – ‘Napoleon’s penis was dismembered and sold to an American urologist’. Now, who ever knew that fact?
If you want something with sex and commentary – PLEASE DON’T CHOOSE THIS NOVEL. There are far better examples on the market, 2094 for example. If you even just want some titillating sex scenes, Mercedes Lackey writes better ones! I wouldn’t go so far to read Fifty Shades of Grey instead – that has its own problems with the depiction of sex. If lesbian sex is more your style, pick something with an actual storyline, like The Purveyor
This novel request actually went though to my spam mail. I fished it out, I assumed it went there because most **** do by default, and I guess it had enough other trigger words in it. I almost wish I hadn’t fished it out, but other people deserve to be warned.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I can enjoy sex and swearing in the right context. But this novel didn’t leave me feeling anything other than dirty. If I could give negative eggs, I would. This makes Marked look like a literary piece of fiction.
June 20, 2015
“A smile is just the contortion of a face." I quote the author of this book Matthew Selwyn, as he channels the rather compelling message of his novel to his readers. Thrilling - and straight up to the real world, this book opens our eyes to the modernized world, and hath the gallious acts and shoddy demeanor of technology.
Blurb:
"Reality is overrated. Sex, love, power, life: it's gone digital. Why settle for a girlfriend with cellulite? Why spend every day working a dead-end job? These are the new days, the infinite days: plug in, get connected. Life is porn, porn is life, don't accept anything less than the electric light show that is our digital reality. At the end of every computer screen, a mind is being formed on the material coughed up by the web that connects us all: this is the story of one of the internet's children, told from his own warped perspective. This is the millennial generation, the Y generation: we're horny, lonely, afraid, and self-confident. This is our story, our reality."
I would rate this book a 3 over 5 stars
Aside from the wonderful eye catching cover, this book has been a channeling teleport to the comical idea of technology - the digital age and how the menacing fact lingers through. I mean, nowadays reality must really be tiring - all the drama, and all the vapid commotions that fly by like a rocket, and this book just got me. From the start until the end, and I ended up reading it in just one day.
Love, drugs, violence, and more so affection hath elaborated a daunting and thrilling narrative by the speaker of the story. At some point, I come and question his intentions, but I guess he is just a victim of a sullen kind of reality. What I loved the most about the book was the sense of discovery at the end of the book.
A comment would be the addition of chapters, I mean i think it would be better if the story was divided into chapters, and also this book isn't for the young, but let me say that it is a good read! ( I would like to thank the author, Matthew Selwyn for sending me a copy of this book in exchange of my honest review) What are you waiting for, read on! x
Blurb:
"Reality is overrated. Sex, love, power, life: it's gone digital. Why settle for a girlfriend with cellulite? Why spend every day working a dead-end job? These are the new days, the infinite days: plug in, get connected. Life is porn, porn is life, don't accept anything less than the electric light show that is our digital reality. At the end of every computer screen, a mind is being formed on the material coughed up by the web that connects us all: this is the story of one of the internet's children, told from his own warped perspective. This is the millennial generation, the Y generation: we're horny, lonely, afraid, and self-confident. This is our story, our reality."
I would rate this book a 3 over 5 stars
Aside from the wonderful eye catching cover, this book has been a channeling teleport to the comical idea of technology - the digital age and how the menacing fact lingers through. I mean, nowadays reality must really be tiring - all the drama, and all the vapid commotions that fly by like a rocket, and this book just got me. From the start until the end, and I ended up reading it in just one day.
Love, drugs, violence, and more so affection hath elaborated a daunting and thrilling narrative by the speaker of the story. At some point, I come and question his intentions, but I guess he is just a victim of a sullen kind of reality. What I loved the most about the book was the sense of discovery at the end of the book.
A comment would be the addition of chapters, I mean i think it would be better if the story was divided into chapters, and also this book isn't for the young, but let me say that it is a good read! ( I would like to thank the author, Matthew Selwyn for sending me a copy of this book in exchange of my honest review) What are you waiting for, read on! x
July 15, 2015
This is an outstanding debut!
The direction is expertly delivered, and our protagonist befriends the reader as a novice. Though somewhat misguided to throw us from the reality of his situation, the truth is revealed in a most genius manner.
We live in a world where technology is king and our younger generation has become victim to the ease, or should I say addiction, of having the world at their fingertips. This tends to make one less inclined to involve themselves in actual social situations. Much like Robert Burton, our narrator rants about life and its inhabitants with superior prose. He’s vulgar, sexist, obnoxious, and real. He’s the kid next door, a friend of my son’s, or my nephews.
As in reality, nothing is what it seems, and I couldn’t help connecting with this character. His feigned attempts to be hard and impervious to pain slowly become translucent. While I’m a little older than the intended audience, every generation has their poison of choice. My generation birthed the internet, but our progeny has hypnotized our actual offspring.
Selwyn is an incomparable young writer that I will follow, henceforth.
Dark, entertaining, shrewd, comical, and moving! I highly recommend this to adults ages eighteen and up!
***Warning: This book contains Sex, Violence, and Profanity***
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The direction is expertly delivered, and our protagonist befriends the reader as a novice. Though somewhat misguided to throw us from the reality of his situation, the truth is revealed in a most genius manner.
We live in a world where technology is king and our younger generation has become victim to the ease, or should I say addiction, of having the world at their fingertips. This tends to make one less inclined to involve themselves in actual social situations. Much like Robert Burton, our narrator rants about life and its inhabitants with superior prose. He’s vulgar, sexist, obnoxious, and real. He’s the kid next door, a friend of my son’s, or my nephews.
As in reality, nothing is what it seems, and I couldn’t help connecting with this character. His feigned attempts to be hard and impervious to pain slowly become translucent. While I’m a little older than the intended audience, every generation has their poison of choice. My generation birthed the internet, but our progeny has hypnotized our actual offspring.
Selwyn is an incomparable young writer that I will follow, henceforth.
Dark, entertaining, shrewd, comical, and moving! I highly recommend this to adults ages eighteen and up!
***Warning: This book contains Sex, Violence, and Profanity***
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 22, 2018
This was a disappointing read. I really wanted to like this book, especially as it was written by a young and obviously talented author. The book, while very well written, is mostly a rant dealing with sex and violence, with allusions or direct references to "American Psycho," "Lolita," "A Clockwork Orange" and "Fight Club." I found approximately the first half of the book redundant. But then at some point nearing the second half I realized that the events depicted were being told by an unreliable narrator and that this young Brit was a self-deluded loser, unemployed, hanging out with his mates, having cyber sex with his "girlfriend" Lexi and living with Mum and Dad. He also was being counseled and given meds by a mental health therapist. I kept waiting for something, anything to happen, a revelation on his part, a breakdown, a breakthrough. But there was no plot. And there was no arc. And it was just more and more of the same: a young man with an inflated ego, spouting passages of sex, violence and nihilism. Too bad.
September 1, 2024
I think, personally, it was a book that I wanted to love. And while it definitely delved deep into the worst and most violent of the subconscious, it missed an extra dynamic to give us more insight into why this person was the way he was. Some of the best parts of the book were when we had compared the unreliable narrative with the hints of their real life (i.e. chloe conversations vs Lexi monologues).
I felt the blurb of the book really helped with understanding of it is a person lost the digital persona, otherwise we have to rely on very few hints grafted into segments of the story to differentiate between who this person wants to be, in comparison to who they are.
I might be harsh with 2/5, as the authors use of language as description intermingled with slang works so well for their character, but with a certain lack of definition, the angry monologue felt a bit flat.
I felt the blurb of the book really helped with understanding of it is a person lost the digital persona, otherwise we have to rely on very few hints grafted into segments of the story to differentiate between who this person wants to be, in comparison to who they are.
I might be harsh with 2/5, as the authors use of language as description intermingled with slang works so well for their character, but with a certain lack of definition, the angry monologue felt a bit flat.
May 18, 2017
DNF at 25%
At first I thought this was going to be similar with one of my favorite books: "Catcher in the rye", but a more modern version of it, but after the author keeps on talking only about sex and how great his c**k is and how he gets sex here and everywhere I got quite bored with the subject. I understand that young males only think about sex and this book might be on point, that doesn't excuse the dullness of the subject, at least for me.
At first I thought this was going to be similar with one of my favorite books: "Catcher in the rye", but a more modern version of it, but after the author keeps on talking only about sex and how great his c**k is and how he gets sex here and everywhere I got quite bored with the subject. I understand that young males only think about sex and this book might be on point, that doesn't excuse the dullness of the subject, at least for me.
November 9, 2015
Originally posted here: https://heatherreviews.wordpress.com/...
___________________________
This book confused me. Like, really confused me. I’m not even entirely sure what it was about, to be honest.
We follow our narrator as he talks about women – reducing them to physical attributes and how good they may or may not be in bed – and gives his general opinion on the hierarchy of life. Sex is the new currency, everyone knows it and he is so much better than everyone else because he’s got ‘the game’ all figured out.
I feel like this book and I weren’t a good fit. I was really confused for the majority of the book and it wasn’t until the end, when the narrative became very disjointed and it was unclear what the timeline was, that I realised the young man who was narrating was in fact struggling with psychological issues that he was getting help with.
There is a high level of vulgarity in this book, which was a little off-putting for me personally. With no chapters to break up the narrative, it was a little difficult to find logical stopping points and I think this might be part of the reason I left this book feeling as confused as I did. The narrator’s constant referencing of sex and how monogamy is not in a human’s nature was repeated often and after a while, was tedious. I found the narrative as a whole very repetitive, in that every few pages seemed to say the same thing.
There is a slow transformation in character: he starts as a vulgar and vile young man who believes he can do whatever he likes and sleep with any woman he wants, etc. and slowly starts to realise that perhaps he’s in love with the girl he’s been having regular sex with for a while, perhaps he does want something more, perhaps monogamy IS in his nature. This was a bit too quick to develop though; one page he’s all I can have sex with as many women as I want, and the next page he’s like I love this woman, she is mine, etc. It just felt very rushed and unauthentic – but the timelines near the end were very disjointed and, as I said before, very unclear.
I just didn’t connect with the narrator at all. I actually put this book down after 16 pages and almost didn’t pick it up again. I feel like I’ve missed the point of the book, wasn’t able to figure out precisely what it was. There was some great little twists at the end that pulled it back a bit for me, otherwise I would have rated this a two star read.
Not one for me personally and not one that I would really recommend, I’m afraid. However, the reviews from others point to a more positive response, so perhaps this is a case where it’s just me?
___________________________
This book confused me. Like, really confused me. I’m not even entirely sure what it was about, to be honest.
We follow our narrator as he talks about women – reducing them to physical attributes and how good they may or may not be in bed – and gives his general opinion on the hierarchy of life. Sex is the new currency, everyone knows it and he is so much better than everyone else because he’s got ‘the game’ all figured out.
I feel like this book and I weren’t a good fit. I was really confused for the majority of the book and it wasn’t until the end, when the narrative became very disjointed and it was unclear what the timeline was, that I realised the young man who was narrating was in fact struggling with psychological issues that he was getting help with.
There is a high level of vulgarity in this book, which was a little off-putting for me personally. With no chapters to break up the narrative, it was a little difficult to find logical stopping points and I think this might be part of the reason I left this book feeling as confused as I did. The narrator’s constant referencing of sex and how monogamy is not in a human’s nature was repeated often and after a while, was tedious. I found the narrative as a whole very repetitive, in that every few pages seemed to say the same thing.
There is a slow transformation in character: he starts as a vulgar and vile young man who believes he can do whatever he likes and sleep with any woman he wants, etc. and slowly starts to realise that perhaps he’s in love with the girl he’s been having regular sex with for a while, perhaps he does want something more, perhaps monogamy IS in his nature. This was a bit too quick to develop though; one page he’s all I can have sex with as many women as I want, and the next page he’s like I love this woman, she is mine, etc. It just felt very rushed and unauthentic – but the timelines near the end were very disjointed and, as I said before, very unclear.
I just didn’t connect with the narrator at all. I actually put this book down after 16 pages and almost didn’t pick it up again. I feel like I’ve missed the point of the book, wasn’t able to figure out precisely what it was. There was some great little twists at the end that pulled it back a bit for me, otherwise I would have rated this a two star read.
Not one for me personally and not one that I would really recommend, I’m afraid. However, the reviews from others point to a more positive response, so perhaps this is a case where it’s just me?
July 20, 2015
This review and more on So Bookalicious
****: The Anatomy of Melancholy is a book that stands out from anything else that I have ever read before. It is so unique in many different ways.
The book was an eye-opener for me where it concerns modern society. It portrays modern youth that grew up in a digital age in a captivating way. The book tells us exactly what goes on in daily life through the eyes of the narrator. Sex, drugs, violence… sadly it is all part of modern society and a lot of it is fueled by the unrealistic expectations that are created by the internet and TV. The narrator’s perspective on women and life is offensive. To be honest at the beginning of this book I was a bit shocked by the outlook he had on life. Be prepared to find a very unlikable character in this book. He might not be you normal book hero but as the story continues you cannot help but get some sympathy for him. Like so many of us he is a victim of the modern world and in some ways I could completely understand him.
This book stands out in so many other ways as well. There are no chapters in this book, the narrator’s life is told in little fragments. In the beginning it threw me a bit off, but it makes sense to do it this way. Like in modern society there is no time to stand still and to dwell on things. We have to keep moving forward no matter what. Even though the book jumped from one scene to the next it all still made sense. The author worked with certain repetitive scenes so that it was easy to keep track of what was going on. Something else that was completely different than in most books was the way in which the narrator told the story. I felt like he was telling his story personally to me in an informal conversation. And while he might be someone we do not like, we still listen to him since deep down we know that his words actually make sense.
Overall I really liked this book. It was something completely different than I normally read and I am happy that I took a chance with it because it is an amazing read. Matthew Selwyn definitely made an impression on me with his debut novel. I cannot wait to see what he will come up with next.
****: The Anatomy of Melancholy is a book that stands out from anything else that I have ever read before. It is so unique in many different ways.
The book was an eye-opener for me where it concerns modern society. It portrays modern youth that grew up in a digital age in a captivating way. The book tells us exactly what goes on in daily life through the eyes of the narrator. Sex, drugs, violence… sadly it is all part of modern society and a lot of it is fueled by the unrealistic expectations that are created by the internet and TV. The narrator’s perspective on women and life is offensive. To be honest at the beginning of this book I was a bit shocked by the outlook he had on life. Be prepared to find a very unlikable character in this book. He might not be you normal book hero but as the story continues you cannot help but get some sympathy for him. Like so many of us he is a victim of the modern world and in some ways I could completely understand him.
This book stands out in so many other ways as well. There are no chapters in this book, the narrator’s life is told in little fragments. In the beginning it threw me a bit off, but it makes sense to do it this way. Like in modern society there is no time to stand still and to dwell on things. We have to keep moving forward no matter what. Even though the book jumped from one scene to the next it all still made sense. The author worked with certain repetitive scenes so that it was easy to keep track of what was going on. Something else that was completely different than in most books was the way in which the narrator told the story. I felt like he was telling his story personally to me in an informal conversation. And while he might be someone we do not like, we still listen to him since deep down we know that his words actually make sense.
Overall I really liked this book. It was something completely different than I normally read and I am happy that I took a chance with it because it is an amazing read. Matthew Selwyn definitely made an impression on me with his debut novel. I cannot wait to see what he will come up with next.
July 12, 2015
Melancholy is defined as "a gloomy state of mind, especially when habitual or prolonged; depression" or "sober thoughtfulness; pensiveness". Both of these definitions apply here. These are the ramblings of a disturbed mind - on the face of it, a sex addict with a narcissistic personality. Our narrator sees a psychiatrist regularly, is on medication, and has been diagnosed with depression and borderline personality disorder. His behavior is, at times, extremely disturbing; he describes himself as a predator, on the hunt for vulnerable girls at the park, shopping centre, bookshop, or supermarket. But how much is real? And can our seemingly unreliable narrator even be trusted?
In a manner similar to Robert Burton's 1621 book of the same name, The Anatomy of Melancholy addresses a number of different topics in a satirical, stream of consciousness style. We find short essays on such varied topics as street violence, tits, traffic, the Underground, art, monogamy, earphones, penis size, waiting, smoking, employment, computers, television, war, shopping centers, fear, internet porn, vending machines, and the library. This is a social commentary on the millennial generation. Our narrator is unemployed, still living at home with Mum, constantly surfing the net while deriding television, engaging in casual sex with multiple partners, and always on his laptop or computer - or even both at the same time. Is his melancholy caused by this constant interaction with an alternate reality, or is his internet addiction a direct result of his melancholy? An interesting conundrum.
Gritty, realistic, compelling, and extremely insightful.
Warnings: extremely coarse language, sex scenes, drug use, violence.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post: http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com...
In a manner similar to Robert Burton's 1621 book of the same name, The Anatomy of Melancholy addresses a number of different topics in a satirical, stream of consciousness style. We find short essays on such varied topics as street violence, tits, traffic, the Underground, art, monogamy, earphones, penis size, waiting, smoking, employment, computers, television, war, shopping centers, fear, internet porn, vending machines, and the library. This is a social commentary on the millennial generation. Our narrator is unemployed, still living at home with Mum, constantly surfing the net while deriding television, engaging in casual sex with multiple partners, and always on his laptop or computer - or even both at the same time. Is his melancholy caused by this constant interaction with an alternate reality, or is his internet addiction a direct result of his melancholy? An interesting conundrum.
Gritty, realistic, compelling, and extremely insightful.
Warnings: extremely coarse language, sex scenes, drug use, violence.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post: http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com...
July 30, 2015
This is a very original debut novel. The main character is a non-reliable first person narrator, almost anonymous, self centered and, in many aspects, totally obnoxious. His life revolves about sex, about his own boasting and his absurd expectations. The Internet makes him have a distorted image of women and he lives in a permanent dellusion of female "perfection" (...Kim Kardashian!!!), but he has Lexi, and some female friends that somehow contradict his expressed views. "Reality is overrated", he says.
A narrative voice like this can be found in books like "American Psycho". At some point, the narrator almost sees himself as some 21st century Patrick Bateman. Other literary reference in this book is "Fight Club". He sees himself as some very clever guy who's "milking the system" and he lectures the (male) reader about how to hook up everywhere (library, bookshop, supermarket...), while he waits anxiously for Lexi to come back. But the author has the ability to let us see through the cracks, and we see the character is nothing but a sad parasite living who, in the end, after the latest graphic sexual description, has to say: "I embrace reality".
A very good read for those who want a brutal and lucid reflection about the effect of the Internet on the human mind and the way we see reality.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
A narrative voice like this can be found in books like "American Psycho". At some point, the narrator almost sees himself as some 21st century Patrick Bateman. Other literary reference in this book is "Fight Club". He sees himself as some very clever guy who's "milking the system" and he lectures the (male) reader about how to hook up everywhere (library, bookshop, supermarket...), while he waits anxiously for Lexi to come back. But the author has the ability to let us see through the cracks, and we see the character is nothing but a sad parasite living who, in the end, after the latest graphic sexual description, has to say: "I embrace reality".
A very good read for those who want a brutal and lucid reflection about the effect of the Internet on the human mind and the way we see reality.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2015
Well, I'm glad that I finished reading this book. I'm not saying it was horrible or boring but it was meant for someone else in this world, and not me. I've learned from it, yeah, things I had no idea of and the way he describes woman gives me a whole new idea of my species and what also goes on in a mans head. the writer is a pretty good one, I like his writing styles. So overall, the book is great, for someone else.
I have received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
September 8, 2015
For years there was not a drop of rain in the desert.
But suddenly one day-clouds gathered over the sky-a cool breeze flows-and suddenly there is a splash of rain…..
How a toad who has lived years in the desert without a shower of water will feel?
Full review at
https://jayasreesown.wordpress.com/20...
But suddenly one day-clouds gathered over the sky-a cool breeze flows-and suddenly there is a splash of rain…..
How a toad who has lived years in the desert without a shower of water will feel?
Full review at
https://jayasreesown.wordpress.com/20...
November 16, 2018
A rather depressing read
December 16, 2015
I received it as a Goodreads giveaway.
Best book I've ever read or worst book I've ever read? After I finished it I wasn't sure but decided the fact that I had to think about it made it the best.
Best book I've ever read or worst book I've ever read? After I finished it I wasn't sure but decided the fact that I had to think about it made it the best.
March 18, 2016
I won the book from goodreads and it was different than what I was expecting. It's just not my style of book.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews