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Mister Spoonface
‘A fascinating novel exploring responsibility, desire and the very stuff of existence with verve and sensitivity’ Heidi James, author of Wounding
‘A thought-provoking exploration of relationships, obsession and what it means to be a father’ Justine Roberts, CEO of Mumsnet
Fred Pooley feels as though there’s a gaping hole inside him, somewhere between his heart and his stomach. Since returning to London after six years in Hong Kong, he’s been drifting; a new job and a new girlfriend do little to fill the gap. Meeting up with his first love Sally and her baby daughter sets him musing about children. He never thought he wanted kids; now suddenly he can’t stop thinking about becoming a father. An attempt to connect with the father who deserted him only leaves him more bereft. Presented with a chance to discover a ‘family’ of his own, Fred crosses a line into a world of dark obsession.
A thoroughly modern novel about family and what it means to be a parent.
‘A thought-provoking exploration of relationships, obsession and what it means to be a father’ Justine Roberts, CEO of Mumsnet
Fred Pooley feels as though there’s a gaping hole inside him, somewhere between his heart and his stomach. Since returning to London after six years in Hong Kong, he’s been drifting; a new job and a new girlfriend do little to fill the gap. Meeting up with his first love Sally and her baby daughter sets him musing about children. He never thought he wanted kids; now suddenly he can’t stop thinking about becoming a father. An attempt to connect with the father who deserted him only leaves him more bereft. Presented with a chance to discover a ‘family’ of his own, Fred crosses a line into a world of dark obsession.
A thoroughly modern novel about family and what it means to be a parent.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 12, 2016
About the author
Paul Blaney
8 books22 followersI was born in England to parents who'd recently moved from Belfast. They were on their way to Tasmania, but that's another story (life). I'm the second of five children--two brothers, two sisters. Since studying Classics at college I've moved around a bit. I taught English for a year in Lisbon, had a short, dull career in reference publishing, and traveled in India, Australia and New Zealand. Then in early 1996 I ended up in Hong Kong, on a nice little island called Lamma. My experience of living and working in Hong Kong are the substance of my novella, Handover.
From Hong Kong I moved direct to Eugene, Oregon (cue culture shock!) where I studied for an MFA in Creative Writing. Back in London, I taught, wrote, and met my lovely wife Karen who's from Louisville Kentucky. She brought me back to America, first to New Jersey (where we both still work at Rutgers) then to Allentown, PA. That about brings me up to date.
From Hong Kong I moved direct to Eugene, Oregon (cue culture shock!) where I studied for an MFA in Creative Writing. Back in London, I taught, wrote, and met my lovely wife Karen who's from Louisville Kentucky. She brought me back to America, first to New Jersey (where we both still work at Rutgers) then to Allentown, PA. That about brings me up to date.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 28, 2020
A healthy 2.5 out of 5. Mister Spoonface is a book about a man dealing with his obsession, or rather a man feeding his obsession. The main character's lack of self-awareness can be frustrating, the workman-like pros can be bland, but the subject matter makes you think a-little-bit and the emotional resolution rings true-enough.
Mister Spoonface feels a lot like a play-script during interpersonal scenes, especially there is something in the form or format of dialogue between characters that screams scriptwriting. I'm not sure wether that is a bad thing but I am sure that I was distracted by it. Where Mister Spoonface does a good job is in depicting obsession, not that I have much personal experience to draw on but I think this book's main character seems fairly accurate.
In any case, Mister Spoonface is well enough constructed to be worth reading if you happen to find it in your lap.
Note: The jellyfish on the cover are not of any particular significance. They show up in the book, kind-of, and in one exchange of dialog but are an odd choice for cover art.
Mister Spoonface feels a lot like a play-script during interpersonal scenes, especially there is something in the form or format of dialogue between characters that screams scriptwriting. I'm not sure wether that is a bad thing but I am sure that I was distracted by it. Where Mister Spoonface does a good job is in depicting obsession, not that I have much personal experience to draw on but I think this book's main character seems fairly accurate.
In any case, Mister Spoonface is well enough constructed to be worth reading if you happen to find it in your lap.
Note: The jellyfish on the cover are not of any particular significance. They show up in the book, kind-of, and in one exchange of dialog but are an odd choice for cover art.
December 3, 2015
Mister Spoonface, by Paul Blaney, explores what it means to be a father. Set in and around contemporary London it tells the story of Fred Pooley, a thirty-seven year old bachelor who has never wanted children, until one day he realises that he does. He has a gap in his life that is making him miserable. This tale chronicles his attempts to find some means by which to fill it, to give him purpose and make him whole.
It opens with this memorable line:
“A year before his actions won him nationwide notoriety and a prison term, Fred Pooley landed in Heathrow.”
Having decided to give up a lucrative job in Hong Kong, Fred returns to London unsure of what he is going to do next. He finds a flat and makes contact with his ex-girlfriend, Sally. She is now living with her new partner and they have a two year old child. Fred is entranced by the toddler.
Through a writing group at a local library he meets Petra and they begin a relationship. Petra makes it clear from the off that she does not want children, a state with which Fred concurs. Much as he likes Petra though, he is still drawn to Sally and her child. He starts to fantasise about fatherhood, watching children in parks and on the streets around his new home.
Fred has a troubled relationship with his mother who raised him alone. She has never told Fred who his father is, and he now wishes to find out. His attempts at making contact do not provide him with the solace he desired.
Petra works at the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority which sets Fred thinking about a time when he donated his sperm before he went to Hong Kong. He takes pleasure in the possibility that the children he has been watching could be biologically his.
Idle fantasy and casual observation morph into obsession. Fred crosses a line, knowing that what he is doing is dubious but seemingly unable to control his urges. He observes the surly teenagers who shout abuse and litter the streets, questioning the parenting techniques of the families he is increasingly drawn towards.
The tightly written plot oozes an undercurrent of menace as Fred’s obsession takes over his life. He pushes away those who care about him, ingratiating himself with strangers to get close to their kids.
His fall is expertly presented, offering as it does some understanding of why Fred acts as he does. It is still the stuff of every parent’s nightmare. The denouement offers a satisfying conclusion to a disturbing tale.
This is a timely and thought provoking read given the advances in reproductive techniques and the moral complexities introduced when conception requires a third party. Resultant children have a legal right to details of donors, yet can donors be considered parents in any real sense of the word?
Recommended for the quality of the writing and tensity of the plot realisation. The issues raised are an added bonus for those who like to ponder beyond the final page.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Red Button Publishing.
It opens with this memorable line:
“A year before his actions won him nationwide notoriety and a prison term, Fred Pooley landed in Heathrow.”
Having decided to give up a lucrative job in Hong Kong, Fred returns to London unsure of what he is going to do next. He finds a flat and makes contact with his ex-girlfriend, Sally. She is now living with her new partner and they have a two year old child. Fred is entranced by the toddler.
Through a writing group at a local library he meets Petra and they begin a relationship. Petra makes it clear from the off that she does not want children, a state with which Fred concurs. Much as he likes Petra though, he is still drawn to Sally and her child. He starts to fantasise about fatherhood, watching children in parks and on the streets around his new home.
Fred has a troubled relationship with his mother who raised him alone. She has never told Fred who his father is, and he now wishes to find out. His attempts at making contact do not provide him with the solace he desired.
Petra works at the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority which sets Fred thinking about a time when he donated his sperm before he went to Hong Kong. He takes pleasure in the possibility that the children he has been watching could be biologically his.
Idle fantasy and casual observation morph into obsession. Fred crosses a line, knowing that what he is doing is dubious but seemingly unable to control his urges. He observes the surly teenagers who shout abuse and litter the streets, questioning the parenting techniques of the families he is increasingly drawn towards.
The tightly written plot oozes an undercurrent of menace as Fred’s obsession takes over his life. He pushes away those who care about him, ingratiating himself with strangers to get close to their kids.
His fall is expertly presented, offering as it does some understanding of why Fred acts as he does. It is still the stuff of every parent’s nightmare. The denouement offers a satisfying conclusion to a disturbing tale.
This is a timely and thought provoking read given the advances in reproductive techniques and the moral complexities introduced when conception requires a third party. Resultant children have a legal right to details of donors, yet can donors be considered parents in any real sense of the word?
Recommended for the quality of the writing and tensity of the plot realisation. The issues raised are an added bonus for those who like to ponder beyond the final page.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Red Button Publishing.
November 29, 2015
I just finished the last page of Mister Spoonface, and I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed reading a book so much. Over the past few days, I have been carrying the book around with me, hoping to be able to sneak in a few pages whenever possible. I found myself thinking about the characters in the story very often, and felt that I knew them on a certain level. Each had his or her own clearly distinguishable personality, and this was achieved on an impressive level with the children. I particularly enjoyed the geographical setting and the aspects of British living scattered here and there ("flat" instead of "apartment," fish and chips for fast food instead of a burger and fries, etc.). This book was an absolute pleasure to read--thought provoking and entertaining, light and profound at all the right moments. I would highly recommend Mister Spoonface to anyone and everyone.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews