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Rotters' Club #3
Middle England
Beginning eight years ago on the outskirts of Birmingham, where car factories have been replaced by Poundland, and London, where frenzied riots give way to Olympic fever, Middle England follows a brilliantly vivid cast of characters through a time of immense change.
There are newlyweds Ian and Sophie, who disagree about the future of the country and, possibly, the future of their relationship; Doug, the political commentator who writes impassioned columns about austerity from his Chelsea townhouse, and his radical teenage daughter who will stop at nothing in her quest for social justice; Benjamin Trotter, who embarks on an apparently doomed new career in middle age, and his father Colin, whose last wish is to vote in the European referendum. And within all these lives is the story of modern England: a story of nostalgia and delusion; of bewilderment and barely-suppressed rage.
Following in the footsteps of The Rotters' Club and The Closed Circle, Jonathan Coe's new novel is the novel for our strange new times.
There are newlyweds Ian and Sophie, who disagree about the future of the country and, possibly, the future of their relationship; Doug, the political commentator who writes impassioned columns about austerity from his Chelsea townhouse, and his radical teenage daughter who will stop at nothing in her quest for social justice; Benjamin Trotter, who embarks on an apparently doomed new career in middle age, and his father Colin, whose last wish is to vote in the European referendum. And within all these lives is the story of modern England: a story of nostalgia and delusion; of bewilderment and barely-suppressed rage.
Following in the footsteps of The Rotters' Club and The Closed Circle, Jonathan Coe's new novel is the novel for our strange new times.
424 pages, ebook
First published November 8, 2018
937 people are currently reading
10837 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Coe
84 books2,620 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Jonathan Coe, born 19 August 1961 in Birmingham, is a British novelist and writer. His work usually has an underlying preoccupation with political issues, although this serious engagement is often expressed comically in the form of satire. For example, What a Carve Up! reworks the plot of an old 1960s spoof horror film of the same name, in the light of the 'carve up' of the UK's resources which some felt was carried out by Margaret Thatcher's right wing Conservative governments of the 1980s. Coe studied at King Edward's School, Birmingham and Trinity College, Cambridge, before teaching at the University of Warwick where he completed a PhD in English Literature. In July 2006 he was given an honorary degree by The University of Birmingham.
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Retrieved 10:55, February 2, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan...
Jonathan Coe, born 19 August 1961 in Birmingham, is a British novelist and writer. His work usually has an underlying preoccupation with political issues, although this serious engagement is often expressed comically in the form of satire. For example, What a Carve Up! reworks the plot of an old 1960s spoof horror film of the same name, in the light of the 'carve up' of the UK's resources which some felt was carried out by Margaret Thatcher's right wing Conservative governments of the 1980s. Coe studied at King Edward's School, Birmingham and Trinity College, Cambridge, before teaching at the University of Warwick where he completed a PhD in English Literature. In July 2006 he was given an honorary degree by The University of Birmingham.
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Retrieved 10:55, February 2, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,629 reviews
October 18, 2018
Jonathan Coe continues on themes that have been his natural areas of interest, this time he acutely observes the painfully divisive and depressing state of the nation since 2010 and Brexit through previous characters he once again resurrects along with the creation of new ones. Cameron as Prime Minister breaks Britain apart with his partner in crime, Osborne, inflicting an austerity on the poor and middle class whilst those who created the economic crisis, the bankers, walk away with impunity. Cameron's misjudgements are now legendary and it is unlikely history will be kind to him, his willingness to put Tory Eurosceptics above the interest of the country along with his efforts to encroach on UKIP territory for votes with his referendum on leaving Europe. He then proceeds to walk away from the unholy mess he created, the architect of the incoming car crash government of Teresa May.
Coe's trademark wit and comic humour is present, albeit severely curtailed given the bleakness of the circumstances. His characters capture the rage and anger prevalent in the nation, the precarious economic uncertainties blamed on immigrants and Europe, the inability of so many to come to terms with the new realities amidst a nostalgia for the past when Britain actually made things. Families and marriages are torn apart or hampered by desperately strained relationships, trying to ignore key faultlines in their differing perspectives. Coe takes us through the years with the 2011 riots and Coriander developing her radical political perspectives, whilst despising her out of touch political commentator of a father and her mother's lifestyle. The brief illusory moments of national unity provided by the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics captivate a number of the characters, especially the gay Sohan. The Leave Campaign's twisted lies and manipulation takes place in a toxic climate with key elements of the press labelling those who oppose Leave as enemies of the state and traitors, as the country's deep fissures are publicly exposed.
Coe excels in the connections he makes between the personal and the political, the past and present, and in capturing the seismic shifts of a nation as its mental health disintegrates with Brexit. Whilst there is very little cheer in the bleakness of future prospects, there are distinct moments of solidarity, support and hope. Benjamin reaching out to a long lost childhood friend experiencing the sharp end of austerity with his reliance on foodbanks, the possibility of a marriage saved from the brink of permanent separation, and other examples provide the small chinks of light for the future. I found myself completely immersed in this perceptive and timely study of Britain and Brexit through the well honed characters that inhabit this novel. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Penguin UK for an ARC.
Coe's trademark wit and comic humour is present, albeit severely curtailed given the bleakness of the circumstances. His characters capture the rage and anger prevalent in the nation, the precarious economic uncertainties blamed on immigrants and Europe, the inability of so many to come to terms with the new realities amidst a nostalgia for the past when Britain actually made things. Families and marriages are torn apart or hampered by desperately strained relationships, trying to ignore key faultlines in their differing perspectives. Coe takes us through the years with the 2011 riots and Coriander developing her radical political perspectives, whilst despising her out of touch political commentator of a father and her mother's lifestyle. The brief illusory moments of national unity provided by the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics captivate a number of the characters, especially the gay Sohan. The Leave Campaign's twisted lies and manipulation takes place in a toxic climate with key elements of the press labelling those who oppose Leave as enemies of the state and traitors, as the country's deep fissures are publicly exposed.
Coe excels in the connections he makes between the personal and the political, the past and present, and in capturing the seismic shifts of a nation as its mental health disintegrates with Brexit. Whilst there is very little cheer in the bleakness of future prospects, there are distinct moments of solidarity, support and hope. Benjamin reaching out to a long lost childhood friend experiencing the sharp end of austerity with his reliance on foodbanks, the possibility of a marriage saved from the brink of permanent separation, and other examples provide the small chinks of light for the future. I found myself completely immersed in this perceptive and timely study of Britain and Brexit through the well honed characters that inhabit this novel. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Penguin UK for an ARC.
October 25, 2018
Middle England revisits characters from Coe’s earlier novels
The Rotters’ Club
and
The Closed Circle
– I suppose the three books could be said to form a loose trilogy – and follows them from 2010 to the present day. Their experiences are juxtaposed with a wealth of political developments and newsworthy events: the Conservative/Lib Dem coalition, Amy Winehouse’s death, the London riots, the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony, the run-up to the EU referendum, Victoria Wood’s death, the murder of Jo Cox, the results of the referendum and its aftermath – to name a few of the developments that loom large in this particular story.
While all this is going on, we get glimpses of what's happening in the lives of our cast, made up of the The Rotters’ Club alumni, now middle-aged, and their younger relatives. Doug struggles to connect with his teenage daughter, the unfortunately-named Coriander. Benjamin gets a book published and it’s unexpectedly nominated for the Booker. His niece Sophie marries a man she isn’t sure about, and later gets suspended from her job in academia when she’s accused of discriminating against a student. (Sophie is in many ways the saving grace of this novel, but my god, her relationship with Ian resulted in some of the strongest second-hand frustration I’ve ever felt.)
I often found myself thinking Middle England would make a better read for someone who knows very little about British politics and current affairs of the past decade and is looking for an entertaining primer. If you’re British and/or live in the UK, you can’t fail to have been aware of the events depicted in this book, because they’re all major social or political developments that happened 7 or 8 years ago at most. In fact, I’d imagine most readers will have had more meaningful experiences of these things than Coe’s characters do. Too many sequences feel like they are merely soulless rehashes of news stories.
It was nice to read a novel about this political era set predominantly outside London (most of it takes place in and around Birmingham). There are some fantastic individual scenes: Benjamin and Lois scattering their parents’ ashes, for example, and Sophie’s reconciliation with her trans student Emily, and Benjamin and Jennifer’s goodbye. In these small, personal moments – too-scarce glimpses into the humanity of the characters – the book is at its best. A few entertaining sections in which a journalist meets up with a obsequious politician, illustrating the changing nature (but consistent hypocrisy) of government over the years, are also very good.
The bigger picture, however, is disappointing. The novel culminates in a plotline about the effects of Brexit in which the worst the characters have to fear is feeling a bit put out. The nods to diversity with a few minor characters don’t take away from the overwhelming sense that this is a story about people so privileged nothing can really touch them. There are troubling omissions (Naheed just disappears), disturbing details that are oddly glossed over, and some developments that simply don’t make a lot of sense.
It’s totally understandable that an established British novelist would want to write something that serves as a response to the current political moment. But Middle England is a largely toothless satire that offers neither an interesting perspective on society nor particularly engaging characters. As a state-of-the-nation novel, it also has the misfortune to have been published within a few months of Sam Byers’ vastly superior and much more vicious Perfidious Albion, which I would certainly recommend over this.
(Weird coincidence: this is the second book I’ve read this year in which a meet-cute takes place at a speed awareness course, the first being Blake Morrison’s The Executor.)
I received an advance review copy of Middle England from the publisher through NetGalley.
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While all this is going on, we get glimpses of what's happening in the lives of our cast, made up of the The Rotters’ Club alumni, now middle-aged, and their younger relatives. Doug struggles to connect with his teenage daughter, the unfortunately-named Coriander. Benjamin gets a book published and it’s unexpectedly nominated for the Booker. His niece Sophie marries a man she isn’t sure about, and later gets suspended from her job in academia when she’s accused of discriminating against a student. (Sophie is in many ways the saving grace of this novel, but my god, her relationship with Ian resulted in some of the strongest second-hand frustration I’ve ever felt.)
I often found myself thinking Middle England would make a better read for someone who knows very little about British politics and current affairs of the past decade and is looking for an entertaining primer. If you’re British and/or live in the UK, you can’t fail to have been aware of the events depicted in this book, because they’re all major social or political developments that happened 7 or 8 years ago at most. In fact, I’d imagine most readers will have had more meaningful experiences of these things than Coe’s characters do. Too many sequences feel like they are merely soulless rehashes of news stories.
It was nice to read a novel about this political era set predominantly outside London (most of it takes place in and around Birmingham). There are some fantastic individual scenes: Benjamin and Lois scattering their parents’ ashes, for example, and Sophie’s reconciliation with her trans student Emily, and Benjamin and Jennifer’s goodbye. In these small, personal moments – too-scarce glimpses into the humanity of the characters – the book is at its best. A few entertaining sections in which a journalist meets up with a obsequious politician, illustrating the changing nature (but consistent hypocrisy) of government over the years, are also very good.
The bigger picture, however, is disappointing. The novel culminates in a plotline about the effects of Brexit in which the worst the characters have to fear is feeling a bit put out. The nods to diversity with a few minor characters don’t take away from the overwhelming sense that this is a story about people so privileged nothing can really touch them. There are troubling omissions (Naheed just disappears), disturbing details that are oddly glossed over, and some developments that simply don’t make a lot of sense.
It’s totally understandable that an established British novelist would want to write something that serves as a response to the current political moment. But Middle England is a largely toothless satire that offers neither an interesting perspective on society nor particularly engaging characters. As a state-of-the-nation novel, it also has the misfortune to have been published within a few months of Sam Byers’ vastly superior and much more vicious Perfidious Albion, which I would certainly recommend over this.
(Weird coincidence: this is the second book I’ve read this year in which a meet-cute takes place at a speed awareness course, the first being Blake Morrison’s The Executor.)
I received an advance review copy of Middle England from the publisher through NetGalley.
TinyLetter | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
December 2, 2020
A surprisingly enjoyable and easy read. A look at middle England and the referendum that resulted in their decision to leave the EU. A bookclub monthly read and this is exactly why I enjoy bookclub choices, as it challenges me to read books I may never have picked up by myself. I think the discussion value of this one will be very interesting
I remember awaking to the news that Britain had voted to leave the European Union, and wondering what the implications for Ireland would be and our shared border wit Northern Ireland. So this book was a very interesting read without being too political and yet it’s captures the mood of the nation at the time.
I especially enjoyed the characters and and their thoughts and views as we follow them for the years leading up to Brexit. This is not a book strong on plot but rather a study of a group of people and what it means to be British. Having being bombarded with brexit information on the news for the past couple of years this was a refreshing and different telling of events which I really enjoyed.
Middle England is not one of those “ you have to read” sort of novel but I do think readers who choose to read this one will be pleasantly surprised. I listened to Middle England
on audible and read it on kindle and the narration was excellent.
I remember awaking to the news that Britain had voted to leave the European Union, and wondering what the implications for Ireland would be and our shared border wit Northern Ireland. So this book was a very interesting read without being too political and yet it’s captures the mood of the nation at the time.
I especially enjoyed the characters and and their thoughts and views as we follow them for the years leading up to Brexit. This is not a book strong on plot but rather a study of a group of people and what it means to be British. Having being bombarded with brexit information on the news for the past couple of years this was a refreshing and different telling of events which I really enjoyed.
Middle England is not one of those “ you have to read” sort of novel but I do think readers who choose to read this one will be pleasantly surprised. I listened to Middle England
on audible and read it on kindle and the narration was excellent.
February 10, 2021
Too long. Far, far, far too long. Also, the enormous amount of time that Coe spent describing the major British political and social events of the past ten years frequently left me wondering whether this was a novel or a short history of modern Britain.
Altogether a deeply frustrating read.
Altogether a deeply frustrating read.
July 16, 2019
For me, Jonathan Coe's novels feel like a form of literary comfort food or guilty pleasure. You know they will be funny at times, sentimental at others and topical. This state of the nation return to the characters created in The Rotters' Club (still my favourite of his books) is almost as good, and from my perspective seems both perceptive and at times poignant.
On the downside, some of the characters, particularly the minor ones, seem to be constructed purely to make a political point, and although I suspect Coe's views on Brexit and much else in modern Britain are largely ones I share, there are rather too many symbolic events and set pieces.
As always Coe writes with great warmth about music and other cultural reference points, and the way he integrated the murder of Jo Cox into the story was impressive and moving. I also liked the way both the first and last chapters reflected on the Sussex folksinger Shirley Collins and her version of the traditional song Adieu to Old England.
The satire is very funny at times, and special contempt is reserved for David Cameron, the man who called the Brexit referendum apparently for short term tactical reasons, misjudged the mood of the people and had no plan B when he lost it.
Overall a book that largely delivers what it set out to, and is very enjoyable to read.
On the downside, some of the characters, particularly the minor ones, seem to be constructed purely to make a political point, and although I suspect Coe's views on Brexit and much else in modern Britain are largely ones I share, there are rather too many symbolic events and set pieces.
As always Coe writes with great warmth about music and other cultural reference points, and the way he integrated the murder of Jo Cox into the story was impressive and moving. I also liked the way both the first and last chapters reflected on the Sussex folksinger Shirley Collins and her version of the traditional song Adieu to Old England.
The satire is very funny at times, and special contempt is reserved for David Cameron, the man who called the Brexit referendum apparently for short term tactical reasons, misjudged the mood of the people and had no plan B when he lost it.
Overall a book that largely delivers what it set out to, and is very enjoyable to read.
May 6, 2019
Επιτέλους ένα βιβλίο για το σήμερα, με όλες τις ανησυχίες, τις σκέψεις κ τα προβλήματα μιας κοινωνίας ανοιχτής, που μεταλλάσσεται σε κλειστοφοβική κ εχθρική στο διαφορετικό. Η Αγγλία του σήμερα που σταδιακά, όσο κυλά η ανάγνωση, γίνεται η Ευρώπη κ τελικά ο κόσμος, η ιστορία του οποίου κάνει κύκλους κ δυστοπικα επαναλαμβάνει λάθη χωρίς να μαθαίνει απ αυτά. Πέρα για πέρα, αγγλική η ατμόσφαιρα, μελαγχολία, πολυπολιτισμικότητα, η σύγχρονη ιστορία της Ευρώπης της κρίσης, κ μια αφήγηση ξεκούραστη που ρέει. Επίστροφη του Κόου στην φλεγματική φύση του
October 4, 2018
Set between the general election of 2010 that ushered in the coalition government and September 2018, this is a 'state of the nation' novel that tells the story of our times. Anyone who voted Leave may want to approach this with caution and have the blood pressure tablets handy; the rest of us can relive the tumultuous events of the last 8 years from the riots to Jo Cox, from the Olympics to the emergence of Jeremy Corbyn, and all the hideous hatred and vitriolic rhetoric that Brexit has legitimised.
Coe isn't really saying anything new here as his characters line up on both sides of the debate: those who think there's nothing wrong in poking fun at "lezzers" (vegetarian, at that!), or quoting Enoch Powell's 'rivers of blood' speech with a patronising 'told you so' air; or those with a more inclusive, compassionate, complex and layered sense of what it means to be 'English' today like young academic Sophie.
There's less humour here than we might expect from Coe but I would guess that he's as disheartened as many of us with the re-emergence of the alt-right, the wistful yearning to turn the clock back to a mythical 1950s England, and the utter chaos caused by Brexit. For all that, there's a tentatively hopeful ending - though it has to take place partly outside of England itself.
Many thanks to Penguin for an ARC via NetGalley
Coe isn't really saying anything new here as his characters line up on both sides of the debate: those who think there's nothing wrong in poking fun at "lezzers" (vegetarian, at that!), or quoting Enoch Powell's 'rivers of blood' speech with a patronising 'told you so' air; or those with a more inclusive, compassionate, complex and layered sense of what it means to be 'English' today like young academic Sophie.
There's less humour here than we might expect from Coe but I would guess that he's as disheartened as many of us with the re-emergence of the alt-right, the wistful yearning to turn the clock back to a mythical 1950s England, and the utter chaos caused by Brexit. For all that, there's a tentatively hopeful ending - though it has to take place partly outside of England itself.
Many thanks to Penguin for an ARC via NetGalley
April 6, 2020
First off, Middle England is the third book in Jonathan Coe’s Rotter’s Club series but I’ve not read either The Rotter’s Club or The Closed Circle and you don’t need to either if you’re thinking of picking this one up; it works fine as a standalone piece but maybe if you’ve read the previous two books you might get more out of it because you’ll know the characters better?
Anyway, Middle England is a fantastic novel about the Brexit referendum with events starting in 2010, leading up to the decisive moment, and the immediate aftermath. There’s a Dickensian cast of characters whose lives we follow throughout the years.
Benjamin is in his fifties, divorced, and struggling to complete his first novel that’s become a sprawling mess; his niece Sophie has to navigate the ultra-liberal culture of modern universities while seeing the opposite attitudes in her husband Ian’s elderly mother Helena, whose racism towards her Lithuanian housekeeper is barely disguised; Doug is a political reporter in a failing marriage, looking into the people driving this anti-European agenda while his increasingly angry teenage daughter Coriander becomes a social justice warrior; those are the main ones but there’s plenty of other great characters here too.
I loved Doug’s meetings with the smug, cocky young Conservative deputy assistant director of communications (job titles these days!), Nigel, which were really fun and had some great dialogue that could’ve come straight out of The Thick of It. The pretentious literary author Lionel Hampshire was amusing, as was the subplot about the two warring children’s entertainers (a swipe at the two main political parties?).
There’s lots of surprising little gems of scenes sprinkled throughout. The romance that never was between Sophie and Adam in Marseilles was unexpectedly moving and the description of the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony was brilliant. And I really enjoyed how Benjamin’s story played out, particularly when a journalist from one of the national papers interviews him and the subsequent article that’s written about him.
I didn’t love all of it - the stuff about Benjamin’s ailing dad Colin was dull and predictable. Coe is definitely a liberal and, though he’s not completely blinkered as to be unaware of opposing arguments, the ending was definitely idyllic to the point of fantasy and very sentimental. I’m not totally convinced that Sophie would’ve been quite so successful with such a niche academic background but then the world of academia is largely unknown to me so, who knows, maybe it’s accurate?
And, while Coe doesn’t provide any fresh insight into why Brexit happened, he does encapsulate a lot of the arguments for and against leaving the EU succinctly and, more importantly, presents them in an entertaining and well-written story. Even if you’re bored of hearing about Brexit (and who isn’t at this point?), Middle England is still a terrific read - one of Jonathan Coe’s best.
Anyway, Middle England is a fantastic novel about the Brexit referendum with events starting in 2010, leading up to the decisive moment, and the immediate aftermath. There’s a Dickensian cast of characters whose lives we follow throughout the years.
Benjamin is in his fifties, divorced, and struggling to complete his first novel that’s become a sprawling mess; his niece Sophie has to navigate the ultra-liberal culture of modern universities while seeing the opposite attitudes in her husband Ian’s elderly mother Helena, whose racism towards her Lithuanian housekeeper is barely disguised; Doug is a political reporter in a failing marriage, looking into the people driving this anti-European agenda while his increasingly angry teenage daughter Coriander becomes a social justice warrior; those are the main ones but there’s plenty of other great characters here too.
I loved Doug’s meetings with the smug, cocky young Conservative deputy assistant director of communications (job titles these days!), Nigel, which were really fun and had some great dialogue that could’ve come straight out of The Thick of It. The pretentious literary author Lionel Hampshire was amusing, as was the subplot about the two warring children’s entertainers (a swipe at the two main political parties?).
There’s lots of surprising little gems of scenes sprinkled throughout. The romance that never was between Sophie and Adam in Marseilles was unexpectedly moving and the description of the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony was brilliant. And I really enjoyed how Benjamin’s story played out, particularly when a journalist from one of the national papers interviews him and the subsequent article that’s written about him.
I didn’t love all of it - the stuff about Benjamin’s ailing dad Colin was dull and predictable. Coe is definitely a liberal and, though he’s not completely blinkered as to be unaware of opposing arguments, the ending was definitely idyllic to the point of fantasy and very sentimental. I’m not totally convinced that Sophie would’ve been quite so successful with such a niche academic background but then the world of academia is largely unknown to me so, who knows, maybe it’s accurate?
And, while Coe doesn’t provide any fresh insight into why Brexit happened, he does encapsulate a lot of the arguments for and against leaving the EU succinctly and, more importantly, presents them in an entertaining and well-written story. Even if you’re bored of hearing about Brexit (and who isn’t at this point?), Middle England is still a terrific read - one of Jonathan Coe’s best.
July 22, 2019
Εξαιρετικό βιβλίο από έναν μετρ του είδους....
Επίσης συγκλονιστικοί οι λόγοι που οδήγησαν στο Brexit...
Περισσότερα αργότερα
Επίσης συγκλονιστικοί οι λόγοι που οδήγησαν στο Brexit...
Περισσότερα αργότερα
January 14, 2020
Documenting the past decade through a fairly large cast of characters, Middle England is a hugely enjoyable chronicle but has slightly too many plots for its own good.
March 22, 2020
Ο Jonathan Coe γράφει ένα βιβλίο γύρω από το δημοψήφισμα για το Brexit. Είχα μια επιφύλαξη ότι μπορεί να είναι πολύ προπαγανδιστικό, υπερβολικά στρατευμένο, όμως ο Coe προσεγγίζει το θέμα με τη γνωστή του συνταγή: χιούμορ και ευαισθησία, με μια δόση νοσταλγικης αναπολησης. What's not to like, εν ολίγοις. Μην παρεξηγηθω, η θέση του για το δημοψήφισμα και τα πολιτικά ζητήματα γύρω από αυτό είναι σαφής στο βιβλίο. Αλλά στην τελική, είναι ένα μυθιστόρημα και αυτό έχει σημασία. Ένας καλός συγγραφέας δε γράφει ένα κακό βιβλίο, το πολύ πολύ να μην είναι τόσο καλό όσο κάποιο άλλο δικό του που ενδεχομένως να σε έχει ενθουσιάσει, αλλά κακό δε θα είναι. Και τετοιος συγγραφέας είναι κατά τη γνώμη μου ο Coe.
Αρχικά, η "Μέση Αγγλία" δε με εντυπωσίασε τόσο. Καλογραμμένο, ναι, με ενδιαφέρον, αλλά δεν είχε την έμπνευση που είδα στο "Τι ωραίο πλιάτσικο" ή στο "Το σπίτι του ύπνου". Από την άλλη, την ίδια άποψη είχα σχηματίσει και για το "Η λέσχη των τιποτενιων" και η "Μέση Αγγλία" πιάνει τη συνέχεια της ζωής των ηρώων της λέσχης, οπότε δε μου έκανε τόση εντύπωση αυτό.
Στη συνέχεια όμως άλλαξα γνώμη. Όσο προχωρούσε η ανάγνωση βυθίστηκα πλήρως στον κόσμο του Μπέντζαμιν Τροτερ και των φίλων του και απόλαυσα τη ρεουσα γραφή και την ιστορία με την έντονη μελαγχολία και τη ματια στη βρετανική ψυχολογία που οδήγησε στο αδιανόητο αποτέλεσμα του δημοψηφίσματος. Ιδιαίτερα απολαυστικά ως προς αυτό το τελευταίο ήταν τα κεφάλαια με τις πλήρως παρανοϊκές συζητήσεις μεταξύ του Νταγκ Αντερτον (δημοσιογράφου υποστηρικτή των Εργατικών) και του Νάιτζελ Άιβς από το γραφείο τύπου του Κάμερον.
Γενικά μου άρεσε. Θα έλεγα ότι είναι ένα 3,5/5, αλλά θα του δώσω το μισό γιατί Jonathan. Και τώρα πρέπει να διαβάσω και τον "Κλειστό Κύκλο", που κάπως αργά συνειδητοποίησα ότι είναι μεταξύ της λέσχης και της μέσης Αγγλίας. Μια χαρά λοιπόν.
Αρχικά, η "Μέση Αγγλία" δε με εντυπωσίασε τόσο. Καλογραμμένο, ναι, με ενδιαφέρον, αλλά δεν είχε την έμπνευση που είδα στο "Τι ωραίο πλιάτσικο" ή στο "Το σπίτι του ύπνου". Από την άλλη, την ίδια άποψη είχα σχηματίσει και για το "Η λέσχη των τιποτενιων" και η "Μέση Αγγλία" πιάνει τη συνέχεια της ζωής των ηρώων της λέσχης, οπότε δε μου έκανε τόση εντύπωση αυτό.
Στη συνέχεια όμως άλλαξα γνώμη. Όσο προχωρούσε η ανάγνωση βυθίστηκα πλήρως στον κόσμο του Μπέντζαμιν Τροτερ και των φίλων του και απόλαυσα τη ρεουσα γραφή και την ιστορία με την έντονη μελαγχολία και τη ματια στη βρετανική ψυχολογία που οδήγησε στο αδιανόητο αποτέλεσμα του δημοψηφίσματος. Ιδιαίτερα απολαυστικά ως προς αυτό το τελευταίο ήταν τα κεφάλαια με τις πλήρως παρανοϊκές συζητήσεις μεταξύ του Νταγκ Αντερτον (δημοσιογράφου υποστηρικτή των Εργατικών) και του Νάιτζελ Άιβς από το γραφείο τύπου του Κάμερον.
Γενικά μου άρεσε. Θα έλεγα ότι είναι ένα 3,5/5, αλλά θα του δώσω το μισό γιατί Jonathan. Και τώρα πρέπει να διαβάσω και τον "Κλειστό Κύκλο", που κάπως αργά συνειδητοποίησα ότι είναι μεταξύ της λέσχης και της μέσης Αγγλίας. Μια χαρά λοιπόν.
January 1, 2019
There are only a few books which I’ve read more than once. Pride and Prejudice is one of them; Brave New World another. And in this rare group you’ll also find Jonathan Coe’s What a Carve Up!
Sadly, his latest book, Middle England, will not be joining my fiction hall of fame. It seems Coe was asked to write a book about Brexit and that’s what he did. He resurrected his characters from The Rotters' Club (another great novel) and put them into Britain’s turbulent 21st C political landscape. And yet … those characters who were so engaging in The Rotters' Club, seem so dull in Middle England. Because here’s the thing…Brexit is boring. Yes, it’s important. Yes, I have a viewpoint – I’ve even taken to the streets to express it, and yet I find it as dull as dishwater.
In Middle England, Benjamin had written a book, which he asked his friends to critique and one of them advises him to ‘ get rid of some of the political, historical stuff’(well, actually, all of it.) But if you took away Coe’s political stuff, there’d be little left. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy Doug’s chats with the Tory spin doctor, the rivalry between the children’s entertainers and Colin’s selective memories of Midlands manufacturing. But without the Brexit timeline, there was little narrative to keep it going.
I’m sorry for the low ratings, because I really am a Jonathan Coe fan. It’s just on this occasion, he lacked the necessary biro. ( And if anyone doesn’t get that joke, read What a Carve Up!)
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.
Edited to insert the missing apostrophe into The Rotters' Club - (I'm so ashamed!)
Sadly, his latest book, Middle England, will not be joining my fiction hall of fame. It seems Coe was asked to write a book about Brexit and that’s what he did. He resurrected his characters from The Rotters' Club (another great novel) and put them into Britain’s turbulent 21st C political landscape. And yet … those characters who were so engaging in The Rotters' Club, seem so dull in Middle England. Because here’s the thing…Brexit is boring. Yes, it’s important. Yes, I have a viewpoint – I’ve even taken to the streets to express it, and yet I find it as dull as dishwater.
In Middle England, Benjamin had written a book, which he asked his friends to critique and one of them advises him to ‘ get rid of some of the political, historical stuff’(well, actually, all of it.) But if you took away Coe’s political stuff, there’d be little left. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy Doug’s chats with the Tory spin doctor, the rivalry between the children’s entertainers and Colin’s selective memories of Midlands manufacturing. But without the Brexit timeline, there was little narrative to keep it going.
I’m sorry for the low ratings, because I really am a Jonathan Coe fan. It’s just on this occasion, he lacked the necessary biro. ( And if anyone doesn’t get that joke, read What a Carve Up!)
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.
Edited to insert the missing apostrophe into The Rotters' Club - (I'm so ashamed!)
April 23, 2019
Υπέροχος συγγραφέας. Με αφορμή το Brexit αναπτύσσει περίτεχνα όλες τις κοινωνικοπολιτικές και ιδεολογικές ζυμώσεις στο νησί.
January 25, 2019
Middle England é un romanzo che si nutre di attualità e che misura la temperatura elevata che in questo momento si percepisce in Gran Bretagna.
Coe fa, prima, una cavalcata di qualche decennio attraverso alcuni eventi sociali e politici, nevralgici per il Regno Unito.
Tra gli altri le Olimpiadi di Londra del 2012, decise in una generale iniziale indifferenza diverranno, in un crescendo di partecipazione collettiva e di affermazione dell’orgoglio nazionale, una occasione di coesione del paese (paradossale che dove arriva lo sport, altro fatica ad arrivare).
Ma il punto cruciale del romanzo è l’approdo al referendum democratico sulla Brexit nel giugno del 2016, dove gli inglesi si sono giocati a dadi il futuro del paese, benché la Brexit rappresenti una opportunità, ma dalla porta strettissima.
Inizialmente il suo nome fu Brixit non Brexit, la nazione è Britain, non Bretain ma etimologicamente la parola Brixit è più incisiva perché conserva la parola ‘exit’ che dà il senso ad un movimento verso l’uscita, mentre in realtà la Brexit è un ripiegamento verso l’interno.
C’è un passaggio esplicativo in cui la cattedrale di St Paul a Londra, viene descritta come uno degli ultimi baluardi di un mondo che vede perdere i suoi punti saldi
Sembrava piccola e vulnerabile, impegnata ad affermare la sua identità di fronte alle creazioni moderniste, brutaliste e post moderniste che erano recentemente sorte attorno a lei
Per una cospicua parte degli inglesi anni di deindustrializzazione, impoverimento della classe borghese, la diffidenza verso lo straniero, l’austerità imposta dalla Ue hanno fatto vacillare il concetto di british; la britannicità colpita al cuore, e il referendum diventa un possibile strumento per riaffermare l’unicità e l’anima di un paese fortemente nostalgico e ancorato ad un illustre passato.
Coe mostra come questi eventi impattano sulla società inglese nelle reazioni di un gruppo di personaggi eterogenei: una giovane docente di arte all’Università di Oxford, uno scrittore che entra a far parte della cinquina dei Booker Prize, un giornalista molto vicino ad uno dei sostenitori del referendum, tutti in apparente relazione tra loro.
Dà voce a posizioni opposte, svela le paure, snida l’ipocrisia che spesso si nasconde nel politically correct in un paese dove straordinariamente la censura può operare nell’ombra, indossando la maschera della libertà di parola, laddove, in paesi come la Cina per esempio, la censura opera ma forse più onestamente perché imposta chiaramente e alla luce del sole
Ormai non difendiamo più i nostri interessi. Se uno appartiene a una minoranza... tutto bene. Si ritrova in prima fila, davanti a tutti. Neri, asiatici, musulmani, gay: non facciamo mai abbastanza per loro. Ma prendete un tipo in gamba come il nostro Ian, ed è tutt’altra musica…
Middle England non è un romanzo complesso, non urtica come carta vetrata, ma mette alla berlina un paese allo sbando che ha paura di decidere e quando lo fa teme le conseguenze delle sue scelte.
È un libro dinamico e brillante con una scrittura agevole, anche se non eccelsa che si legge con velocità.
Un po’ banalizzato il finale, in una specie di happy end forzato che induce ad una ulteriore riflessione sull’eventualità che anche divergenze di idee politiche possano contribuire al naufragio di un matrimonio:
Una coppia può decidere di separarsi per mille ragioni: adulterio, crudeltà, maltrattamenti domestici, carenza di rapporti sessuali. Ma una divergenza di opinioni sul futuro della Gran Bretagna, sul fatto che dovesse restare o no nell’Unione europea può essere di intralcio?
C'è da aggiungere, per chi ha già letto Coe, che alcuni personaggi vengono direttamente dalla Banda dei brocchi, e qui sono ripresi dall’autore nella loro piena maturità, per chi li aveva amati di là potrebbe essere un appeal aggiuntivo.
A seguire Jonathan Coe...gli scenari offerti da Brexit sono ancora tutti spalancati.
Coe fa, prima, una cavalcata di qualche decennio attraverso alcuni eventi sociali e politici, nevralgici per il Regno Unito.
Tra gli altri le Olimpiadi di Londra del 2012, decise in una generale iniziale indifferenza diverranno, in un crescendo di partecipazione collettiva e di affermazione dell’orgoglio nazionale, una occasione di coesione del paese (paradossale che dove arriva lo sport, altro fatica ad arrivare).
Ma il punto cruciale del romanzo è l’approdo al referendum democratico sulla Brexit nel giugno del 2016, dove gli inglesi si sono giocati a dadi il futuro del paese, benché la Brexit rappresenti una opportunità, ma dalla porta strettissima.
Inizialmente il suo nome fu Brixit non Brexit, la nazione è Britain, non Bretain ma etimologicamente la parola Brixit è più incisiva perché conserva la parola ‘exit’ che dà il senso ad un movimento verso l’uscita, mentre in realtà la Brexit è un ripiegamento verso l’interno.
C’è un passaggio esplicativo in cui la cattedrale di St Paul a Londra, viene descritta come uno degli ultimi baluardi di un mondo che vede perdere i suoi punti saldi
Sembrava piccola e vulnerabile, impegnata ad affermare la sua identità di fronte alle creazioni moderniste, brutaliste e post moderniste che erano recentemente sorte attorno a lei
Per una cospicua parte degli inglesi anni di deindustrializzazione, impoverimento della classe borghese, la diffidenza verso lo straniero, l’austerità imposta dalla Ue hanno fatto vacillare il concetto di british; la britannicità colpita al cuore, e il referendum diventa un possibile strumento per riaffermare l’unicità e l’anima di un paese fortemente nostalgico e ancorato ad un illustre passato.
Coe mostra come questi eventi impattano sulla società inglese nelle reazioni di un gruppo di personaggi eterogenei: una giovane docente di arte all’Università di Oxford, uno scrittore che entra a far parte della cinquina dei Booker Prize, un giornalista molto vicino ad uno dei sostenitori del referendum, tutti in apparente relazione tra loro.
Dà voce a posizioni opposte, svela le paure, snida l’ipocrisia che spesso si nasconde nel politically correct in un paese dove straordinariamente la censura può operare nell’ombra, indossando la maschera della libertà di parola, laddove, in paesi come la Cina per esempio, la censura opera ma forse più onestamente perché imposta chiaramente e alla luce del sole
Ormai non difendiamo più i nostri interessi. Se uno appartiene a una minoranza... tutto bene. Si ritrova in prima fila, davanti a tutti. Neri, asiatici, musulmani, gay: non facciamo mai abbastanza per loro. Ma prendete un tipo in gamba come il nostro Ian, ed è tutt’altra musica…
Middle England non è un romanzo complesso, non urtica come carta vetrata, ma mette alla berlina un paese allo sbando che ha paura di decidere e quando lo fa teme le conseguenze delle sue scelte.
È un libro dinamico e brillante con una scrittura agevole, anche se non eccelsa che si legge con velocità.
Un po’ banalizzato il finale, in una specie di happy end forzato che induce ad una ulteriore riflessione sull’eventualità che anche divergenze di idee politiche possano contribuire al naufragio di un matrimonio:
Una coppia può decidere di separarsi per mille ragioni: adulterio, crudeltà, maltrattamenti domestici, carenza di rapporti sessuali. Ma una divergenza di opinioni sul futuro della Gran Bretagna, sul fatto che dovesse restare o no nell’Unione europea può essere di intralcio?
C'è da aggiungere, per chi ha già letto Coe, che alcuni personaggi vengono direttamente dalla Banda dei brocchi, e qui sono ripresi dall’autore nella loro piena maturità, per chi li aveva amati di là potrebbe essere un appeal aggiuntivo.
A seguire Jonathan Coe...gli scenari offerti da Brexit sono ancora tutti spalancati.
December 13, 2018
A questo libro avrei dato anche 50 stelle. Per tantissimi motivi, forse non tutti condivisibili, ma assolutamente miei. Per iniziare direi che Coe è sempre una garanzia di un determinato tipo di libri e per estimatori dell'Inghilterra a prescindere. Quando iniziai a leggere la banda dei brocchi, intanto ero giovane, e poi avevo Manchester e il mio Erasmus così dentro di me che sentire raccontare qualsiasi cosa di una banda di giovanotti inglese mi faceva battere il cuore. Poi, con gli anni, recuperai e lessi tutto Coe, a volte con grandi entusiasmi, altri meno.
Middle England, comprato d'impeto, mi ha mandato in estasi. Era proprio quello che volevo leggere, avevo voglia di quell'Inghilterra pre e post Brexit interpretata e raccontata da una serie di personaggi ormai invecchiati come me. E' stata una lettura meravigliosa, perché la bravura di Coe sta nell'intrecciare una trama romanzesca (non sempre al top, spesso con dei lieti fine da orticaria ma sempre piacevole e con dei personaggi ben tratteggiati) a una serie di eventi che raccontano l'Inghilterra di quegli anni e a me interessava davvero.
Da leggere? Sì, ripeto, se si amano l'Inghilterra, gli inglesi e tutto qui mondo lì, altrimenti serve a poco. Birra, anche se fa freddo, perché a me basta per sentire l'odore del pub e il pavimento appiccicaticcio sotto i piedi.
Middle England, comprato d'impeto, mi ha mandato in estasi. Era proprio quello che volevo leggere, avevo voglia di quell'Inghilterra pre e post Brexit interpretata e raccontata da una serie di personaggi ormai invecchiati come me. E' stata una lettura meravigliosa, perché la bravura di Coe sta nell'intrecciare una trama romanzesca (non sempre al top, spesso con dei lieti fine da orticaria ma sempre piacevole e con dei personaggi ben tratteggiati) a una serie di eventi che raccontano l'Inghilterra di quegli anni e a me interessava davvero.
Da leggere? Sì, ripeto, se si amano l'Inghilterra, gli inglesi e tutto qui mondo lì, altrimenti serve a poco. Birra, anche se fa freddo, perché a me basta per sentire l'odore del pub e il pavimento appiccicaticcio sotto i piedi.
December 26, 2018
“Siamo fottuti!”
Parte in sordina questo romanzo, nel tentativo di riannodare vicende e personaggi di “La banda dei brocchi” e “Circolo chiuso”, che molto contribuirono alla popolarità di Jonathan Coe ma che risalgono ormai a una quindicina di anni fa. Non è facile e immediato il recupero nella memoria dei tipi e dei caratteri di allora e l’agile scrittura di Coe appare oggi più frammentaria e incline al luogo comune; forse si viene condizionati anche dal ricordo più recente delle ultime prove mediocri dell’autore (”Disaccordi imperfetti” e “Numero Undici”).
Tutto questo finché non entra in scena a poco a poco la Brexit, e allora Coe recupera il suo registro migliore, interpretando ancora una volta con notevole acume l’aria dei tempi. Dapprima si instaura nell’atmosfera intorno ai personaggi un progressivo disagio trasmesso da minimi dettagli, notizie di cronaca in apparenza insignificanti ma sempre più presenti nei media, colloqui nei quali fra lo scetticismo iniziale comincia a farsi strada l’ipotesi di un’uscita del Regno Unito dall’UE, e poi episodi di intolleranza, risentimento, rancore che incrinano la fiducia nel secolare buon senso britannico esemplificata dalla cerimonia di apertura delle Olimpiadi di Londra (2012).
“Quella sera l’Inghilterra sembrava un paese tranquillo e organizzato, un paese in pace con sé stesso. L’idea che una trasmissione televisiva avesse potuto unire milioni di persone così diverse gli faceva pensare alla sua infanzia e lo faceva sorridere. Andava tutto bene e il fiume sembrava essere d’accordo con lui…procedeva mormorando nel suo corso senza tempo, dolcemente e allegramente.
Ma dopo la parentesi di questa calma apparente, le frustrazioni personali, l’avversione mai sopita verso le persone di colore, anche se inglesi di nascita, il disprezzo nei confronti della tolleranza verso le minoranze di genere, di religione, verso tutto quanto non abbia radici nella vecchia “inglesità” vanno ad incanalarsi nella campagna referendaria con accenti sempre meno “british”:
”Cambiò anche il tono. Si fece più amaro, più personale, più rancoroso. Sembrava che una metà del paese fosse diventata ferocemente ostile all’altra metà. Un numero crescente di persone cominciò ad augurarsi che l’intera faccenda, spossante, cattiva, divisiva, finisse e fosse dimenticata il più presto possibile”
Finché, appena dopo il voto, affiora la consapevolezza dell’enormità di quanto accaduto e delle potenziali ricadute sulla vita quotidiana di ognuno: “SIAMO FOTTUTI” è la significativa esclamazione che il personaggio di Nigel, un uomo dello stretto entourage del premier Cameron, si lascia sfuggire in privato, sgomento dall’esito imprevisto della scelta popolare.
In definitiva Middle England è un romanzo non perfettamente riuscito sul piano narrativo, ma ha l’indubbio pregio di sapere interpretare e comunicare l’atmosfera di eventi vicini, non solo perché a noi contemporanei ma anche perché incarnano una lacerazione che pure nel nostro paese, con le ovvie differenze e comunque la si pensi, sta logorando il tessuto della comunità civile.
Parte in sordina questo romanzo, nel tentativo di riannodare vicende e personaggi di “La banda dei brocchi” e “Circolo chiuso”, che molto contribuirono alla popolarità di Jonathan Coe ma che risalgono ormai a una quindicina di anni fa. Non è facile e immediato il recupero nella memoria dei tipi e dei caratteri di allora e l’agile scrittura di Coe appare oggi più frammentaria e incline al luogo comune; forse si viene condizionati anche dal ricordo più recente delle ultime prove mediocri dell’autore (”Disaccordi imperfetti” e “Numero Undici”).
Tutto questo finché non entra in scena a poco a poco la Brexit, e allora Coe recupera il suo registro migliore, interpretando ancora una volta con notevole acume l’aria dei tempi. Dapprima si instaura nell’atmosfera intorno ai personaggi un progressivo disagio trasmesso da minimi dettagli, notizie di cronaca in apparenza insignificanti ma sempre più presenti nei media, colloqui nei quali fra lo scetticismo iniziale comincia a farsi strada l’ipotesi di un’uscita del Regno Unito dall’UE, e poi episodi di intolleranza, risentimento, rancore che incrinano la fiducia nel secolare buon senso britannico esemplificata dalla cerimonia di apertura delle Olimpiadi di Londra (2012).
“Quella sera l’Inghilterra sembrava un paese tranquillo e organizzato, un paese in pace con sé stesso. L’idea che una trasmissione televisiva avesse potuto unire milioni di persone così diverse gli faceva pensare alla sua infanzia e lo faceva sorridere. Andava tutto bene e il fiume sembrava essere d’accordo con lui…procedeva mormorando nel suo corso senza tempo, dolcemente e allegramente.
Ma dopo la parentesi di questa calma apparente, le frustrazioni personali, l’avversione mai sopita verso le persone di colore, anche se inglesi di nascita, il disprezzo nei confronti della tolleranza verso le minoranze di genere, di religione, verso tutto quanto non abbia radici nella vecchia “inglesità” vanno ad incanalarsi nella campagna referendaria con accenti sempre meno “british”:
”Cambiò anche il tono. Si fece più amaro, più personale, più rancoroso. Sembrava che una metà del paese fosse diventata ferocemente ostile all’altra metà. Un numero crescente di persone cominciò ad augurarsi che l’intera faccenda, spossante, cattiva, divisiva, finisse e fosse dimenticata il più presto possibile”
Finché, appena dopo il voto, affiora la consapevolezza dell’enormità di quanto accaduto e delle potenziali ricadute sulla vita quotidiana di ognuno: “SIAMO FOTTUTI” è la significativa esclamazione che il personaggio di Nigel, un uomo dello stretto entourage del premier Cameron, si lascia sfuggire in privato, sgomento dall’esito imprevisto della scelta popolare.
In definitiva Middle England è un romanzo non perfettamente riuscito sul piano narrativo, ma ha l’indubbio pregio di sapere interpretare e comunicare l’atmosfera di eventi vicini, non solo perché a noi contemporanei ma anche perché incarnano una lacerazione che pure nel nostro paese, con le ovvie differenze e comunque la si pensi, sta logorando il tessuto della comunità civile.
September 21, 2021
El título en inglés, ‘Middle England’, es muy elocuente, ya que evoca la ‘Middle Earth’ de Tolkien, ese país ideal, de bello paisaje, donde los Hobbits viven satisfechos y tranquilos en sus confortables moradas. Pues bien, en la actualidad el país está muy lejos de esa visión idílica, más bien está completamente dividido, y las brechas generacionales, de clase y de raza se manifiestan en toda su crudeza. En gran parte esta confrontación ha sido propiciada por una clase política que ha forzado a la ciudadanía a dirimir temas muy complejos, como es la relación con la Unión Europea, con un simple si o no.
Con esta novela Jonathan Coe intenta ofrecer un ambicioso panorama de la política y la sociedad inglesa entre 2011 y 2018, siempre desde el punto de vista de unos cuantos personajes, pertenecientes a diversos estamentos y clases sociales. Aunque se puede leer de manera independiente, en realidad es la tercera parte de una trilogía, siendo la primera sobre época de Margaret Thatcher The Rotters' Club y la segunda sobre los años de Tony Blair The Closed Circle. Se aproxima a la forma de saga familiar, pero se ha de decir que si no estás interesado en la política y la historia del Reino Unido, la lectura puede ser poco atractiva.
Creo que después de leerla entiendo mejor las razones del Brexit y la situación difícil en que se encuentra ahora la sociedad inglesa. Hay una reflexión interesante sobre los mecanismos que desencadenan los estados de opinión a partir de los intereses de unas élites y que en algunos casos se puede extrapolar a otros fenómenos del populismo, tan común en nuestros días.
Con esta novela Jonathan Coe intenta ofrecer un ambicioso panorama de la política y la sociedad inglesa entre 2011 y 2018, siempre desde el punto de vista de unos cuantos personajes, pertenecientes a diversos estamentos y clases sociales. Aunque se puede leer de manera independiente, en realidad es la tercera parte de una trilogía, siendo la primera sobre época de Margaret Thatcher The Rotters' Club y la segunda sobre los años de Tony Blair The Closed Circle. Se aproxima a la forma de saga familiar, pero se ha de decir que si no estás interesado en la política y la historia del Reino Unido, la lectura puede ser poco atractiva.
Creo que después de leerla entiendo mejor las razones del Brexit y la situación difícil en que se encuentra ahora la sociedad inglesa. Hay una reflexión interesante sobre los mecanismos que desencadenan los estados de opinión a partir de los intereses de unas élites y que en algunos casos se puede extrapolar a otros fenómenos del populismo, tan común en nuestros días.
November 4, 2018
Jonathan Coe has been one of our foremost British exponents of the ‘state of the nation’ genre, with a series of novels following a group of friends throughout their formative years, starting from their schooldays in 2001 with The Rotters Club. His current novel covers eight years from 2010 and includes many memorable news references:- Gordon Brown’s faux pas about the ‘bigoted’ woman, Ed Miliband’s bacon sandwich, the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony, and his main topic here - the political fault lines leading to the earthquake of Brexit.
Coe’s comedy-of-manners style is polished and very readable but his satirical approach is disappointingly marred in this instance by his own blatantly biased stance. The sympathetic characters are all Remainers and the Brexiteers are depicted as 'deplorables' – with one character in particular coming across as such a villainous caricature as to be laughable rather than despicable. Unfortunately, this level of comedy is just about the only humour in the novel. (apart from a farcical episode in a wardrobe).
The black and white stereotyping results in many characters being mere mouthpieces for the views of a cosy metropolitan elite of writers, academics and left-wing journalists who all toe the line of Guardianista political dogma.
I think a more balanced portrayal of the national mood outside this middle class bubble would have made the social satire a lot sharper - and more honest, too.
Sadly, Coe seems to have misread this mood just as much as those Remainers who were stunned by the Referendum result.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley
Coe’s comedy-of-manners style is polished and very readable but his satirical approach is disappointingly marred in this instance by his own blatantly biased stance. The sympathetic characters are all Remainers and the Brexiteers are depicted as 'deplorables' – with one character in particular coming across as such a villainous caricature as to be laughable rather than despicable. Unfortunately, this level of comedy is just about the only humour in the novel. (apart from a farcical episode in a wardrobe).
The black and white stereotyping results in many characters being mere mouthpieces for the views of a cosy metropolitan elite of writers, academics and left-wing journalists who all toe the line of Guardianista political dogma.
I think a more balanced portrayal of the national mood outside this middle class bubble would have made the social satire a lot sharper - and more honest, too.
Sadly, Coe seems to have misread this mood just as much as those Remainers who were stunned by the Referendum result.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley
January 2, 2022
A great read, as always with Jonathan Coe. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
June 13, 2020
I didn't realise until the very end that "A Rose Between Two Thorns" - the novel written by the hero, Benjamin Trotter - is based round a metaphor for post war Britain leading up to Brexit. The French student staying at his writing school gives the game away:
"....it conveys the desolation of a life [lived by the hero, metaphorically the UK] that is built entirely on failure. For me it is the story of a man who has failed in every area of his life and so he invests all his dreams of happiness to this one woman, this one love affair which turns out to be the greatest failure of all. It’s a life which lacks any kind of achievement, any kind of self knowledge and so in the end any kind of hope...".The book was a bit too middle class for me, which is saying something as I'm about as middle class as they get.
January 14, 2021
Ο Τζόναθαν Κόου νοσταλγεί την εποχή που νοσταλγώ κι εγώ. Όταν δε χαλούσαν οι φιλίες για τα κόμματα ρε, όταν δε χρειαζόταν να παρακολουθείς καθημερινά τις πολιτικές εξελίξεις με έναν κόμπο στο στομάχι, όταν μπορούσες να κάνεις σχέδια για ένα καλύτερο μέλλον.
Τουλάχιστον ας διαβάζουμε καλά βιβλία, εξακολουθούν να είναι παρηγοριά.
Τουλάχιστον ας διαβάζουμε καλά βιβλία, εξακολουθούν να είναι παρηγοριά.
January 6, 2021
Δεν ξέρω πώς να ξεκινήσω και τι να (πρωτο)πώ...
Το βιβλίο εξελίσσεται στα χρόνια 2010-2018 και παρακολουθούμε τις ζωές διάφορων ηρώων στην Αγγλία: του Μπέντζαμιν και της Λόις και του πατέρα τους, Κόλιν, της Σόφι (κόρης της Λόις) και του συντρόφου της, Ίαν. Παρελαύουν διάφοροι χαρακτήρες: σύζυγοι, παιδιά, φίλοι, παλιοί συμμαθητές και παρακολουθούμε τις ζωές τους υπό τις κοινωνικές και πολιτικές εξελίξεις που γυρνούν γύρω από το δημοψίσμα και το Brexit.
Ο Coe γράφει για τις δυσκολίες των ηρώων, τις απογοητεύσεις -ερωτικές και επαγγελματικές-, γκρεμισμένα όνειρα, έναν κόσμο που αλλάζει συνεχώς και αλλάζει ταυτόχρονα τι θεωρείται και τι σημαίνει να είσαι Βρετανός.
Όσον αφορά τους ήρωες, με όλους μπόρεσα να δεθώ και να τους συμπονέσω - ακόμη κι αυτούς που βρήκα γενικά αντιπαθείς. Μου άρεσε τρομερά η ρεαλιστικότητα των σχέσεων των ηρώων: καλοί και κακοί γάμοι, προβλήματα που ξεπερνιώνται ή που μένουν αγεφύρωτα.
Αυτό που μου άρεσε περισσότερο στο βιβλίο είναι η περιγραφή της κοινωνικής και πολιτικής πραγματικότητας - πάντα υπό το πρίσμα του Brexit, αφού διαβάζουμε για την κυβέρνηση Κάμερον, την προετοιμασία για το δημοψήφισμα και τα αποτελέσματα της επικράτησης του Brexit. Εν μέσω αυτών περιγράφεται μια κοινωνία που βράζει και έχει χωριστεί σε δύο στρατόπεδα που βλέπουν το ένα το άλλο για εχθρό. Οι μεν κατηγορούν τους δε για ρατσισμό, ξενοφοβία, ενώ οι δε κατηγορούν τους άλλους ότι δεν είναι αρκετά πατριώτες, αλλά προδότες. Όλα αυτά επηρεάζουν ακόμη και τις ίδιες τις οικογένειες και προκαλούν τριβές και τσακωμούς. Επίσης, με όλα αυτά ο Coe συζητά για την πολιτική ορθότητα τονίζοντας όλες τις απόψεις: και αυτών που δεν τους νοιάζει καν, και αυτών που δικάζουν τους πάντες στο όνομά της, αλλά και όσων προσπαθούν να είναι σωστοί και μην πουν/κάνουν κάτι που θα πληγώσει κάποιον.
Όλη αυτή η περιγραφή με ενθουσίασε καθώς είναι αληθινή, ρεαλιστική και την βλέπαμε και βλέπουμε στη χώρα μας επίσης.
Ακόμη, είναι σημαντικό ότι ο Coe, αν και φαίνεται τι υποστηρίζει για το Brexit, δεν κάνει πολιτική νουθεσία. Με την περιγραφή όλων των παραπάνω πιο πολύ φαίνεται να ανησυχεί και να στεναχωριέται για την κατάσταση και για αυτό το μίσος και αντιπαλότητα μέσα στην κοινωνία.
Το ύφος του Coe είναι σύγχρονο, ευκολοδιάβαστο, με τη γνωστή του ειρωνεία, ενώ μέσα στο βιβλίο υπάρχουν παράλληλα σημεία με ωμή, ρεαλιστική γλώσσα και περιγραφή, τα οποία διαδέχονται σημεία υπέροχα λυρικά. Αξίζει να σημειωθεί το κεφάλιο 37, όπου έχει μόνο μία τελεία -στο τέλος του- και είναι απλά ένας χείμαρρος λέξεων.
Το βιβλίο με ενθουσίασε, το λάτρεψα, κι ας του αναγνωρίζω ψεγάδια. Αξίζει να διαβαστεί.
["Λοιπόν", είπε η Λόις. "Αντίο, μαμά. Ήσουν μια εξαιρετική μητέρα για όλους μας. Μας πρόσφερες όλα όσα θα μπορούσαμε ποτέ να θελήσουμε".
Με μια δυνατή, κυκλική κίνηση, τίναξε ψηλά την τεφροδόχο και άδειασε το περιεχόμενό της στον αέρα. Ο Μπέντζαμιν, ύστερα από ένα σ��ντομο "Αντίο, μπαμπά", έκανε το ίδιο τότε, σε μια θαυμαστή στιγμή συγχρονισμού, απ΄αυτές που σπανίως είχαν ευλογήσει ποτέ τη ζωή της οικογένειας Τρότερ, φύσηξε μια πνή ανέμου, παρέσυρε μέσα της τις στάχτες και τις ύψωσε ψηλά στον ουρανό, όπου μπροστά στα μάτια της Λόις και του Μπέντζαμιν, χόρεψαν, στριφογύρισαν και ενώθηκαν με μια περιδονούμενη θολούρα, πριν παρασυρθούν από μια άλλη πνοή και διαλυθούν, σκορπιστούν προς κάθε κατεύθυνση, πριν πέσουν πάνω στα σχοίνια, τα ρείκια, το ψηλό χορτάρι, το μονοπάτι ή απλώς πριν χαθούν από τα μάτια τους, πετώντας με ένα ζωώδες ένστικτο επιστροφής, είτε προς το σπίτι όπου η Σίλα είχε ζήσει τόσο ευτυχισμένη είτε προς το εξαφανισμένο εργοστάσιο όπου ο Κόλιν είχε περάσει τόσο πολλές παραγωγικές ώρες. Και όλη αυτή την ώρα, η μουσική συνέχιζε την ήρεμη και αποφασιστική της πορεία, με το βιολί να υψώνεται, όπως εκείνες οι στάχτες, ώσπου να είναι πια μια μικρή κουκκίδα στον γαλανό ουρανό, τόσο μικροσκοπική και τόσο μακρινή, που έγινε πια αόρατη για τις δύο φιγούρες που στέκονταν όρθιες μπροστά στο παγκάκι.]
Το βιβλίο εξελίσσεται στα χρόνια 2010-2018 και παρακολουθούμε τις ζωές διάφορων ηρώων στην Αγγλία: του Μπέντζαμιν και της Λόις και του πατέρα τους, Κόλιν, της Σόφι (κόρης της Λόις) και του συντρόφου της, Ίαν. Παρελαύουν διάφοροι χαρακτήρες: σύζυγοι, παιδιά, φίλοι, παλιοί συμμαθητές και παρακολουθούμε τις ζωές τους υπό τις κοινωνικές και πολιτικές εξελίξεις που γυρνούν γύρω από το δημοψίσμα και το Brexit.
Ο Coe γράφει για τις δυσκολίες των ηρώων, τις απογοητεύσεις -ερωτικές και επαγγελματικές-, γκρεμισμένα όνειρα, έναν κόσμο που αλλάζει συνεχώς και αλλάζει ταυτόχρονα τι θεωρείται και τι σημαίνει να είσαι Βρετανός.
Όσον αφορά τους ήρωες, με όλους μπόρεσα να δεθώ και να τους συμπονέσω - ακόμη κι αυτούς που βρήκα γενικά αντιπαθείς. Μου άρεσε τρομερά η ρεαλιστικότητα των σχέσεων των ηρώων: καλοί και κακοί γάμοι, προβλήματα που ξεπερνιώνται ή που μένουν αγεφύρωτα.
Αυτό που μου άρεσε περισσότερο στο βιβλίο είναι η περιγραφή της κοινωνικής και πολιτικής πραγματικότητας - πάντα υπό το πρίσμα του Brexit, αφού διαβάζουμε για την κυβέρνηση Κάμερον, την προετοιμασία για το δημοψήφισμα και τα αποτελέσματα της επικράτησης του Brexit. Εν μέσω αυτών περιγράφεται μια κοινωνία που βράζει και έχει χωριστεί σε δύο στρατόπεδα που βλέπουν το ένα το άλλο για εχθρό. Οι μεν κατηγορούν τους δε για ρατσισμό, ξενοφοβία, ενώ οι δε κατηγορούν τους άλλους ότι δεν είναι αρκετά πατριώτες, αλλά προδότες. Όλα αυτά επηρεάζουν ακόμη και τις ίδιες τις οικογένειες και προκαλούν τριβές και τσακωμούς. Επίσης, με όλα αυτά ο Coe συζητά για την πολιτική ορθότητα τονίζοντας όλες τις απόψεις: και αυτών που δεν τους νοιάζει καν, και αυτών που δικάζουν τους πάντες στο όνομά της, αλλά και όσων προσπαθούν να είναι σωστοί και μην πουν/κάνουν κάτι που θα πληγώσει κάποιον.
Όλη αυτή η περιγραφή με ενθουσίασε καθώς είναι αληθινή, ρεαλιστική και την βλέπαμε και βλέπουμε στη χώρα μας επίσης.
Ακόμη, είναι σημαντικό ότι ο Coe, αν και φαίνεται τι υποστηρίζει για το Brexit, δεν κάνει πολιτική νουθεσία. Με την περιγραφή όλων των παραπάνω πιο πολύ φαίνεται να ανησυχεί και να στεναχωριέται για την κατάσταση και για αυτό το μίσος και αντιπαλότητα μέσα στην κοινωνία.
Το ύφος του Coe είναι σύγχρονο, ευκολοδιάβαστο, με τη γνωστή του ειρωνεία, ενώ μέσα στο βιβλίο υπάρχουν παράλληλα σημεία με ωμή, ρεαλιστική γλώσσα και περιγραφή, τα οποία διαδέχονται σημεία υπέροχα λυρικά. Αξίζει να σημειωθεί το κεφάλιο 37, όπου έχει μόνο μία τελεία -στο τέλος του- και είναι απλά ένας χείμαρρος λέξεων.
Το βιβλίο με ενθουσίασε, το λάτρεψα, κι ας του αναγνωρίζω ψεγάδια. Αξίζει να διαβαστεί.
["Λοιπόν", είπε η Λόις. "Αντίο, μαμά. Ήσουν μια εξαιρετική μητέρα για όλους μας. Μας πρόσφερες όλα όσα θα μπορούσαμε ποτέ να θελήσουμε".
Με μια δυνατή, κυκλική κίνηση, τίναξε ψηλά την τεφροδόχο και άδειασε το περιεχόμενό της στον αέρα. Ο Μπέντζαμιν, ύστερα από ένα σ��ντομο "Αντίο, μπαμπά", έκανε το ίδιο τότε, σε μια θαυμαστή στιγμή συγχρονισμού, απ΄αυτές που σπανίως είχαν ευλογήσει ποτέ τη ζωή της οικογένειας Τρότερ, φύσηξε μια πνή ανέμου, παρέσυρε μέσα της τις στάχτες και τις ύψωσε ψηλά στον ουρανό, όπου μπροστά στα μάτια της Λόις και του Μπέντζαμιν, χόρεψαν, στριφογύρισαν και ενώθηκαν με μια περιδονούμενη θολούρα, πριν παρασυρθούν από μια άλλη πνοή και διαλυθούν, σκορπιστούν προς κάθε κατεύθυνση, πριν πέσουν πάνω στα σχοίνια, τα ρείκια, το ψηλό χορτάρι, το μονοπάτι ή απλώς πριν χαθούν από τα μάτια τους, πετώντας με ένα ζωώδες ένστικτο επιστροφής, είτε προς το σπίτι όπου η Σίλα είχε ζήσει τόσο ευτυχισμένη είτε προς το εξαφανισμένο εργοστάσιο όπου ο Κόλιν είχε περάσει τόσο πολλές παραγωγικές ώρες. Και όλη αυτή την ώρα, η μουσική συνέχιζε την ήρεμη και αποφασιστική της πορεία, με το βιολί να υψώνεται, όπως εκείνες οι στάχτες, ώσπου να είναι πια μια μικρή κουκκίδα στον γαλανό ουρανό, τόσο μικροσκοπική και τόσο μακρινή, που έγινε πια αόρατη για τις δύο φιγούρες που στέκονταν όρθιες μπροστά στο παγκάκι.]
February 28, 2019
Di Coe avevo letto solo La famiglia Winshaw che mi era piaciuto molto. Speravo con questo suo ultimo libro di capire qualcosa sulla Brexit. Sapevo che aveva ripreso i protagonisti di altri suoi romanzi ( “La banda dei brocchi” – “Circolo chiuso”) che non conoscevo, eppure non ho faticato a prendere confidenza con loro, ma la parte miglior resta il suo tentativo di spiegare, a se stesso mi è sembrato, più che al lettore, come diavolo gli Inglesi siano arrivati a questa scelta.
Per far questo immerge i suoi personaggi nel mondo reale, (e questo è secondo me la scelta migliore dell’autore) chiamando per nome politici come Cameron, Farage, Boris Johnson, inserendoli negli avvenimenti che negli ultimi anni si sono succeduti determinando un clima di caccia alle streghe, sfiducia, paura, difficoltà economiche, nonché pregiudizi gonfiati ad arte, e che hanno determinato lo scontento che è esploso con la rivalsa di farla pagare a qualcuno. Ed ecco che quindi analizza uno dopo l'altro:
• L'incomprensione delle reali difficoltà determinate dalla crisi economica.
• I modelli di vita che all’interno della società inglese faticano a comprendersi (chi vive in città cosmopolite e chi in piccoli centri o nelle campagne, i giovani e i vecchi…)
• L’impatto dell’immigrazione, anche di quella con alti livello di istruzione.
• L’uso ad arte dello scontento per raccogliere consensi.
• Le astuzie di politici che, cresciuti nelle élite del Paese, si fanno gioco delle difficoltà reali della gente per mantenere il proprio potere.
• L’azzardo nel proporre un referendum nella convinzione di essere forti del proprio consenso, mascherandolo da “straordinario esercizio di democrazia diretta”
E molti altri motivi per far gridare “Prima gli Inglesi”.
…Se credi che tra tre mesi la gente sarà meglio informata vuol dire che vivi nel mondo dei sogni. Voteranno come sempre hanno votato… con la pancia. Questa campagna la si vincerà con gli slogan e le battute ad effetto, con gli istinti e le emozioni, per non parlare dei pregiudizi, ai quali anche Farage e la sua cricca faranno appello.
Insomma, credevo di comprendere attraverso il romanzo di Coe qualcosa sulla Brexit e invece ho visto molto del mio Paese.
Forse ha ragione chi dice che gli Inglesi da secoli ormai quando se ne vanno lasciano disastri, vedi l’India col Pakistan, Israele e la Palestina, e ora lo faranno finalmente sulla loro pelle, a casa loro.
Non mi ha chiarito le idee sulla Brexit più di quanto non presupponessi già, ma è stata alla fine una buona lettura, anche se priva di quella satira trovata coi Winshaw e gonfia di una amarezza che non riesce a celare.
Per far questo immerge i suoi personaggi nel mondo reale, (e questo è secondo me la scelta migliore dell’autore) chiamando per nome politici come Cameron, Farage, Boris Johnson, inserendoli negli avvenimenti che negli ultimi anni si sono succeduti determinando un clima di caccia alle streghe, sfiducia, paura, difficoltà economiche, nonché pregiudizi gonfiati ad arte, e che hanno determinato lo scontento che è esploso con la rivalsa di farla pagare a qualcuno. Ed ecco che quindi analizza uno dopo l'altro:
• L'incomprensione delle reali difficoltà determinate dalla crisi economica.
• I modelli di vita che all’interno della società inglese faticano a comprendersi (chi vive in città cosmopolite e chi in piccoli centri o nelle campagne, i giovani e i vecchi…)
• L’impatto dell’immigrazione, anche di quella con alti livello di istruzione.
• L’uso ad arte dello scontento per raccogliere consensi.
• Le astuzie di politici che, cresciuti nelle élite del Paese, si fanno gioco delle difficoltà reali della gente per mantenere il proprio potere.
• L’azzardo nel proporre un referendum nella convinzione di essere forti del proprio consenso, mascherandolo da “straordinario esercizio di democrazia diretta”
E molti altri motivi per far gridare “Prima gli Inglesi”.
…Se credi che tra tre mesi la gente sarà meglio informata vuol dire che vivi nel mondo dei sogni. Voteranno come sempre hanno votato… con la pancia. Questa campagna la si vincerà con gli slogan e le battute ad effetto, con gli istinti e le emozioni, per non parlare dei pregiudizi, ai quali anche Farage e la sua cricca faranno appello.
Insomma, credevo di comprendere attraverso il romanzo di Coe qualcosa sulla Brexit e invece ho visto molto del mio Paese.
Forse ha ragione chi dice che gli Inglesi da secoli ormai quando se ne vanno lasciano disastri, vedi l’India col Pakistan, Israele e la Palestina, e ora lo faranno finalmente sulla loro pelle, a casa loro.
Non mi ha chiarito le idee sulla Brexit più di quanto non presupponessi già, ma è stata alla fine una buona lettura, anche se priva di quella satira trovata coi Winshaw e gonfia di una amarezza che non riesce a celare.
August 18, 2019
Ένα από τα πιο δυνατά βιβλία του καλοκαιριού του 2019!
Λίγα λόγια στο παρακάτω link : https://slpress.gr/politismos/i-quot-...
Λίγα λόγια στο παρακάτω link : https://slpress.gr/politismos/i-quot-...
February 7, 2020
Στη Μέση Αγγλία, ο Κόου ξανασυναντά τους ήρωες της Λέσχης των Τιποτένιων και του Κλειστού Κύκλου. Η ιστορία ξεκινά από το 2010 περίπου και φτάνει μέχρι το Brexit, ακολουθώντας τους ήδη γνωστούς χαρακτήρες και κάποιους νέους, καθώς και τους τρόπους που οι ζωές τους επηρεάζονται από τις πολιτικές και κοινωνικές εξελίξεις.
Ο Κόου σκιαγραφεί όλη την πορεία προς το Brexit: το δημοψήφισμα, την πόλωση, τον θυμό που σιγοβράζει και ενίοτε υποκινείται. Παραλλήλως όμως, δεν ξεχνά ότι όλα αυτά αφορούν ανθρώπους, που δίνουν τις μικρές καθημερινές μάχες με τα δικά τους προβλήματα, με τις αποτυχίες τους, τις ματαιωμένες προσδοκίες, και την ελπίδα τους.
Τέλος, μπορεί η Μέση Αγγλία να πραγματεύεται την ίδια την έννοια της Αγγλικότητας, όμως για έναν λαό όπως ο Ελληνικός, τα βιώματα δεν απέχουν τόσο πολύ. Η Αγγλία της κρίσης παλεύει με αντίρροπες δυνάμεις, αμφιταλαντευόμενη ανάμεσα στην αλληλλεγγύη και τον ρατσισμό, την πολιτισμικότητα και τον εθνικισμό, την αποδοχή του διαφορετικού και το "αμάν πια με την πολιτική ορθότητα", ενώ επαναδιαπραγματεύεται και την ίδια τη σχέση της με το παρελθόν και την ιστορία της.
Ο Κόου σκιαγραφεί όλη την πορεία προς το Brexit: το δημοψήφισμα, την πόλωση, τον θυμό που σιγοβράζει και ενίοτε υποκινείται. Παραλλήλως όμως, δεν ξεχνά ότι όλα αυτά αφορούν ανθρώπους, που δίνουν τις μικρές καθημερινές μάχες με τα δικά τους προβλήματα, με τις αποτυχίες τους, τις ματαιωμένες προσδοκίες, και την ελπίδα τους.
Τέλος, μπορεί η Μέση Αγγλία να πραγματεύεται την ίδια την έννοια της Αγγλικότητας, όμως για έναν λαό όπως ο Ελληνικός, τα βιώματα δεν απέχουν τόσο πολύ. Η Αγγλία της κρίσης παλεύει με αντίρροπες δυνάμεις, αμφιταλαντευόμενη ανάμεσα στην αλληλλεγγύη και τον ρατσισμό, την πολιτισμικότητα και τον εθνικισμό, την αποδοχή του διαφορετικού και το "αμάν πια με την πολιτική ορθότητα", ενώ επαναδιαπραγματεύεται και την ίδια τη σχέση της με το παρελθόν και την ιστορία της.
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June 25, 2019Σκέφτομαι ποσο τυχεροί κι ευλογημένοι ειναι οι άνθρωποι που εμπιστεύονται τα βιβλία για να κατανοήσουν τους καιρούς τους. Έχουν όλες τις απαντήσεις στα χέρια τους. Η Μέση Αγγλία του τζοναθαν Κοου αποτελεί ότι πιο μεστό, σαφές και συγκινητικό έχω διαβάσει για την Ευρώπη του σήμερα. Αν το διαβάσετε πριν τις εκλογές του Ιουλίου θα έχετε κάνει ένα σπουδαίο δώρο σε όλους μας.
November 19, 2019
Just before I opened this book, which my wife recently read and passed to me, I discovered that it is the third in a series of books by this author. I briefly wondered whether I should read the other parts first, but decided to press on. I don’t think it matters. There are very few things in this novel that make you think you have missed something. I assume that characters are consistent across the three books, but the indications are that that is all that links them. I guess this being just a part of a series explains things like characters who get a few mentions but are then resoundingly ignored for the rest of the book.
Middle England tells the stories of a group of people related by blood, marriage/romance, friendship or employment. It is set over a 10.5 year period beginning in April 2010 and ending in September 2018. It is almost entirely set in the UK. It begins with a general election and ends with the fall out from the Brexit referendum and it includes many, many other nods to British history over that period. If you are British (I am) it is impossible to read this without repeatedly saying to yourself “Oh, I remember that happening.” Sometimes you say that in delight, sometimes in horror, sometimes in resignation.
I guess the book as a whole is an attempt to give some context to the 2016 referendum and its outcome.
But for me, it really didn’t work. Described on the front cover as “a comedy for our times”, it largely seems to be a series of set pieces that culminate in some kind of punch line. The humour relies on the reader being amused by having hindsight (a repeated “joke” is that the British could never be so stupid as to vote to Leave, which of course is “hilarious” from 2019 when you know we did) or on rather unlikely coincidences. I have to acknowledge that I didn’t laugh once (given the times in which we live, maybe “comedy for our times” is right, then?).
I did, however, enjoy the 10 pages or so that described the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony. I am quite sure that the rest of the world watched that and decided that the British had finally lost it completely. But for many British people it did really resonate and Jonathan Coe finds a way to write about it that stirs emotions as well as memories. At least it does for a Brit. I can’t speak for the rest of the world.
Most of the rest of the book, though, I found rather disappointing. The final section (of three) is just over 100 pages long and seems to consist entirely of the endings of each person’s or family’s story. Every section feels like the end of the book. But then there’s more. Until finally one really is the end of the book and you can finally put it down. The different stories are wrapped up one after another and not one of them feels believable or real. For me, it is all too closed, by which I mean no one’s story breaks out of the group and too many endings conveniently bring people together. And spending a quarter of the book in the golden glow of denouement was just too much for this reader.
Will I be seeking our parts 1 & 2 of this series? I don’t think so.
Middle England tells the stories of a group of people related by blood, marriage/romance, friendship or employment. It is set over a 10.5 year period beginning in April 2010 and ending in September 2018. It is almost entirely set in the UK. It begins with a general election and ends with the fall out from the Brexit referendum and it includes many, many other nods to British history over that period. If you are British (I am) it is impossible to read this without repeatedly saying to yourself “Oh, I remember that happening.” Sometimes you say that in delight, sometimes in horror, sometimes in resignation.
I guess the book as a whole is an attempt to give some context to the 2016 referendum and its outcome.
But for me, it really didn’t work. Described on the front cover as “a comedy for our times”, it largely seems to be a series of set pieces that culminate in some kind of punch line. The humour relies on the reader being amused by having hindsight (a repeated “joke” is that the British could never be so stupid as to vote to Leave, which of course is “hilarious” from 2019 when you know we did) or on rather unlikely coincidences. I have to acknowledge that I didn’t laugh once (given the times in which we live, maybe “comedy for our times” is right, then?).
I did, however, enjoy the 10 pages or so that described the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony. I am quite sure that the rest of the world watched that and decided that the British had finally lost it completely. But for many British people it did really resonate and Jonathan Coe finds a way to write about it that stirs emotions as well as memories. At least it does for a Brit. I can’t speak for the rest of the world.
Most of the rest of the book, though, I found rather disappointing. The final section (of three) is just over 100 pages long and seems to consist entirely of the endings of each person’s or family’s story. Every section feels like the end of the book. But then there’s more. Until finally one really is the end of the book and you can finally put it down. The different stories are wrapped up one after another and not one of them feels believable or real. For me, it is all too closed, by which I mean no one’s story breaks out of the group and too many endings conveniently bring people together. And spending a quarter of the book in the golden glow of denouement was just too much for this reader.
Will I be seeking our parts 1 & 2 of this series? I don’t think so.
October 8, 2018
Penguin Books (UK)Description: Set in the Midlands and London over the last eight years, Jonathan Coe follows a brilliantly vivid cast of characters through a time of immense change and disruption in Britain. There are the early married years of Sophie and Ian who disagree about the future of Britain and, possibly, the future of their relationship; Sophie's grandfather whose final act is to send a postal vote for the European referendum; Doug, the political commentator, whose young daughter despairs of his lack of political nous and Doug's Remaining Tory politician partner who is savaged by the crazed trolls of Twitter. And within all these lives is the story of England itself: a story of nostalgia and irony; of friendship and rage, humour and intense bewilderment.
As acutely alert to the absurdity of the political classes as he is compassionate about those who have been left behind, this is a novel Jonathan Coe was born to write.
Opening: April 2010. The funeral was over. The reception was starting to fizzle out. Benjamin decided it was time to go.
Satire without the element of fun makes for a depressing read, especially if the reader is a brexiteer. This is a fleshed-out blog/diary of contemporary British politics, and the comedy thief (hattip Jasper Fforde!) who infiltrated Hardy's potboilers has also been through these pages with a fine toothed comb. Current events with fictional families is Coe's oeuvre.The knock-on depression is that there is no Mueller-esque inquiry planned. No-one is looking into Britain's missing monies or those that stand to make millions on completion of a brexit deal, and there is not one politician today that has that combination of fitness, fairness and humility to say, once and for all that downsizing into exclusitory fascism based on the sickness and deceit of nostalgia is not a bright thing to do.
Whilst we wait for Queen Saga to achieve her global majority our faith should be placed in Carole Cadwalladr and the fantastic new Dr Who.
Also - please have a moment of quietude for Jo Cox in that chapter, to reflect upon where your entitled desires and lies are leading you, Brittania.
2* Expo
3* Middle England
October 5, 2021
I must admit that I had preconceptions about this book. In my head Coe was a lightweight author - whatever that means. My inner book snob speaks to me regularly.
This was a 2019 Xmas present and it has been top of the to read pile for a while (in theory I read books in order of aquisition, in practise I allow "good" books to jump the Q).
So I approached this with low expectation. I was pleasantly surprised to have really enjoyed it. It follows Benjamin Trotter and sundry family, friends and acquaintances around for a few years before and after Brexit. Ben is in his fifties in the book and has to come to terms with the loss of his parents, relationship and work issues and a coming sense of his own mortality. I am in a similar age bracket so perhaps this made the book more relatable.
The overarching theme is the polarisation of Britain in the run up to, and aftermath of, Brexit. Coe does a good job of presenting the differing views of his characters, from septuagenerian racists to leftie Westminister journos to Lithuanian care workers. At times the characters tend towards being 2D without quite getting to parodic levels. I guess sharp contrasts are useful in the context of the book. Coe softens the stances of some of the main characters as the referendum recedes in the rear view mirror.
Coe sprinkles the book with British angst over the loss of industry (Longbridge, a major UK car factory up until recently is now houses and a retail park), wokeness and trans rights in universities, immigration and the rise of UKIP and David Camerons great betrayal.
There is gentle comedy in there too. One of the sub plots involves a feud between clowns which ends up in a fist fight and a visit to A&E. Another scene has three men in various sheds in a garden centre - deliciously distilled English awkwardness in a few pages.
This is the third book in a series about Trotter and his associates. I will look out for the other two with interest.
Good fiction often holds up a mirror to the time in which it is written. This book reflects a divided Britain. The fissure endures five years after the referendum that was supposed to resolve a thorny issue once and for all. Of course it has done nothing of the sort and I suspect it never will.
Even now, as much as Spaffer won the 2019 election based on Get Brexit Done, politics here still resounds to the echoes and ideologies of 2016. I live in a country that cannot stock petrol stations, has crops rotting in the fields and flaunts international treaties freely signed. There are simple solutions to these problems, but they cannot be taken because The People have spoken - the cult that is Brexit Trumps (capital letter intended) all other considerations.
What a shit show. Off to find some razor blades
This was a 2019 Xmas present and it has been top of the to read pile for a while (in theory I read books in order of aquisition, in practise I allow "good" books to jump the Q).
So I approached this with low expectation. I was pleasantly surprised to have really enjoyed it. It follows Benjamin Trotter and sundry family, friends and acquaintances around for a few years before and after Brexit. Ben is in his fifties in the book and has to come to terms with the loss of his parents, relationship and work issues and a coming sense of his own mortality. I am in a similar age bracket so perhaps this made the book more relatable.
The overarching theme is the polarisation of Britain in the run up to, and aftermath of, Brexit. Coe does a good job of presenting the differing views of his characters, from septuagenerian racists to leftie Westminister journos to Lithuanian care workers. At times the characters tend towards being 2D without quite getting to parodic levels. I guess sharp contrasts are useful in the context of the book. Coe softens the stances of some of the main characters as the referendum recedes in the rear view mirror.
Coe sprinkles the book with British angst over the loss of industry (Longbridge, a major UK car factory up until recently is now houses and a retail park), wokeness and trans rights in universities, immigration and the rise of UKIP and David Camerons great betrayal.
There is gentle comedy in there too. One of the sub plots involves a feud between clowns which ends up in a fist fight and a visit to A&E. Another scene has three men in various sheds in a garden centre - deliciously distilled English awkwardness in a few pages.
This is the third book in a series about Trotter and his associates. I will look out for the other two with interest.
Good fiction often holds up a mirror to the time in which it is written. This book reflects a divided Britain. The fissure endures five years after the referendum that was supposed to resolve a thorny issue once and for all. Of course it has done nothing of the sort and I suspect it never will.
Even now, as much as Spaffer won the 2019 election based on Get Brexit Done, politics here still resounds to the echoes and ideologies of 2016. I live in a country that cannot stock petrol stations, has crops rotting in the fields and flaunts international treaties freely signed. There are simple solutions to these problems, but they cannot be taken because The People have spoken - the cult that is Brexit Trumps (capital letter intended) all other considerations.
What a shit show. Off to find some razor blades
October 18, 2021
Να εξηγηθώ για την βαθμολογία. Coe και κακό βιβλίο για μένα μέχρι τώρα απλά δεν γίνεται. αλλά θεώρησα αυτό το βιβλίο άξιο συνεχιστή της λέσχης των τιποτένιων και του κλειστού κύκλου; Η απάντηση είναι όχι :/ Δεν ξέρω τι έφτιαξε, ίσως ότι το διάβασα στα αγγλικά ενώ τα δύο προηγούμενα τα είχα διαβάσει στο πρωτότυπο; Η μετάφραση και η επιμέλεια επουδενί δεν ήταν κακές, αλλά μάλλον δεν έχω συνηθίσει αυτόν τον συγγραφέα στα ελληνικά. Αρκετά ενδιαφέρον backdrop για το βιβλίο η εξέλιξη του brexit ταυτόχρονα με την εξέλιξη των αδερφών trotter την οκταετία του 2010 - 2018, ένα βιβλίο πολύ σύγχρονο που βλέπεις τους προβληματισμούς σου να καθρεφτίζονται σε αυτό. Επιπλέον, σίγουρα πήρα καλή δόση της νοοτροπίας των Βρετάων όχι μόνο ως προς το πολιτικό γίγνεσθαι αλλά και για την ζωή στο σύνολό της...
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