What do you think?
Rate this book
A Good Man
‘Our lives were good – great, even. We were happy and secure. We had everything we needed. There was no way for anyone to know – least of all me – that it would all end the way it did.’
Thomas Martin is everything a man is supposed to be. He has a beautiful wife and a loving daughter, a good house on Long Island, a flourishing career at a prestigious Manhattan advertising firm. He’s a good son and brother, taking it upon himself to support his ailing mother and adult sisters. He knows it’s his God-given duty to shield them, his girls, from the everyday horrors of the world.
But he has failed, and unspeakable tragedy has befallen his family.
Now, Thomas struggles to come to terms with what has become of his life. If only he can tell the story as he saw it, he believes he might find out how and why things unravelled so horribly; how he failed so disastrously.
Because Thomas Martin is a good man.
A Good Man is a dark and gripping novel of psychological suspense about a family man, in the wake of an horrifying, trying to work out where he went wrong. It is the debut of a bold and brilliant new talent.
Thomas Martin is everything a man is supposed to be. He has a beautiful wife and a loving daughter, a good house on Long Island, a flourishing career at a prestigious Manhattan advertising firm. He’s a good son and brother, taking it upon himself to support his ailing mother and adult sisters. He knows it’s his God-given duty to shield them, his girls, from the everyday horrors of the world.
But he has failed, and unspeakable tragedy has befallen his family.
Now, Thomas struggles to come to terms with what has become of his life. If only he can tell the story as he saw it, he believes he might find out how and why things unravelled so horribly; how he failed so disastrously.
Because Thomas Martin is a good man.
A Good Man is a dark and gripping novel of psychological suspense about a family man, in the wake of an horrifying, trying to work out where he went wrong. It is the debut of a bold and brilliant new talent.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 14, 2020
126 people are currently reading
8622 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 494 reviews
January 10, 2020
3.5 stars
This one belongs in the "Different, but I kinda liked it" category. It's one of the few books I would say might be even better if I read it for a second time. Most likely there is stuff there I didn't pick up on the first time. But with so many books on my to be read list will I ever get around to doing a reread? Probably not.
Thomas Martin is a good man. Or is he? It appears he has a good life with a wife and a daughter, a nice home on Long Island, and a job working at a prestigious advertising firm. He even helps take care of his mother and younger sisters. Early on in the story we know something horrible happens and the rest of the book follows Thomas from his younger years to the present moment. What happened and how did it get to this point?
The first few pages of this book were a struggle for me to get thru and I seriously considered setting it aside for awhile and picking a new book to read. However once Miriam is introduced I feel like the book starts to flow better and I ended up reading this book all in one day. I don't know the exact definition of literary fiction but in my opinion this book is closer to fitting into that genre than just a typical mystery.
Thomas, Thomas, Thomas. The author gives you the opportunity to get in Thomas's head but what amazes me is the more I learned about him, it was like the less I understood him. And that's what makes him a fascinating, complex character. I would absolutely love to hear the writer's thoughts on this story and this character in particular.
I don't think this book is for everyone. We all read books for different reasons. I believe if you go into this one wanting more of a character based story rather than straight up mystery, the odds are greater you will like it more.
I won a copy of this book in a giveaway by Goodreads and Penguin Books. I was not obligated to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
This one belongs in the "Different, but I kinda liked it" category. It's one of the few books I would say might be even better if I read it for a second time. Most likely there is stuff there I didn't pick up on the first time. But with so many books on my to be read list will I ever get around to doing a reread? Probably not.
Thomas Martin is a good man. Or is he? It appears he has a good life with a wife and a daughter, a nice home on Long Island, and a job working at a prestigious advertising firm. He even helps take care of his mother and younger sisters. Early on in the story we know something horrible happens and the rest of the book follows Thomas from his younger years to the present moment. What happened and how did it get to this point?
The first few pages of this book were a struggle for me to get thru and I seriously considered setting it aside for awhile and picking a new book to read. However once Miriam is introduced I feel like the book starts to flow better and I ended up reading this book all in one day. I don't know the exact definition of literary fiction but in my opinion this book is closer to fitting into that genre than just a typical mystery.
Thomas, Thomas, Thomas. The author gives you the opportunity to get in Thomas's head but what amazes me is the more I learned about him, it was like the less I understood him. And that's what makes him a fascinating, complex character. I would absolutely love to hear the writer's thoughts on this story and this character in particular.
I don't think this book is for everyone. We all read books for different reasons. I believe if you go into this one wanting more of a character based story rather than straight up mystery, the odds are greater you will like it more.
I won a copy of this book in a giveaway by Goodreads and Penguin Books. I was not obligated to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
October 5, 2019
I started “A Good Man” thinking I’ll read a couple of chapters, get a feel for the story, then suddenly, almost without blinking it seemed, I finished it. I fell into Thomas Martin’s story and followed it with an ever growing sense of unease, that off kilter sense that tells you it’s going to hurt. Indeed I think the very last sentence of this novel will haunt me for the foreseeable future, I had tears in my eyes as I read it.
The intelligence of this book comes in its nuances, in a lot of ways it is an interpretive story. You’ll bring your own experiences and influences to the narrative, we hear solely from main protagonist Thomas and you’ll hear in your own way…
An idyllic life, a happy marriage, a beautiful daughter. Escaping the trauma of his youth, Thomas is determined “his girls” will always be protected. To that end he works hard, provides well, loves completely. None the less tragedy will strike, but where oh where could it all have gone so wrong…
This was beautifully done, involving and addictive, a poetic flow to the prose that just drags you along in its wake – nothing is given a wider explanation you simply have to be in the moment. How far Thomas may be truthful or deceptive, whether to himself or to the reader, is all in the eyes of the beholder. You get a real feel for the lives being lived on the page but you can never really know all the players given the narrow view through a glass darkly.
Extremely disturbing but equally extraordinarily fascinating, this is far and away one of the best psychological character drama’s I’ve read in a long time.
I won’t forget Thomas that’s for sure. Neither will you.
Highly Recommended.
February 19, 2020
There are certain books that when it comes time to rate them, I get a little confused about my own criteria! This was a very well written character study- not necessarily a “thriller,” maybe more of a drama. But did it give me the creeps? Was there an underlying darkness echoing throughout? Absolutely! Looking back, did “enough” happen? Was it original & entirely memorable? Honestly, I don’t know.. But my bottom line here is that I picked up this book & didn’t put it down. 7 hours went by in the blink of an eye & if there was more I’d go for that too! Definitely along the lines of Unraveling Oliver.. Not that the story’s similar, just if you liked that book I’d recommend this too! Definitely something different then my usual thing & I ate it up!
December 1, 2019
Received this book through Goodreads giveaway program.
I didn’t find anything to like in this book. Overly descriptive throughout the book, sometimes less is the better path. The book seemed to ebb and flow with no consistency in storytelling. One dysfunctional family to another dysfunctional family- were there no normal people in this author’s vision? No character that was likable, therefore interest waned for me pretty quickly.
The gist of the story has great possibilities; it just needs an overall rewrite to make the story credible.
I didn’t find anything to like in this book. Overly descriptive throughout the book, sometimes less is the better path. The book seemed to ebb and flow with no consistency in storytelling. One dysfunctional family to another dysfunctional family- were there no normal people in this author’s vision? No character that was likable, therefore interest waned for me pretty quickly.
The gist of the story has great possibilities; it just needs an overall rewrite to make the story credible.
July 10, 2019
A profoundly disturbing and deeply unsettling story of a man struggling to reconcile himself with the horrifying act he has committed. Katz deftly embodies her narrator, giving voice to his self-serving recreation of the past and presenting him as he sees himself: a provider, a protector, a patriarch. Richly drawn and laced through with dread, this bold novel is an unflinching examination of what it means to be a man, and how easily a man can become a monster.
February 14, 2020
That was one of the worst books I have read in a long time. I can appreciate the style, the unreliable narrator but the story was overly depressing and boring. For such a short book it took me a long time to get through it, the monotony of day to day way excruciating. Skip it
January 14, 2020
Thomas is a man with a good life. This is his story about how things went wrong.
Told from Thomas's point of view. He recalls the early days with his wife, his family life, and his work life. While everything seems ordinary, and even a bit dull in Thomas's life, there is an underlying darkness. As Thomas tells his story, it's clear that he's not the good man he claims to be.
This book reminds me of Looker by Laura Sims, but from a male POV. A slow-paced psychological drama. While this novel has several things I love (unreliable narrator, picture perfect life, dark and twisted tale), I was never drawn into the story.
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Told from Thomas's point of view. He recalls the early days with his wife, his family life, and his work life. While everything seems ordinary, and even a bit dull in Thomas's life, there is an underlying darkness. As Thomas tells his story, it's clear that he's not the good man he claims to be.
This book reminds me of Looker by Laura Sims, but from a male POV. A slow-paced psychological drama. While this novel has several things I love (unreliable narrator, picture perfect life, dark and twisted tale), I was never drawn into the story.
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
October 10, 2019
Thank you to netgalley, the author and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book.
I read this in about two sittings which shows I found it pretty fluid and easy to read. It was an interesting character study particularly as I do enjoy an unreliable narrator. I think as a narrator Thomas could have looked slightly deeper into his past, his actions and feelings and how all these things combined to lead to the horrifying conclusion. However I guess that this is exactly what the intended readers role is.
Reading definitely left me intrigued to know what happened after the event that the book revolves around.
I read this in about two sittings which shows I found it pretty fluid and easy to read. It was an interesting character study particularly as I do enjoy an unreliable narrator. I think as a narrator Thomas could have looked slightly deeper into his past, his actions and feelings and how all these things combined to lead to the horrifying conclusion. However I guess that this is exactly what the intended readers role is.
Reading definitely left me intrigued to know what happened after the event that the book revolves around.
January 22, 2020
2.5⭐️
I’m so confused. So utterly confused by this.
I want to say I liked it but there’s something about it that I found incredibly enraging.
I’m so confused. So utterly confused by this.
I want to say I liked it but there’s something about it that I found incredibly enraging.
March 19, 2020
A delusional man sinks further into madness. This book manages to be both twisted and boring at the same time.
March 9, 2022
What a strange, unsettling story!! Very unique narrative style.
October 24, 2019
Warning: If you plan to read/watch Twilight steer clear. Full explanation below, but it's worth noting that the author has been uncouth enough to write in full spoilers for another author's series here.
Otherwise. Eh, good but not superb. A Good Man is a tale told from an undeniably unreliable narrator; Thomas thinks he is a good man and told from his perspective, there is much to back this up. Except there are some inconsistencies which even he can't cover up from his own mind. Looking back on this, it's actually quite cleverly revealed in snippets and snatches that you don't necessarily think all too much of at the time but when you come to review it as a whole, they all add up to something a little more sinister, a whole lot darker.
Katz does quite well with slowly building up a sense of tension and underlying sense of foreboding. Everything seems relatively normal if you take out some of the distinctly dysfunctional family relationships, but there is a gnawing edge that hints at something unseen lurking behind the surface. Some of Thomas' behaviour sets off alarm bells very early on, even with the distorted narrative view on things and you can't help but feel uncomfortable. However, it is difficult to tell exactly how honest Thomas is being, even to himself. When I started reading I took it all at face value, but it doesn't take too long to realise that you won't get the whole story that way.
My main complaint with the novel I suppose it that for the vast majority of the narrative it is all too ordinary. It seems as though you are trundling along an ordinary life and the hints that something isn't quite right could be easily missed. Whilst some of the characters are portrayed well, much of the background and details of the relationships is left up to your own imagination which results in a lot of loose ends hanging. Because of the slow, meandering pace the ending therefore seems unbelievably sudden and whilst you can see some of the build up leading to it, there is still a direct sense of unfinished business. I think with a little more depth to the foreshadowing, this would have managed to maintain a really ominous tone that would have served it well. As it stands, I was happy enough reading it, but never felt truly hooked.
I would also add that the spoilers given for an entirely different series very early in this novel are just poor play on the authors and publishers part. It is almost worth taking an additional star off. It is enough to say that if you haven't read or seen the Twilight franchise and have any plans to, stay well clear of this. Contemporary references in a novel are fine; disclosing a huge plot point of another authors novel is really bad taste, even when I have no interest in reading the series in question. Other readers might and you would think an author might have enough sensibilities to refrain from such cheap ploys. And I changed my mind.The more I think on this, the more undeserving it seems and a star has been duly knocked off.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC copy of this novel.
Otherwise. Eh, good but not superb. A Good Man is a tale told from an undeniably unreliable narrator; Thomas thinks he is a good man and told from his perspective, there is much to back this up. Except there are some inconsistencies which even he can't cover up from his own mind. Looking back on this, it's actually quite cleverly revealed in snippets and snatches that you don't necessarily think all too much of at the time but when you come to review it as a whole, they all add up to something a little more sinister, a whole lot darker.
Katz does quite well with slowly building up a sense of tension and underlying sense of foreboding. Everything seems relatively normal if you take out some of the distinctly dysfunctional family relationships, but there is a gnawing edge that hints at something unseen lurking behind the surface. Some of Thomas' behaviour sets off alarm bells very early on, even with the distorted narrative view on things and you can't help but feel uncomfortable. However, it is difficult to tell exactly how honest Thomas is being, even to himself. When I started reading I took it all at face value, but it doesn't take too long to realise that you won't get the whole story that way.
My main complaint with the novel I suppose it that for the vast majority of the narrative it is all too ordinary. It seems as though you are trundling along an ordinary life and the hints that something isn't quite right could be easily missed. Whilst some of the characters are portrayed well, much of the background and details of the relationships is left up to your own imagination which results in a lot of loose ends hanging. Because of the slow, meandering pace the ending therefore seems unbelievably sudden and whilst you can see some of the build up leading to it, there is still a direct sense of unfinished business. I think with a little more depth to the foreshadowing, this would have managed to maintain a really ominous tone that would have served it well. As it stands, I was happy enough reading it, but never felt truly hooked.
I would also add that the spoilers given for an entirely different series very early in this novel are just poor play on the authors and publishers part. It is almost worth taking an additional star off. It is enough to say that if you haven't read or seen the Twilight franchise and have any plans to, stay well clear of this. Contemporary references in a novel are fine; disclosing a huge plot point of another authors novel is really bad taste, even when I have no interest in reading the series in question. Other readers might and you would think an author might have enough sensibilities to refrain from such cheap ploys. And I changed my mind.The more I think on this, the more undeserving it seems and a star has been duly knocked off.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC copy of this novel.
January 27, 2020
What a terrible story. I cannot believe that I wasted my weekend waiting for this book to get better only to see it waste away into utter nonsense.
January 31, 2020
Books like this are why I borrow books from the Library instead of buying them. This was a waste of money and my time. Moving on...
January 17, 2020
My thanks to Penguin Random House U.K./William Heinemann for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘A Good Man’ by Ani Katz in exchange for an honest review.
‘Our lives were good – great, even. We were happy and secure. We had everything we needed. There was no way for anyone to know – least of all me – that it would all end the way it did.’ This statement by narrator, Thomas Martin, in the opening chapter is one of a number of early indicators that before its closing pages something monumental will occur.
Following this provocative opening the narrative settles down and provides Thomas’ account of the events that have led here, including flashbacks to his early life.
Thomas wasn’t an easy character to relate to. His infantilising of his wife, Miriam, by referring constantly to her and their daughter, Ava, as ‘my girls’ was irritating. Add to this the way in which he kept a tight hold on the household spending, even though Miriam had a trust fund, demonstrated a man who needed to exert control. I mean what kind of monster denies his family nice toilet paper?
I found this novel challenging as there were times that I felt engaged and other points where I struggled. However, while it contains elements found in psychological/domestic suspense genre fiction, this is very much a work of literary fiction and as such is more demanding.
It’s a relatively short novel and I sat down yesterday and found that I had read it in a single sitting. I feel that it is a novel that would likely yield more on a second, more measured, reading and as such may suggest it as a selection for one of my reading groups as there is a lot within to discuss.
While I don’t know a great deal about opera it features very much in Thomas’ inner life and may reveal more about his mindset than I was able to initially appreciate.
Given its gripping depiction of toxic masculinity, an unreliable narrator, and the way in which memory can prove deceptive, I wouldn’t be surprised to find ‘A Good Man’ featured in this year’s literary prizes, especially The Women’s Prize for Fiction.
Certainly an assured debut and an author to watch.
‘Our lives were good – great, even. We were happy and secure. We had everything we needed. There was no way for anyone to know – least of all me – that it would all end the way it did.’ This statement by narrator, Thomas Martin, in the opening chapter is one of a number of early indicators that before its closing pages something monumental will occur.
Following this provocative opening the narrative settles down and provides Thomas’ account of the events that have led here, including flashbacks to his early life.
Thomas wasn’t an easy character to relate to. His infantilising of his wife, Miriam, by referring constantly to her and their daughter, Ava, as ‘my girls’ was irritating. Add to this the way in which he kept a tight hold on the household spending, even though Miriam had a trust fund, demonstrated a man who needed to exert control. I mean what kind of monster denies his family nice toilet paper?
I found this novel challenging as there were times that I felt engaged and other points where I struggled. However, while it contains elements found in psychological/domestic suspense genre fiction, this is very much a work of literary fiction and as such is more demanding.
It’s a relatively short novel and I sat down yesterday and found that I had read it in a single sitting. I feel that it is a novel that would likely yield more on a second, more measured, reading and as such may suggest it as a selection for one of my reading groups as there is a lot within to discuss.
While I don’t know a great deal about opera it features very much in Thomas’ inner life and may reveal more about his mindset than I was able to initially appreciate.
Given its gripping depiction of toxic masculinity, an unreliable narrator, and the way in which memory can prove deceptive, I wouldn’t be surprised to find ‘A Good Man’ featured in this year’s literary prizes, especially The Women’s Prize for Fiction.
Certainly an assured debut and an author to watch.
December 10, 2019
I’m afraid I struggled with A Good Man. It’s a bold idea and Ani Katz certainly writes well, but I got very bogged down in a slow, oppressive narrative.
The book is narrated in the first person by Thomas, a man with an apparently idyllic family life with his wife and daughter and a successful career. We can tell that something dreadful is looming, but it takes a very long time indeed for anything approaching an event to occur. Thomas’s narration is plainly unreliable – and very well done, to be fair – and through his eyes and interpretation we get a lot of history of his marriage and of his rather creepily dysfunctional mother and sisters as he becomes increasingly disturbed by things in his life. The trouble is that for me it just went on and on being oppressive and foreboding with little to really draw me in and, frankly, I found it a real struggle after a while. As a result, I’m not sure I really learned much about what Katz is really trying to tell us.
I applaud the book’s ambition, I think Ani Katz is a good writer and others have plainly derived far more from A Good Man than I did, but personally I couldn’t really get on with it.
(My thanks to Random House for an ARC via NetGalley.)
The book is narrated in the first person by Thomas, a man with an apparently idyllic family life with his wife and daughter and a successful career. We can tell that something dreadful is looming, but it takes a very long time indeed for anything approaching an event to occur. Thomas’s narration is plainly unreliable – and very well done, to be fair – and through his eyes and interpretation we get a lot of history of his marriage and of his rather creepily dysfunctional mother and sisters as he becomes increasingly disturbed by things in his life. The trouble is that for me it just went on and on being oppressive and foreboding with little to really draw me in and, frankly, I found it a real struggle after a while. As a result, I’m not sure I really learned much about what Katz is really trying to tell us.
I applaud the book’s ambition, I think Ani Katz is a good writer and others have plainly derived far more from A Good Man than I did, but personally I couldn’t really get on with it.
(My thanks to Random House for an ARC via NetGalley.)
July 3, 2020
Fast-paced and entertaining.
3.5*
3.5*
July 16, 2024
3.5⭐️
Istorija pasakojama iš Tomo perspektyvos. Jis neskubėdamas veda mus per savo gyvenimą, vis nuklysdamas į vaikystės prisiminimus. Ir visą laiką beskaitant laukiau, kol kažkas atsitiks. Viskas įvyksta pabaigoje ir, bent jau man, labiau patiko visa ta kelionė link kulminacijos, nei pati pabaiga. Man pritrūko motyvo, įtikinamesnio paaiškinimo, kodėl jis taip pasielgė.
Istorija pasakojama iš Tomo perspektyvos. Jis neskubėdamas veda mus per savo gyvenimą, vis nuklysdamas į vaikystės prisiminimus. Ir visą laiką beskaitant laukiau, kol kažkas atsitiks. Viskas įvyksta pabaigoje ir, bent jau man, labiau patiko visa ta kelionė link kulminacijos, nei pati pabaiga. Man pritrūko motyvo, įtikinamesnio paaiškinimo, kodėl jis taip pasielgė.
May 17, 2020
I really wanted to like this book. It had many of the elements that I appreciate in a good book: solid writing; first-person narrative; unreliable narrator; ominous opening pages; story told in flashback building toward a powerful climax. Unfortunately for the reader, A Good Man does not live up to the sum of its parts.
This is a story of toxic masculinity that moves along a predictable timeline to the point where your first guess at how it ends — after reading just the first three pages — is probably right on the money. The middle of the book is, in parts, almost impossibly slow, yet I have to hand it to author Ani Katz for producing some truly mesmerizing literary fiction. If only the caliber of the storytelling matched the writing. Not to be. Pass on this one; it's a missed opportunity. But I will gladly read her next book based on the quality of writing here. So that's something.
This is a story of toxic masculinity that moves along a predictable timeline to the point where your first guess at how it ends — after reading just the first three pages — is probably right on the money. The middle of the book is, in parts, almost impossibly slow, yet I have to hand it to author Ani Katz for producing some truly mesmerizing literary fiction. If only the caliber of the storytelling matched the writing. Not to be. Pass on this one; it's a missed opportunity. But I will gladly read her next book based on the quality of writing here. So that's something.
January 13, 2020
An over stylized and oppressive narrative from a pretentious and unreliable narrator. I struggled to get into this book and forced myself through it as I was given an advanced copy to review. The narrator believes he is a good man, as the title suggests, by 'protecting' all the women in his life. In actuality *SPOILER*, he's just a piece of shit. I am racking my brain trying to find something I enjoyed about this book and there is simply nothing. Unbelievable and unlikable characters; the narrator's obvious hypocrisy; inconsistencies in writing style. I give props to Katz for writing a male perspective that sounds like it actually came from a horrible man. Otherwise meh.
February 7, 2021
2,5/5
Psichologinis trileris? – Ne.
Bandymas sukurti psichologinį trilerį? – Taip.
Sėkmingas? – Nelabai.
Pirmoji dalis – sentimentalus meilės romanas. Antroji dalis – gal meilė tęsiasi trejus metus? Trečioji dalis – rutinos kamuojama šeima. Na ir ketvirtoji... apie kurią geriau nekalbėsiu.
Keista, kad psichologiniame trileryje beveik nėra žmonos mąstysenos, jos psichologinės būsenos analizės – jame dominuoja pasakotojo (vyro) požiūris.
Nieko baisaus, Amerikoje taip būna – teigia autorė (ir pateikia nemažai faktų apie mums žinomas ir nežinomas šaudynes, kai beprasmiškai žūsta ir suaugę, ir vaikai). Bet argi visose nedarniose šeimose vaikai išauga nusikaltėliais, nesukuria normalių šeimų? Negi tipiška, kad pagimdžiusi žmona samprotauja apie kūdikį: „Kai tik paimu ją ant rankų, man vis nubunda tie siaubingi ketinimai.... taip būtų lengva atidaryti šaldytuvą ir įkišti ją ten , kad sušaltų. Arba prileisti į vonią vandens ir įmesti ten... tiesiog išmesti iš rankų...“.
Keista, kad knygos veikėjas priklauso Metodistų bažnyčiai, kuri propaguoja visiškai kitokį gyvenimo būdą negu vaizduojama knygoje.
Daug nuorodų į operų siužetus. Neabejotina – autorė operos mėgėja. Ypač cituojamas Vagnerio „Tanhoizeris“, kaip autorė teigia „nuostabus kūrinys apie kaltės išpirkimą“. Na, čia jau skonio reikalas...
Kas kaltas dėl tragedijos? Negi žmona ir paauglė dukra, nesugebėjusios pastebėti vyro ir tėvo panikos priepuolio, jo nesėkmės darbe? Persidirbusio vyriškio (ne psichopato, ne sutrikusios psichikos žmogaus) tragedija, nes reikia ne tik rūpintis savo šeimos gerove, bet ir išlaikyti seseris ir seną motiną? Gal knygos tikslas įrodyti – visuose mumyse snaudžia žvėris ir panikos priepuolis gali jį pažadinti? – būkime budrūs!
Puse balo padidinau vertinimą už tai, kad knygą vis dėlto perskaičiau.
Psichologinis trileris? – Ne.
Bandymas sukurti psichologinį trilerį? – Taip.
Sėkmingas? – Nelabai.
Pirmoji dalis – sentimentalus meilės romanas. Antroji dalis – gal meilė tęsiasi trejus metus? Trečioji dalis – rutinos kamuojama šeima. Na ir ketvirtoji... apie kurią geriau nekalbėsiu.
Keista, kad psichologiniame trileryje beveik nėra žmonos mąstysenos, jos psichologinės būsenos analizės – jame dominuoja pasakotojo (vyro) požiūris.
Nieko baisaus, Amerikoje taip būna – teigia autorė (ir pateikia nemažai faktų apie mums žinomas ir nežinomas šaudynes, kai beprasmiškai žūsta ir suaugę, ir vaikai). Bet argi visose nedarniose šeimose vaikai išauga nusikaltėliais, nesukuria normalių šeimų? Negi tipiška, kad pagimdžiusi žmona samprotauja apie kūdikį: „Kai tik paimu ją ant rankų, man vis nubunda tie siaubingi ketinimai.... taip būtų lengva atidaryti šaldytuvą ir įkišti ją ten , kad sušaltų. Arba prileisti į vonią vandens ir įmesti ten... tiesiog išmesti iš rankų...“.
Keista, kad knygos veikėjas priklauso Metodistų bažnyčiai, kuri propaguoja visiškai kitokį gyvenimo būdą negu vaizduojama knygoje.
Daug nuorodų į operų siužetus. Neabejotina – autorė operos mėgėja. Ypač cituojamas Vagnerio „Tanhoizeris“, kaip autorė teigia „nuostabus kūrinys apie kaltės išpirkimą“. Na, čia jau skonio reikalas...
Kas kaltas dėl tragedijos? Negi žmona ir paauglė dukra, nesugebėjusios pastebėti vyro ir tėvo panikos priepuolio, jo nesėkmės darbe? Persidirbusio vyriškio (ne psichopato, ne sutrikusios psichikos žmogaus) tragedija, nes reikia ne tik rūpintis savo šeimos gerove, bet ir išlaikyti seseris ir seną motiną? Gal knygos tikslas įrodyti – visuose mumyse snaudžia žvėris ir panikos priepuolis gali jį pažadinti? – būkime budrūs!
Puse balo padidinau vertinimą už tai, kad knygą vis dėlto perskaičiau.
March 23, 2021
Very intense, dark and unsettling. I listened to the audiobook and I think the narrator’s reasonable tone made the ending even more horrific. Recommended but do know it’s quite violent.
December 21, 2022
So much more than a thriller.
April 10, 2020
Ani Katz writes beautifully, full of well developed characters and a novel plot. But the ending was so unexpected and completely upsetting that the book was ruined for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2020
Superb setting! Eerie story, very foreboding! Love the unreliable narrator - wow!
February 18, 2020
"No? I repeated, incredulous. Why not?
I'm not doing that, he said slowly. It's racist.
How is it racist?
It implies poverty is dangerous, he replied, a nasty, impatient edge creeping into his voice. That poor people are dangerous. And that's an extremely racist idea.
We can make the girl black, I said. Or Latina, or whatever.
That doesn't matter, Brian snapped. It's still racist.
It's not racist! I said. It's just telling a story. A good one, I might add. This is the best idea we've had so far, and I think we need to
go forward with it."
A GOOD MAN is the story of Thomas Martin, an upper middle class straight white man with the perfect life he's always dreamed of: a nice home in a classy neighborhood, a high paying advertising job and a beautiful French wife and loving daughter. He spends his days working and helping out his female colleagues, his nights drinking expensive wine and listening to opera.
Until, somewhere along the way things go horribly wrong when his fragile male ego isn't placated and a horrible crime is committed. Thomas tells his story trying to justify his crime and show you he's actually A GOOD MAN okay? Just a good man who was left with no choice but to save his family from utter downfall obviously.
Thomas is an unreliable narrator and I loved how you could piece together the real account of what happened through his little slip-ups.
There was a little too much about Opera for me in this book, but hey I'm no Thomas and I understood why it was there. I really craved just one chapter from his wife's perspective or his sister's because I wanted a little more on how others saw Thomas.
Either way, I devoured this morbid novel and cackled along the way at this man's reasoning. Sadly, there's far too many men who are just like Thomas in the world and if you haven't already met one read A GOOD MAN and be scared.
*Spoiler*
A dog die, but I did appreciate the lack of detail in the dogs death so no worries to animal lovers.
I'm not doing that, he said slowly. It's racist.
How is it racist?
It implies poverty is dangerous, he replied, a nasty, impatient edge creeping into his voice. That poor people are dangerous. And that's an extremely racist idea.
We can make the girl black, I said. Or Latina, or whatever.
That doesn't matter, Brian snapped. It's still racist.
It's not racist! I said. It's just telling a story. A good one, I might add. This is the best idea we've had so far, and I think we need to
go forward with it."
A GOOD MAN is the story of Thomas Martin, an upper middle class straight white man with the perfect life he's always dreamed of: a nice home in a classy neighborhood, a high paying advertising job and a beautiful French wife and loving daughter. He spends his days working and helping out his female colleagues, his nights drinking expensive wine and listening to opera.
Until, somewhere along the way things go horribly wrong when his fragile male ego isn't placated and a horrible crime is committed. Thomas tells his story trying to justify his crime and show you he's actually A GOOD MAN okay? Just a good man who was left with no choice but to save his family from utter downfall obviously.
Thomas is an unreliable narrator and I loved how you could piece together the real account of what happened through his little slip-ups.
There was a little too much about Opera for me in this book, but hey I'm no Thomas and I understood why it was there. I really craved just one chapter from his wife's perspective or his sister's because I wanted a little more on how others saw Thomas.
Either way, I devoured this morbid novel and cackled along the way at this man's reasoning. Sadly, there's far too many men who are just like Thomas in the world and if you haven't already met one read A GOOD MAN and be scared.
*Spoiler*
A dog die, but I did appreciate the lack of detail in the dogs death so no worries to animal lovers.
February 9, 2020
A book of which you have to read every word to get the whole effect. How many Thomas Martins do we know? A great number. Fine, upstanding men, well employed, good husbands and fathers, until they aren't. We really get to know, and never get to know, Thomas. This could be read in tandem with Unraveling Oliver, another book about a toxic man and his relationships. Recommended reading.
January 19, 2020
2.5 stars. Quick overly simplified synopsis: Thomas Martin was a man with a good job who always tried to take good care of the women in his life; his wife, daughter, mother, and sisters. When an event happens that rocks his ego, he turns into a monster.
What is interesting about this novel is that it is written in 1st person after the event as Thomas looks back at his life attempting to see where things went wrong. He is obviously an unreliable narrator, and the reader can see his grip on reality slowly unraveling.
Warning: This is an dark, dark novel with just about every trigger warning you can imagine.
Pros:
- Katz does a remarkable job instilling a sense of dread. I felt incredibly uncomfortable this entire novel.
- This novel is more literary than most in its genre. Several interesting devices are employed.
- I found Thomas’s twin sisters extremely interesting and wish their role had been even more developed.
Cons:
- While literary in nature, the pieces of this novel just don’t come together. Thomas’s childhood is discussed quite a bit, but none of the many pieces really tie up.
- The ending felt extremely heavy-handed. I read a ton of Scandinavian crime fiction, so I typically have no problem with dark novels.
- Katz uses Thomas’s love for opera to show how he views himself. This is a pro and con. It’s an interesting literary device. Unfortunately, since I am not an opera fan this was less meaningful to me.
This novel is a firm 2.5 for me. While I appreciate the attempts here, I just tossed it down in the end, thinking “Really, that’s it?”
-
What is interesting about this novel is that it is written in 1st person after the event as Thomas looks back at his life attempting to see where things went wrong. He is obviously an unreliable narrator, and the reader can see his grip on reality slowly unraveling.
Warning: This is an dark, dark novel with just about every trigger warning you can imagine.
Pros:
- Katz does a remarkable job instilling a sense of dread. I felt incredibly uncomfortable this entire novel.
- This novel is more literary than most in its genre. Several interesting devices are employed.
- I found Thomas’s twin sisters extremely interesting and wish their role had been even more developed.
Cons:
- While literary in nature, the pieces of this novel just don’t come together. Thomas’s childhood is discussed quite a bit, but none of the many pieces really tie up.
- The ending felt extremely heavy-handed. I read a ton of Scandinavian crime fiction, so I typically have no problem with dark novels.
- Katz uses Thomas’s love for opera to show how he views himself. This is a pro and con. It’s an interesting literary device. Unfortunately, since I am not an opera fan this was less meaningful to me.
This novel is a firm 2.5 for me. While I appreciate the attempts here, I just tossed it down in the end, thinking “Really, that’s it?”
-
April 11, 2020
Hated it, the last 10 pages made me sick to my stomach.
dnf
October 24, 2023the main character is actually so annoying that I cannot suffer through
Displaying 1 - 30 of 494 reviews