Crazy

by Jane Feaver

Crazy is an account of the origins and progress of an early, all-consuming relationship and the effect this relationship has had on the teller of the tale, Jane Feaver, who, in middle age, has become a teacher of creative writing. Assailed by physical symptoms she can't explain, she shuttles between her present predicament, where she tussles with what it means to write fiction at all, and the story in hand, an ill-fated tale of obsession compelling in its rawness and emotional candour. With humour and a poetic sturdiness that is by now characteristic of her writing, Jane returns to scenes of childhood whose after-effects can be seen to permeate the emotional landscape of what unfolds - marriage, childbirth and the vagaries of working life.

Questions of love, ambition and identity are examined in a novel that is, above all, about story-making itself, about who gets to tell the tale and how, and about the ways in which those stories we absorb and accrue become the ones that make us, and (if anything can) might redeem us, too.

Genres: Fiction

312 pages, Paperback

First published April 8, 2021

Reviews

[Rhiannon Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm. Not sure I enjoyed this, and it wasn't really my sort of book, but it did worm its way into my head. I was given the book as a Christmas present and my heart sank a little when I read the blurb. I thought it was going to be a psychological obsessive stalker type story, so I was pleased to discover it wasn't.

The writing style was a bit .... challenging? .... for me. There was the odd page where I had no idea whatsoever what was going on. Basically I prefer more straightforward story telling. But as a reader I was sucked into the life of Jane although it was totally unfathomable what attracted her to Ardu who was portrayed unashamedly as a total s**t.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a bit of a gut-punch read. The prose is poetic and occasionally difficult, but very beautiful and there were several excellent passages that sang out to me.

It’s hard to review this book, but the story will probably resonate deeply if you’ve ever been heartbroken or navigated a difficult and all-consuming relationship. The author falls for an unpleasant and problematic man called Ardu, and spends much of her life negotiating the rough seas of their tumultuous connection. The pair are bound together by a daughter, so Feaver cannot process or rescind her feelings for many years.

Much is left unsaid about the relationship - the author’s obsession with Ardu is very clearly pronounced, but there is an air of mystery about why she is so tied to him. Is it his looks, brains, aloofness or a combination that attracts her? Why is she willing to be treated so badly by a man who fritters away his life? Why is she unable or unwilling to move on from him?

In some ways, this is the book that every heartbroken or romantically traumatised person would want to write because it’s so cathartic and raw. The memoir and fiction are blended, so the reader never knows exactly what really happened but I must admit I would love to sit down with Feaver to find out.

A great read this, complex and difficult but truly impressive in its intimate portrayal of obsession.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came to this book without expectation, other than an instant connection to the very striking title that stood out on its cover. What does it mean to be, or more specifically, be called "crazy"? Crazy is a witty tale told through narratives that shuttle back and forth in time. The prose flows smoothly and is very well stitched. I read Crazy as a collection of the author's personal experiences, and in blending fiction and reality, it is also questioning the performance of the self through the art of writing and rewriting. Definitely deserving of a second read.

[Lisa Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for Everybody’s Reviewing-

http://everybodysreviewing.blogspot.c...

[Sea · Rating 3 out of 5]

The prose was brilliant though a tad bit tough to understand. Must be my lack of vocabulary.
Either ways, I’m glad you got over him, Jane. It’s about time you put yourself first.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written. The tangle of relationships and expectations. Obsession with another person and the gratefulness of any crumb of kindness they may deem to show.