I really enjoyed this novel - it is so quirky, unique and very funny! What an interesting mind Steve Toltz has to come up with such an outrageous plot and such eccentric characters!
A Fraction of the Whole tells the story of Jasper Dean, a young man trying to make sense of his life. His upbringing is very non-conventional to say the least, being raised by his father, Martin Dean, who wavers between thinking Jasper should be home schooled by himself and being educated in public schools in order to challenge the system. Martin has a brilliant philosophical mind yet is tortured by constant indecision and over-analysis which sends him to the brink of crazy more than once.
Martin's upbringing was also highly unconventional and he lives in the shadow of his younger brother, Terry Dean. Terry is somewhat of an Australian hero, whose legend lives on beyond his life, leaving Jasper to wonder who his famous uncle was and his father's relationship with him.
As wonderful as this book is by the end I was exhausted by all the bizarre twists and turns and felt ready to leave their eccentric world behind; a little too long perhaps, or a just few too many outrageous scenarios? Still a great piece of Australian literature. It was shortlisted for the 2008 Man Booker Prize.
The Home Filez rating: 4 stars!
No comments:
Post a Comment