Books we like ... and books we're not too fussed about
MJ Hyland
Canongate 2005
Hyland’s second novel is set in the United States. Lou is an Australian teenager staying with an American family as part of an exchange programme. Her home life is unhappy; she is gifted enough to break away, but like many teenagers before and since, she ends up in a bit of a fix. As in her other novels, Hyland shows her skills in character depiction by creating a convincing picture of a troubled, and annoying but endearing protagonist through an, inevitably self-centred first person perspective. However, as in Carry Me Down, the lack of a clear narrative thrust made this hard going at times. Put simply, I want a bit more of a story – and I also want to know how Lou manages to put away all that gin without appearing drunk or anyone apparently noticing.
20 December 2010
http://www.mjhyland.com/
See also: This Is How
|
|
