A Spot of Bother

I had read this book a few years ago and recommended it to my book club. To be honest, not everyone liked it. Some really did NOT like it, finding the characters without any positive qualities.Those of us who scored it high, though, appreciated the human flaws in each of the characters, related to the imperfections in the family and relationships, and found humor in the misunderstandings and miscommunications that sometimes brought about the best things that could happen in the family.On the surface the book is about a man obsessed with the fear that a lesion he discovers on his leg is terminal cancer, in spite of his doctor's diagnosis of simple eczema. In the midst of his own fears and paranoia, however, he comes to understand and appreciate some things about his own family that he probably would not have otherwise. The future son-in-law that everyone thinks is a poor match for the outspoken and temperamental daughter turns out to be a hero of sorts, demonstrating far superior human relationship skills than most of the rest of the characters.In the course of the story, all three (four?) love relationships - George and his wife (and his wife and her lover), their gay son and his significant other, and their daughter and her fiance -- are dramatically challenged. Breakups occur, self-reflections kick in, and attempts to communicate and re-build relationships meet with varying success. But at daughter Kate and Ray's wedding, a perfect storm of dark comedy somehow brings everything together.I truly laughed aloud at parts of this book, but I understand why some of our book club members just couldn't appreciate it. Mark Haddon has a strange mind, but it is also a very observant one, perceptive of human frailty, idiosyncracy, and the need for love. If the reader comes prepared and in the right frame of mind, he'll find this an enjoyable, humorous, insightful, and memorable read.

Another wonderful book by Mark Haddon! As in The Red House, he tells a whopping good story through the thoughts and actions of the main characters, each chapter either taking up where the other character's part of the story left off, or relating the same scene from another character's viewpoint. And as usual with Haddon's books, we are treated to beautifully flawed people. In the case of A Spot of Bother, the characters are Jean and George, a long-married 60-ish couple; their divorced and soon to-be-married-again daughter, Katie; and their mostly out-of-the-closet gay son, Jamie. I won't repeat the storyline; other reviewers and the trade reviews will give you all that. I'll just say that Haddon is an amazing writer and a master at giving us characters to which we can all relate. We alternately want to strangle them or pull them into our arms and comfort them. And while Haddon does end the story by wrapping things up a bit too much like one of those Love Actually types of movies, he leaves things just enough open-ended for the book not to be one of "those" kinds of books. Highly recommended. (And speaking of movies, I hope there's one in the works for A Spot of Bother. I found myself casting it as I read.)

This is a warm and fun story. Even though the title and back cover refer mainly to George Hall, the main character, the book is more about a modern and slightly dysfunctional family. George is the father, a 57 year old hypochondriac man that believes a skin lesion is a cancer lesion that will kill him soon. Jean is George's wife, and she's having an affair with a former co-worker from George's previous job. Katie is their daughter and is planning on wedding for the 2nd time, to a guy named Ray, whom the family does not fully approve of. Finally, Jamie is their son. He's gay but apparently is not fully out of the closet and is conflicted about bringing his boyfriend to Katie's wedding.The book evolves about all of them, their discussions, their fights, and the love between them.Even though the whole context seems a bit mundane, this is a very well written book. It's fun and the characters have a lot of depth.It's hard to find a reason not to recommend this book to anyone.

It's taken me all of seven weeks to finish this novel. My interest in the book was sparked as a result of reading Haddon's first novel that featured an autistic kid we sets out to solve a murder mystery and learns a great deal about adulthood and independence in the process. "A Spot of Bother" features a highly neurotic family as they attempt to navigate through the father's retirement, the mother's affair, the daughter's second wedding and the son's sexuality. I found the story well written but slow. The characters are well drawn although there was more than one occasion when I hoped that Dad simply disappeared. I'm still not sure what that feeling was about but by the end of the novel I was more sympathetic to the father's issues. While this was a solid second novel I can't recommend that you run out and buy it. If you're looking for a little validation that your family is not the only highly neurotic, emotionally stunted crew in the world then this novel is defiantly a must read. Otherwise, I'd wait for Haddon's third novel, he may strike gold again as he did with his first.

This book was really well written. I was laughing out loud during parts and the next chapter holding back tears. The characters were complex and despite failings very relatable and likeable. Highly recommend this book.

Very understated, but charming story about a dysfunctional family coming together around a wedding.

very enjoyable

I enjoyed reading the children's book, The Curious Incident, and was glad to see that Mark Haddon has written a book for adults. Mental Health is not usually openly discussed but the author has a way of writing about it in a way that is completely normal and obvious. His descriptions of the characters and their feelings is remarkable. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to other adults.

Der Covertext verrät schon, dass das Buch einiges an skurrilen Lebenssituationen bietet. Was mir aber noch besser gefallen hat, sind die treffenden Dialoge, bei denen ich öfters laut gelacht habe. Schön ist auch der liebevolle 'Umgang' mit den einzelnen Figuren - nicht plakativ, nicht clichehaft. Auf jeden Fall zu empfehlen, wäre auch als britische Verfilmung ein Genuss :)