Genre: fiction about dysfunctional families. \u2b50\ufe0fStars from Goodreads: 3.82. \u2b50\ufe0fStars from me: 3.5<\/p>\n
I just realised that telling you about each of the novels in the series can be a spoiler on its own. I mean, this way you learn that Patrick, a survivor of a horrible childhood and a person with a history of drug addiction, doesn\u2019t die and continues to grow older. Thus, if you want to dive into the novels completely unaware of the story\u2019s direction, you might want to ignore my reviews of the novels completely. I still give out no spoilers in each review, so decide for yourself. Here\u2019s my review of Some Hope<\/em>, the third novel about Patrick Melrose.<\/p>\n First of all, it\u2019s easier to read. At some point I even checked if I was really reading a Melrose novel because the sentences of the first two books took much longer to unravel. The hallmark sharp writing that reveals people\u2019s essence in just one sentence is still here.<\/p>\n Bridget seldom found the time to see her daughter. She could not forgive her for being a girl\u2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Johny looked at Amanda and marvelled again at the phenomenon of pretty girls who were not at all sexy.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Obeying the law that people always loathe those they have wronged, Sonny found himself especially allergic to Bridget\u2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Alexander Politsky, whose extreme Englishness derived from his being Russian, was perhaps the last man in England to use the term \u2018old bean\u2019 sincerely.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The humour is still here too.<\/p>\n \u2018Do you know where we are?\u2019 asked Tom.<\/p>\n \u2018Sure,\u2019 said Anne. \u2018We\u2019re out of our minds.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Patrick is as quotable as ever.<\/p>\n \u2018One seldom knows whether perseverance is noble or stupid until it\u2019s too late.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u2018It was a terrible shock to me when I realized I was getting too old to die young anymore.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u2018There\u2019s no point in staying stuck,\u2019 Patrick agreed. \u2018But there\u2019s even less point in pretending to be free.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n I could probably quote the whole book to you. I had to restrain myself from sharing all of the quotes so that you can discover the gems for yourself.<\/p>\n Have you seen all those people in the quotes? There are actually even more of them. They all keep talking all the time! Do you see how awesome Patrick is, how interesting it is to listen to him? Well, there isn\u2019t enough of him in this book. All those strangers keep philosophising at a dinner party, but with all due respect to them, I\u2019m in this for Patrick not for them. That\u2019s why I\u2019m giving the book 3.5 stars. The lack of any action played its role too. One single step that Patrick takes towards hope is really meaningful but not enough for a reader who\u2019s been dragging through tons of strangers\u2019 conversations!<\/p>\n Yes, there definitely is, but don\u2019t hold your breath, it\u2019s just a glimmer of hope.<\/p>\n I\u2019m already continuing. I\u2019m reading the fourth novel at the moment. I can\u2019t let go of the writing that is so perfect.\u00a0In his novels Edward St. Aubyn<\/span>\u00a0is doing the main thing that I love about literature. He\u2019s cutting to the core with just a few phrases. He\u2019s giving names to the things that you feel were always there but you become fully aware of them only when they acquire form.\u00a0Edward St. Aubyn<\/span>\u00a0achieves this in all the three Patrick Melrose novels that I’ve read so far.<\/p>\n Here are the reviews of the previous novels in the series: Never Mind,\u00a0<\/em>Patrick Melrose novel #1<\/a>\u00a0and Bad News<\/em>, Patrick Melrose novel #2<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What is it like?<\/h2>\n
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What\u2019s wrong with the book, then?<\/h2>\n
So, is there any hope?<\/h2>\n
Will I continue with the series?<\/h2>\n