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A spot of bother

By Mark Haddon

(109)

| Others | 9780099507437

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20 Reviews

6 people find this helpful

I once wondered if it was a mistake buying this book when I was reading the first 100 pages. The pace is slow, the characters are distinct but uninteresting, the plot is unraveling itself rather haphazardly and aimlessly. I almost called it quits.
Luckily I persisted. The second half of the ... (continue)

I once wondered if it was a mistake buying this book when I was reading the first 100 pages. The pace is slow, the characters are distinct but uninteresting, the plot is unraveling itself rather haphazardly and aimlessly. I almost called it quits.
Luckily I persisted. The second half of the book proves much more interesting - not because of sudden twists and turns and actions as there is none, but because it is at that point where one genuinely starts to care about what happens to the characters. It is also at that point where one realizes a lack of drama is not equal to a boring story; it actually makes the story more realistic and the characters more likable. The ending is predictably happy but it is not your typical happily ever afters, rather it is a sense of returning to normal, or a tempest having subsided. You know it's not the end of the problems, but at least the characters have weathered the storm together, as a family.
Overall, A Spot of Bother may not be as eye-opening as Haddon's previous bestseller The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, but it is still very well written and will not disappoint anyone. Just try to read past the first 100 pages or so.

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― Holmes said on Oct 14, 2007 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

4 people find this helpful

I thought this was good, but not completely bowled over by it. It was nice reading the different people and their perspective, but it seemed to lack for me. This is a good book to read on a plane or on holiday, something light and sometimes humorous.

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― Amz310783 said on Jun 18, 2007 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

2 people find this helpful

I just loved this book!! I can't understand HOW can this man know so many things about women and children! :P Anyway, you should read it, it's about how life sometimes goes. So nice. My fave were Ray and Jamie ;)

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― Lizzyblack said on Feb 4, 2008 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

Fans of "The Curious Incident of The Dog in The Night-Time" may be disappointed by this second book of Mark Haddon.
The plot is alright. In fact, this tale about a dysfunctional family preparing for the second wedding of their daughter, Katie Hall, is quite hilarious and with lots of drama. ... (continue)

Fans of "The Curious Incident of The Dog in The Night-Time" may be disappointed by this second book of Mark Haddon.
The plot is alright. In fact, this tale about a dysfunctional family preparing for the second wedding of their daughter, Katie Hall, is quite hilarious and with lots of drama. However, maybe too much focus has been placed on the father, George Hall, a retired former executive who suspected that he had skin cancer. There are detailed descriptions of the state of mind of George who is going insane, and his convoluted mind made my head spin when I was reading it.
I found it quite difficult to get through the book. Not recommended.

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― Tracy W said on Jul 6, 2009 | Add your feedback

*** This comment contains spoilers! ***

The not-so-curious life of the Hall family

Narrated according to the various points of view of the components of the Hall family in the proximity of the daughter Katie's wedding, A Spot of Bother contains a rather a bright and amusing portrayal of today's British middle class. Every member of the Halls has a personal approach to famil ... (continue)

Narrated according to the various points of view of the components of the Hall family in the proximity of the daughter Katie's wedding, A Spot of Bother contains a rather a bright and amusing portrayal of today's British middle class. Every member of the Halls has a personal approach to family issues, not to mention each has a share of preoccupations and problems most of the times unknown to others, which leads to a series of misunderstandings and conflicts. Futile problems or not, all the Halls are in search for solutions. George, the father, turns to hypochondria and has a nervous breakdown because of his apparent detachment; Jean, the mother, has an extramarital affair to compensate the lack of support and understanding; Katie, being mother and woman, has doubts regarding what's going to be her second marriage; Jamie, the son, is sentimentally troubled by the relationship with his boyfriend. The result is the classic "parents don't understand sons, sons don't understand parents, husbands and wives don't understand each others". All in all, the Halls come out of the crisis reinforced in their bonds by all their tribulations. Add to this overview the right dose of humor and a considerate analysis of the characters' feelings, and you'll have an accurate idea of Haddon's book.
It's not completely fair but it's inevitable to make a comparison between this book and The curious incident. Both books are nice reads, especially for their brilliant achievement in mixing levity with insight without falling into stereotypes and dullness. A Spot of Bother simply doesn't reach the height in originality, invention and penetration of Haddon's previous work. It's a general feeling that this book lacks something, though it's difficult to point at one missing ingredient.

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― Pu the Owl said on Apr 2, 2009 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

An eventful journey through family induced emotional unrest and mental turbulence. Ironic and realistic.

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― Sabi said on Jan 23, 2009 | Add your feedback

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Book Details

Rating:
(109)
- 4 stars
- 3 stars
- 2 stars
- 1 star
English Books
Others
ISBN-10: 0099507439
ISBN-13: 9780099507437
Publisher: Random House UK
Pub date: 2007
Also available as: Paperback, Hardcover, Audio CD and Audio Cassette
In other languages:
- Un pequeño inconveniente
  (Libros en Español)
- Un petit inconvenient
  (llibres en català)
- Una cosa da nulla
  (Libri Italiani)