The words “family farce” best describe Mark Haddon’s entertaining novel, A Spot of Bother (2006, Vintage Books, 433 pages).
Once retired, 61-year-old George Hall starts to build an art studio in the backyard of the home he shares with wife Jean. Just when he should enjoy life to the fullest, he finds an ominous lesion on his body. Suddenly he’s overwhelmed with doubts, fears and worries about his physical and mental health.
“He began to lose his mind halfway through the second day. He got up from the dining table at the end of lunch, leaving his dessert untouched, saying that he had to go somewhere. He was unsure, precisely, where it was that he had to go. He remembered leaving the house by the front door. Then he remembered nothing for some considerable time. White noise filled his mind, not unlike the white noise of a television failing to tune in to a particular channel, but louder and a good deal more insistent.”
George’s divorced daughter Katie announces plans for a second wedding, this time to Ray, whom George and Jean dislike. As the wedding day nears, Katie’s gay brother Jamie encounters his own romantic turbulence with boyfriend Tony.
When not planning the wedding, Jean engages in sexual escapades with David, one of her husband’s former work colleagues. With terrible timing, David asks her to leave George so they can always sleep in the same bed and wake up together.
Will George endure? Can any of the leading characters cope?
“Katie leaned forward and took hold of Jamie’s hands. ‘Are you OK?’
He laughed. ‘Yeh. Surprisingly enough, I am.’
She knew precisely what he meant. And at that moment it really was all right. The two of them sitting quietly together. The eye of the storm.
‘So are you getting married?’ Jamie asked.
‘God knows….’ She went silent for a moment. ‘It should be simple, shouldn’t it? I mean, you either love someone or you don’t. It’s not exactly quantum theory. But I haven’t got a clue, Jamie. Not a clue.’ ”
Although the Hall family proves badly dysfunctional, its members work hard to muddle along. Many readers may notice similarities to their own families at testing moments.
Haddon confirms his status as a talented author with comedic flair. His previous book, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, won the Whitbread Book of the Year Award. Earlier, he wrote children’s books and TV screenplays. He lives in Oxford, England.
Ultimately, it’s no bother at all to enjoy A Spot of Bother.
Approval rating: 77 per cent.
For more information: www.markhaddon.com or www.vintagebooks.com.
(February 21, 2008)
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