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A review by hkmillie
The Accidental by Ali Smith
2.0
Listen. I just finished this book half an hour ago so maybe after sitting on it for awhile my review will be different.
But ... I hated this book. And it was frustrating, because I love the premise. I love the way some of the words flowed, there is some really beautiful prose in this book.
**spoilers below**
I loved how by using Amber's waltz right into the house, Smith portrays the absolutely horrid communication level within this family. The kids I'm not annoyed with in that respect because well, they're kids. When we're kids we expect our parents to have their act together (typically). Eve and Michael's communication has completely broken down - instead of straight up asking who this random woman is who came into the home, they just assume she's a guest of the other. But that's really about all I liked about it, subject matter-wise.
Maybe I'm just not well-read enough to see what everyone else sees when they're reading this book. I just felt it was incredibly pretentious (I got so sick of Amber's rambling narrative) and not executed well. However, Smith may have won in the end - because I hated this book so much, I want to read Hotel World because I've heard it's so much better. I do like her use of language and turn of phrase. I like that I do feel like I'm reading from the minds of a 12 year old and ... however old Magnus is supposed to be? I tried to find his age but I must have missed it.
And while I'm on that ... I think Amber is gross for sleeping with Magnus. I don't care that he's "of legal age". The fact that Amber had to defend herself by saying he was of legal age really skeeved me out. I got the impression she was in her 30s (correct me if wrong). He's still in high school (I can't recall if it's called secondary school or college in the UK). Don't sleep with high school kids.
But ... I hated this book. And it was frustrating, because I love the premise. I love the way some of the words flowed, there is some really beautiful prose in this book.
**spoilers below**
I loved how by using Amber's waltz right into the house, Smith portrays the absolutely horrid communication level within this family. The kids I'm not annoyed with in that respect because well, they're kids. When we're kids we expect our parents to have their act together (typically). Eve and Michael's communication has completely broken down - instead of straight up asking who this random woman is who came into the home, they just assume she's a guest of the other. But that's really about all I liked about it, subject matter-wise.
Maybe I'm just not well-read enough to see what everyone else sees when they're reading this book. I just felt it was incredibly pretentious (I got so sick of Amber's rambling narrative) and not executed well. However, Smith may have won in the end - because I hated this book so much, I want to read Hotel World because I've heard it's so much better. I do like her use of language and turn of phrase. I like that I do feel like I'm reading from the minds of a 12 year old and ... however old Magnus is supposed to be? I tried to find his age but I must have missed it.
And while I'm on that ... I think Amber is gross for sleeping with Magnus. I don't care that he's "of legal age". The fact that Amber had to defend herself by saying he was of legal age really skeeved me out. I got the impression she was in her 30s (correct me if wrong). He's still in high school (I can't recall if it's called secondary school or college in the UK). Don't sleep with high school kids.