starness's review
4.0
A contemporary story of a marriage gone wrong, smack bang in the middle of every day suburbia. The story starts off slowly. You get a glimpse of an ordinary man, living in an ordinary house in an ordinary nondescript suburb. This could be any one of us which makes the premise of the story at once credible and relatable. You start to squirm when things start to go wrong about half way through this book for Casper Gray. When Casper starts to suspect infidelity you know things are going to go down a slippery slope, insecurity doubt and paranoia set in and you know it's going to be a bumpy ride. Casper doesn't always make the right decisions and seeing some of the ramifications of his poor choices is hard to watch. You do kind of feel sorry for him so you want a good outcome but you also believe he's too far gone in his self pitying and self destruction especially when he experiences a mini breakdown, he's on the edge. The book is gritty and shows the ugly side of marriage and the potential pitfalls but I did enjoy the realness of emotions displayed.
tasmanian_bibliophile's review
4.0
‘Maybe you never really know somebody.’
Casper Gray and his wife Jane live out in the suburbs. Casper teaches English at the local high school, and he and his wife Jane have been trying to have a baby for seven years. They have a cute dog named Wallace, who causes Casper some grief with one of the neighbours. Sure, teaching has its rewards and pitfalls, but Casper counts himself a happily married man about to celebrate a wedding anniversary.
And then, he accidently knocks Jane’s handbag, and while cleaning up the spillage is gobsmacked to discover:
‘A condom sits there – Four Seasons, glow in the dark. The corner of the wrapper is dog-eared. Maybe it’s been battered inside Jane’s bag, or maybe somebody started to tear it open.’
So begins one of the most challenging weeks of Casper Gray’s life. He agonises over this discovery. Is Jane having an affair? How can he discuss this with her? And, while Casper agonises and obsesses, other aspects of his world start to fall to pieces. Problems arise at school, and with Vic (the neighbour who so objects to Wallace). Can Casper find a way to deal with these issues? And what about Beth? She’s his closest friend at school, and she has some relationship problems of her own.
As I read this novel, I was offering Casper all kinds of sage advice. Although Casper didn’t listen (it’s one of the most common faults of characters in novels, they rarely listen to the reader), I hoped that he would ‘man up’ and take responsibility for what he needed to do.
How do we deal with insecurity, love and trust? What do we do when we think that we know someone completely, and then find there’s another dimension to that person’s life? What would Casper do? Would he talk to Jane? Would he deal with Vic? Would he get caught up in Beth’s problems? Would he deal with the issues at school? So many questions to cover in one week: how would Mr Zig pull this all together in his debut novel? You’ll need to read it for yourself to find out.
I can say that I enjoyed the novel, and I’ll certainly be looking out for more work by Mr Zig.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Pantera Press for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Casper Gray and his wife Jane live out in the suburbs. Casper teaches English at the local high school, and he and his wife Jane have been trying to have a baby for seven years. They have a cute dog named Wallace, who causes Casper some grief with one of the neighbours. Sure, teaching has its rewards and pitfalls, but Casper counts himself a happily married man about to celebrate a wedding anniversary.
And then, he accidently knocks Jane’s handbag, and while cleaning up the spillage is gobsmacked to discover:
‘A condom sits there – Four Seasons, glow in the dark. The corner of the wrapper is dog-eared. Maybe it’s been battered inside Jane’s bag, or maybe somebody started to tear it open.’
So begins one of the most challenging weeks of Casper Gray’s life. He agonises over this discovery. Is Jane having an affair? How can he discuss this with her? And, while Casper agonises and obsesses, other aspects of his world start to fall to pieces. Problems arise at school, and with Vic (the neighbour who so objects to Wallace). Can Casper find a way to deal with these issues? And what about Beth? She’s his closest friend at school, and she has some relationship problems of her own.
As I read this novel, I was offering Casper all kinds of sage advice. Although Casper didn’t listen (it’s one of the most common faults of characters in novels, they rarely listen to the reader), I hoped that he would ‘man up’ and take responsibility for what he needed to do.
How do we deal with insecurity, love and trust? What do we do when we think that we know someone completely, and then find there’s another dimension to that person’s life? What would Casper do? Would he talk to Jane? Would he deal with Vic? Would he get caught up in Beth’s problems? Would he deal with the issues at school? So many questions to cover in one week: how would Mr Zig pull this all together in his debut novel? You’ll need to read it for yourself to find out.
I can say that I enjoyed the novel, and I’ll certainly be looking out for more work by Mr Zig.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Pantera Press for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
thisgirl_writes's review
5.0
A brilliant book. Insightful and engaging. Full of well-rounded characters, although my personal favourite was Wallace, the dog.
u311082's review
3.0
A very enjoyable book from a uniquely male perspective about a life that highlights how surprising a seemingly ordinary life can be.
Casper Gray thinks he is an average guy, until a series of unfortunate events forces him to look at himself in a different light. He, along with everyone else in his life, believes that he has no hidden depths, when in actual fact, he is a man of great fortitude. I like Caspar, because he could be any male I know. He is funny, smart, loves his dog and has a complicated relationship with self-analysis.
Well written, humorous and insightful. A very enjoyable and easy 3 1/2 star read.
Casper Gray thinks he is an average guy, until a series of unfortunate events forces him to look at himself in a different light. He, along with everyone else in his life, believes that he has no hidden depths, when in actual fact, he is a man of great fortitude. I like Caspar, because he could be any male I know. He is funny, smart, loves his dog and has a complicated relationship with self-analysis.
Well written, humorous and insightful. A very enjoyable and easy 3 1/2 star read.
ashleygrossreads's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book! Honestly, it took me a little while to get into this book, even after Casper discovered the condom in his wife's handbag. I just couldn't tell the path where this book was going until further on, when events at the school picked up. From that point onward I was hooked. I wanted to see how Casper could handle his life going crazy. In some ways, it feels like we've all been there, one thing after another goes wrong, This book is relatable, and keeps you hanging on!
ellafantile's review
4.0
It's rare to find a book about something as banal as "just another week in suburbia" but once you're done with Les Zig's tale, you'll come to think about whether there is such a thing as a normal week. Just another week in suburbia follows Caspar Gray, a high school teacher who is about to celebrate his 7th wedding anniversary with his wife. Through the course of the week Caspar has to face little challenges and surprises that all build up to a huge crescendo on Friday, and his life comes crashing down around him. Caspar has to spend the weekend battling through a haze of confusion and decide what is really important to him to be happy. A beautiful and honest look at marriage, adult friendships, and how our inner monologues can affect our outer lives, Just Another Week in Suburbia had me hooked right until the very end.
kimkat's review
3.0
Casper wakes up one morning and finds himself in the midst of a mid life crisis, all over the after effects of toppling his wife's purse and what he finds in the contents.
How well do you really know another person? Like, REALLY, know them? Maybe you can't say...
How well do you really know another person? Like, REALLY, know them? Maybe you can't say...
abetterbradley's review
3.0
I wasn't sure how much I'd like this book after I read the reviews but I enjoyed it. It's not the best read but it's quick enough to whittle away the hours when it's cold outside.
The novel is a slice of life look into a week in the life of Casper Gray. We get to peek into what is probably the worst weeks of Casper's life.
Although brief, I thought that the author did a really nice job of describing the high school experience. And I like how those scenes of adolescent love mirrored the relationship troubles of the adult characters.
I feel that the premise of the story was a little far fetched. Casper finds an unused condom in his wife's purse days before their 7th wedding anniversary and he wrecks himself thinking the worst. And I was rooting for Casper so I felt as wrecked as he did when he saw what he saw. I think I may have gasped aloud.
Really good read all around.
The novel is a slice of life look into a week in the life of Casper Gray. We get to peek into what is probably the worst weeks of Casper's life.
Although brief, I thought that the author did a really nice job of describing the high school experience. And I like how those scenes of adolescent love mirrored the relationship troubles of the adult characters.
I feel that the premise of the story was a little far fetched. Casper finds an unused condom in his wife's purse days before their 7th wedding anniversary and he wrecks himself thinking the worst. And I was rooting for Casper so I felt as wrecked as he did when he saw what he saw. I think I may have gasped aloud.
Really good read all around.
onejordo's review
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Pantera Press for the opportunity to read this book. Below is my honest opinion.
Casper Gray lives with his wife, Jane, in the suburbs of Australia. He’s a teacher and she does, well, Casper’s not quite sure what she does at work. They’ve been married for six years, can’t get pregnant, and have a dog instead of a baby. They’re a little bit boring but they’re happy. One sleepless night Casper stumbles over his wife’s purse, causing the discovery of something that takes the young couple to a turning point in their relationship. In the week that follows Casper will learn a lot about his wife, his neighbors, his best friends, his co-workers, and himself. This engaging book allows readers to follow Casper’s first person narrative of his eventful week.
Casper and his wife will have other twenty and thirty-somethings saying, “Same.” From the struggles of saving from IVF to the neighbors that aren’t quite ideal, this book is honest and relatable. It was difficult to put down because the story was so compelling. I just had to know what happened next. At one point my heart was pounding, and I couldn’t read fast enough. It’s not a suspenseful story, but it is certainly captivating.
At times Casper isn’t the most exciting narrator. Despite his life suddenly falling down around him he must still go through the motions of his somewhat mundane life. This enhanced the truth of this book, however. Because the book covers a full week of Casper’s life the time of day is given frequently, almost obsessively, in this book. There are some graphic sex scenes that young or sensitive readers may want to avoid. For the rest of us these scenes, like everything else in this book, lend themselves to the authenticity of life in suburbia.
Casper Gray lives with his wife, Jane, in the suburbs of Australia. He’s a teacher and she does, well, Casper’s not quite sure what she does at work. They’ve been married for six years, can’t get pregnant, and have a dog instead of a baby. They’re a little bit boring but they’re happy. One sleepless night Casper stumbles over his wife’s purse, causing the discovery of something that takes the young couple to a turning point in their relationship. In the week that follows Casper will learn a lot about his wife, his neighbors, his best friends, his co-workers, and himself. This engaging book allows readers to follow Casper’s first person narrative of his eventful week.
Casper and his wife will have other twenty and thirty-somethings saying, “Same.” From the struggles of saving from IVF to the neighbors that aren’t quite ideal, this book is honest and relatable. It was difficult to put down because the story was so compelling. I just had to know what happened next. At one point my heart was pounding, and I couldn’t read fast enough. It’s not a suspenseful story, but it is certainly captivating.
At times Casper isn’t the most exciting narrator. Despite his life suddenly falling down around him he must still go through the motions of his somewhat mundane life. This enhanced the truth of this book, however. Because the book covers a full week of Casper’s life the time of day is given frequently, almost obsessively, in this book. There are some graphic sex scenes that young or sensitive readers may want to avoid. For the rest of us these scenes, like everything else in this book, lend themselves to the authenticity of life in suburbia.
tonstantweader's review
3.0
Just Another Week in Suburbia is Les Zig’s first novel. It begins with Casper Gray literally stumbling on evidence that Jane, his wife, may be having an affair. He can’t bring himself to ask her, so he stews about it, leaving him distracted and absent in ways that lead him into some poor judgments at the school where he teaches. A colleague, Beth, is in a crisis in her relationship, wanting her lover Roger to fish or cut bait. He suspects the friendly neighborhood drug dealer might be harassing one of his students. His bullying neighbor is threatening his dog and the neighbor’s wife is, perhaps, making a pass at him. And his anniversary is coming up. He does not know what to do, so he doesn’t do much.
Casper is a nice guy. He’s a good husband, a good friend. He cares about people and loves his dog Wallace who happens to be my favorite character. He has a week from hell, including run-ins with several angry men, his supervisor, his friend’s lover, his neighbor, and the drug dealer. However, he is very passive. He is like most of us, thinking of what we want to say, what we should have said, but not saying it. Will any straw ever break this camel’s back?
I wavered between sympathy for and impatience with Casper in Just Another Week in Suburbia. He makes poor choices at school, allowing kids to smoke, to make out, and perhaps buy drugs because why? Is it because he dislikes his supervisor or because he doesn’t want to be unpopular? Or is it just too much bother? He sounds like someone who is a good teacher, but desperate to be liked rather than respected. However, when it all comes to a crisis, he finds he has unsuspected strength.
There is some catharsis that I enjoyed. There is a scene with the neighbor that made me happy, though honestly, the trouble with the neighbor is partly his fault through his neglect to reinforce the dirt under his fence with some chicken wire so his dog can’t get out. There are some important ideas in this story. What does trust mean? Can trust be restored? What is happiness? What makes a relationship work? Can you choose happiness? The story is a bit light to carry so much weight though.
Just Another Week in Suburbia was released September 1st. I received an electronic e-galley from Pantera Press through NetGalley.
Just Another Week in Suburbia at Pantera Press
Les Zig author site
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2017/09/03/9781921997846/
Casper is a nice guy. He’s a good husband, a good friend. He cares about people and loves his dog Wallace who happens to be my favorite character. He has a week from hell, including run-ins with several angry men, his supervisor, his friend’s lover, his neighbor, and the drug dealer. However, he is very passive. He is like most of us, thinking of what we want to say, what we should have said, but not saying it. Will any straw ever break this camel’s back?
I wavered between sympathy for and impatience with Casper in Just Another Week in Suburbia. He makes poor choices at school, allowing kids to smoke, to make out, and perhaps buy drugs because why? Is it because he dislikes his supervisor or because he doesn’t want to be unpopular? Or is it just too much bother? He sounds like someone who is a good teacher, but desperate to be liked rather than respected. However, when it all comes to a crisis, he finds he has unsuspected strength.
There is some catharsis that I enjoyed. There is a scene with the neighbor that made me happy, though honestly, the trouble with the neighbor is partly his fault through his neglect to reinforce the dirt under his fence with some chicken wire so his dog can’t get out. There are some important ideas in this story. What does trust mean? Can trust be restored? What is happiness? What makes a relationship work? Can you choose happiness? The story is a bit light to carry so much weight though.
Just Another Week in Suburbia was released September 1st. I received an electronic e-galley from Pantera Press through NetGalley.
Just Another Week in Suburbia at Pantera Press
Les Zig author site
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2017/09/03/9781921997846/