Reviews

Mister Sandman by Barbara Gowdy

rose421's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

rachelini's review against another edition

3.0

Maybe 2.5 stars? I think there are people out there who would love this story of a quirky family in 50s and 60s Toronto, but I found it just didn't keep my attention.

seawarrior's review

dark funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This is definitely one of the weirder books I've read, and I'm not sure I fully understood the themes it was trying to represent. While it does have merit as an exploration of sexuality, shame, internalized homophobia, secrets and family, I often found myself repulsed by the causal ableism and racism exhibited by the leading characters. Though these bigoted thoughts and comments may be accurate for the time the book is set in, I felt them off-putting and extreme. Yet for what it's worth, this was an extremely engaging read and I enjoyed the darkly humorous tone and relentless honesty of Gowdy's writing. Much of this book revolves around the sexual exploits of the four oldest members of the Canary family, starting in adolescence. While many of these affairs are shameful and humiliating to the characters involved, Gowdy still manages to describe even their lowest moments with enough sensitivity so that the book does not feel mean-spirited or exploitative. Yet the final glaring flaw of this book is in the treatment of Joan, who is not a well depicted disabled character and was likely never intended to be. Instead, Joan is a personified representation of the Canary family's need for truth. She absorbs their secrets her entire lifetime, listening intently until she discovers a way to communicate through others' words. She is less of a person than a symbol to inspire the abled characters, which disabled people are too often reduced to, even when given starring roles. I remain torn on this book because I do feel it has worth, depth and meaning, yet there are issues with it too prominent and offensive to ignore. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, and Infidelity

Moderate: Racism, Ableism, Fatphobia, and Racial slurs

exurbanis's review against another edition

3.0

Publisher synopsis: “The Canary family are unlike any other. Joan is exquisite, tiny, mute, plays the piano like Mozart and lives in a closet. Marcy is a nymphomaniac, while Sonja earns a fortune clipping hair-grips to cardboard and knits compulsively. Their parents keep their own habits secret for as long as they can.”

The secrets of the parents are that Gordon is homosexual and Doris likes to sleep with other women. The story reaches its climax when Joan reveals them to each other.
Well-written, but a bit bawdy for my taste.

(The title is derived, on one level at least, from the tunes that Doris always has running through her head. I kept hearing the beautiful tune Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream…. Here it is played by a master. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-c66SJPuUI&feature=autoshare)

Read this if: quite honestly, I’m not sure who should read this. 3 stars

lanagailani's review against another edition

3.0

It's a quick and easy read. Not particularly original or demanding, but it's an amusing way to spend an afternoon. The characters are interesting and the end of the book is definitely its strongest part. I heard it compared to Geek Love, and though the daughter is a 'freak,' she is not so in the Geek Love sense. In a sense, her 'normal' family members are much stranger than she.

etches's review against another edition

4.0

I finished this book the same way I finished Falling Angels: slightly breatless and already missing Gowdy's lovable and thoroughly bizarre characters.

binchic's review against another edition

4.0

This was a book that was on the synapsis for my Modern Lit class in University. I never did find the time to read it while I was in school, but a couple of years later I decided to give it a go.

While this book is not a genre that I would generally gravitate towards, there was something stark and compelling about this novel. The characters somehow manage to be relatable and outlandish all at the same time.

I don't want to give away any spoilers, so all I will say is, think outside of the box and pick this one up!!

survivalisinsufficient's review against another edition

3.0

I enjoyed this one, though I didn't think the ending was as awesome as all the Amazon reviewers seem to think. As far as dysfunctional family stories go though, this is a pretty good one.

kimjunmyeon's review

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

kasiparks99's review against another edition

1.0

I DNF’d a little bit last half way. This book was just too weird for me. There was a lot of skipping around and I wasn’t sure what day it was since chapter 1. Not a lot was clear too me and the ideas in the book were bizarre.