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uniskorn's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
Felt like this one focused too much on other characters’ perspectives. A couple made sense but on the whole, I’d rather see Patrick’s internal response to what happens. Was also surprised at the lack of time passage. This was the dullest one and I expected a lot more dark humor.
caroparr's review against another edition
4.0
Even more than the earlier novels, this one concentrates on consciousness, or, as a reviewer has noted, "the mercilessly examined life." “I was thinking that life is just the history of what we give our attention to. The rest is packaging,” Patrick says. An astonishing series of novels.
ssconsequat's review against another edition
Compared to the other books, I didn’t feel as interested to know where Patrick’s life had ended. Despite being the shortest of all the other Melrose books, this one dragged out the most with side stories that were greatly unneeded.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Child death and Rape
katrinky's review against another edition
3.0
St Aubyn's philosopher characters are always over my head, and it's unlikely that every single person in Patrick's life would be able to keep up with his blisteringly complex reflections on existence, addiction, love, abuse, etymology, etc. And this is the first book where I thought a character (in this case, Patrick's broke and selfish fallen heiress of an aunt, Nancy) was over the top. Her vanity and desperation to remain relevant in English high society were cartoonish. The children, Robert and Thomas, pensive, joyful geniuses that they are, continue to be my favorite. And I appreciate that Patrick seems like he just maybe will work through the mire of his awful parents' legacies.
Best scene: the roundtable of characters' thoughts during the songs and readings at Eleanor's fuenral. Erasmus, obsessed with the philosophy of consciousness during a Porgy and Bess song; Nancy and Nicholas, horrified at Yeats poetry that implies there is good to be found outside of possessions; Annette, getting overcome by her own prowess in reading; Johnny, Patrick's best friend and former drug dealer, now a psychoanalyst, retroactively diagnosing Eleanor via the poetry used to remember her; and Patrick, desperate for the whole thing to be over so he can get back to his bedsit and think about what it all means for his psyche. St Aubyn is so good at jumping from character to character, x-raying motivation and weakness ruthlessly and wholly. These are some of the smartest books I've ever read.
Best scene: the roundtable of characters' thoughts during the songs and readings at Eleanor's fuenral. Erasmus, obsessed with the philosophy of consciousness during a Porgy and Bess song; Nancy and Nicholas, horrified at Yeats poetry that implies there is good to be found outside of possessions; Annette, getting overcome by her own prowess in reading; Johnny, Patrick's best friend and former drug dealer, now a psychoanalyst, retroactively diagnosing Eleanor via the poetry used to remember her; and Patrick, desperate for the whole thing to be over so he can get back to his bedsit and think about what it all means for his psyche. St Aubyn is so good at jumping from character to character, x-raying motivation and weakness ruthlessly and wholly. These are some of the smartest books I've ever read.
carolyngrace's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-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? Yes
3.5
andrew61's review against another edition
4.0
Having started this series five years ago with the terrible revelation of child abuse about which I struggled to articulate my feelings I have since travelled with Patrick Melrose through drug and sexual addiction in New York whilst collecting the dreadful father David's ashes, his marriage and own fatherhood , the loss of his inheritance and his mothers aging , and finally to the events of his mother Eleanor' s funeral.
It has been a troubling story and in this final book the extent of his father's evil is more clearly revealed as well as his reflection upon his mother's failure to protect herself ( there is a brief depiction of Eleanor's rape which is hard to read) and more importantly protect Patrick. Was Eleanor responsible therefore for the man Patrick eventually becomes; a barrister who struggles with addiction, has been unfaithful to his long suffering wife Mary, and who seems incapable of being a father who avoids his own parents omissions of stability and security.
As with the other books the story is the snapshot of a life and the impact of childhood abuse but in the scenes at the funeral also has a dark humour which has been present throughout.
Definitely a book that is carefully crafted and the prose is such that words are rarely out of place , with portraits of individuals who are brilliantly drawn , therefore it is a series of books that deserves much praise but in the end I was so relieved to leave the characters behind and do not intend to revisit on the page or screen.
A really conflicting read upon which I am still struggling to properly express my thoughts
It has been a troubling story and in this final book the extent of his father's evil is more clearly revealed as well as his reflection upon his mother's failure to protect herself ( there is a brief depiction of Eleanor's rape which is hard to read) and more importantly protect Patrick. Was Eleanor responsible therefore for the man Patrick eventually becomes; a barrister who struggles with addiction, has been unfaithful to his long suffering wife Mary, and who seems incapable of being a father who avoids his own parents omissions of stability and security.
As with the other books the story is the snapshot of a life and the impact of childhood abuse but in the scenes at the funeral also has a dark humour which has been present throughout.
Definitely a book that is carefully crafted and the prose is such that words are rarely out of place , with portraits of individuals who are brilliantly drawn , therefore it is a series of books that deserves much praise but in the end I was so relieved to leave the characters behind and do not intend to revisit on the page or screen.
A really conflicting read upon which I am still struggling to properly express my thoughts
vickiireads's review
3.0
While this last novel had a tendency to drag, mainly due to my lack of interest in the minor characters and their introspect, the Patrick Melrose series as a whole is a 4.5 / 5 for me.
St Aubyn is fantastic at dissecting the upper-crust ensemble of British society, I've never read anything which manages to marry scathing wit with tragedy quite so well.
St Aubyn is fantastic at dissecting the upper-crust ensemble of British society, I've never read anything which manages to marry scathing wit with tragedy quite so well.
mamaorgana80's review against another edition
5.0
Full circle resolution in the most British way. And I am so glad to have the perspective of some of the female characters. I’m not sure I can watch the show.
runkefer's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't find this quite as engaging as the first 3 books. Perhaps because the entire book takes place at a funeral. All the action was in flashbacks. And it definitely had a "summing up" vibe. Still, it is Patrick Melrose. So, thumbs up.