sde's review
3.0
Fun read and decent writing about a group of people living in community (or, more properly, falling out of living in community) in Britain. I found most of the characters, except the two little boys, to be rather annoying and plagued with minor mental health problems. Some of the conflicts and story lines were resolved, but others weren't. The ending was not bad, but somewhat unsatisfying - but perhaps in keeping with the soft personalities of many of the characters.
megan_bunce's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
dreyajavi's review
3.0
I really liked the tension in the 4 POV characters lives. The story, especially the ending was a little too strange for me at times but it was an interesting and easy read.
a_rose26's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.75
mhall's review
3.0
Gently satirical novel about the discontented existences of a group of people who have dedicated their lives to living in a commune in the countryside. Some parts of this are sharply drawn and humorous, but other parts flit around too much instead of staying with the perspective and actions of a single character; this has the effect of painting a portrait of a place, but it also inhibited my ability to care about what happened. Although the story is centered on the children of the arrogant commune patriarch, my favorite character in this novel was Patrick, the commune's main financial backer, an insecure longtime stoner paranoid that no one really likes him.
This second novel by the author of [b:Submarine|2473454|Submarine|Joe Dunthorne|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320547560s/2473454.jpg|2480651] (which was turned into a quirky, delightful movie) is hit-or-miss but worth reading. It also will make a good movie.
This second novel by the author of [b:Submarine|2473454|Submarine|Joe Dunthorne|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320547560s/2473454.jpg|2480651] (which was turned into a quirky, delightful movie) is hit-or-miss but worth reading. It also will make a good movie.
jamie_wh's review
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
orndal's review
4.0
Some of the best sentences from "Wild Abandon":
She was so lithe as to be, Don later claimed, ‘indistinguishable from the water she passed through’.
‘You thought it was chemical attraction; she thought it was paint fumes.’
Back in the house, they found Kit Lintel pouring orange juice into Kit Lintel’s father’s laptop.
In the live music yurt, a man was either doing a very downbeat, a cappella, unplugged version of ‘Help!’ by The Beatles or he was genuinely asking for assistance.
All in all, it's very hard to categorize Dunthorne's works. They have moments of greatness; but are often lost in between. "Wild Abandon" is about what happens after the hippie dream dies. It's about a commune falling apart, and how the different members deal with it. It's about the fact that life has no happy ever after, unless we find it ourselves.
She was so lithe as to be, Don later claimed, ‘indistinguishable from the water she passed through’.
‘You thought it was chemical attraction; she thought it was paint fumes.’
Back in the house, they found Kit Lintel pouring orange juice into Kit Lintel’s father’s laptop.
In the live music yurt, a man was either doing a very downbeat, a cappella, unplugged version of ‘Help!’ by The Beatles or he was genuinely asking for assistance.
All in all, it's very hard to categorize Dunthorne's works. They have moments of greatness; but are often lost in between. "Wild Abandon" is about what happens after the hippie dream dies. It's about a commune falling apart, and how the different members deal with it. It's about the fact that life has no happy ever after, unless we find it ourselves.
nectarine_waffle's review
3.0
Gently satirical novel about the discontented existences of a group of people who have dedicated their lives to living in a commune in the countryside. Some parts of this are sharply drawn and humorous, but other parts flit around too much instead of staying with the perspective and actions of a single character; this has the effect of painting a portrait of a place, but it also inhibited my ability to care about what happened. Although the story is centered on the children of the arrogant commune patriarch, my favorite character in this novel was Patrick, the commune's main financial backer, an insecure longtime stoner paranoid that no one really likes him.
This second novel by the author of [b:Submarine|2473454|Submarine|Joe Dunthorne|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320547560s/2473454.jpg|2480651] (which was turned into a quirky, delightful movie) is hit-or-miss but worth reading. It also will make a good movie.
This second novel by the author of [b:Submarine|2473454|Submarine|Joe Dunthorne|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320547560s/2473454.jpg|2480651] (which was turned into a quirky, delightful movie) is hit-or-miss but worth reading. It also will make a good movie.