Occasionally insightful, but a touch journalistic

An interesting study of the inner lives of its characters, with some excellent observations and turns of phrase, set against the background of a national crisis - the device of contrasting the internal and personal with the national and public was well-balanced early on but receded into the background as the story became a sort of comedy of manners, a little like a slightly over-written sit-com. Some of the characters become such generally detestable caricatures that I struggled to keep listening, and I would have like them to have some redeeming features. The discussion of the inner lives of the characters bordered on the journalistic, or perhaps on the style of a self-help book, on occasion, and whilst this was perhaps a deliberate device it didn't really work for me. The denouement is a bit rushed and silly, but did draw a laugh. Generally an interesting listen, much enlivened by Melody Grove's well-paced, sensitive and amusing performance - the narrator kept me going when the plot and characterisation wavered.

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Not easy

Unlikable characters but so beautifully drawn. Brilliant narrative & internal construction. There’s not a huge story here. Not a great payoff. It’s a pretty depressing analogy. A Dickensian exercise in character construction but for the current era, and without redeeming features. BUT the writer is a genius. I have no doubt about that. I leave this book with two main thoughts :

1) the characters will stay with me. Especially the terrifying, pitiable Katherine.
2) I can’t wait to read everything this author ever creates. Perhaps it’s bad but I felt his presence throughout as a wondered about the mind, the imagination & the experiences that nurtured this talent.

Don’t be out off, read it, it’s not fluffy escapism no. But it is a worthwhile meditation on the human condition & a brave confrontation with the inner demons that we like to pretend don’t exist.

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This story makes me annoyed.

What disappointed you about Idiopathy?

Dialogue was too realistic for characters that aren't realistic enough! An awful infuriating female protagonist with no redeeming features (in my opinion) and quite unlikely that anyone could be with her for so long. A protagonist doesn't need to be likable, however the dialogue does at least need to have purpose. The arguments between the central couple went round in circles, not really making sense. And rather than reaching any kind of conclusion, they petered off, leaving me wondering what the point of including it in the story was. And leaving me annoyed at having experienced such a stupid argument.My other criticism is that the plot takes an age to unfold, without much payoff and it doesn't feel like it should have. Action and plot that could have been done with in 4 chapters or so, takes the majority of the book. I am disappointed, as I was looking forward to this book coming out, and enjoyed the sample and blurb!

Would you ever listen to anything by Sam Byers again?

Possibly

What does Melody Grove bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Good overall performance

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

It made me want to throw things.

Any additional comments?

There are plenty of other books about relationships with fallible but redeeming characters out there.

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