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The Patrick Melrose Novels Collection Edward St Aubyn 5 Books Set (Mothers Milk, Never Mind, Some Hope, At Last, Bad News)
£16.10
The patrick melrose novels collection edward st aubyn 5 books set rrp: £ 39.95 tiles in the set mother’s milk, never mind, some hope, at last, bad news.
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Additional information
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10 | 1509818200 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1509818204 |
by Robinox
St Aubyn is a thoroughbred writer – he writes beautifully with an economy and precision that few of his cotemporaries come near. Some of his set-pieces are exquisitely funny; the characterisation is wonderful and – another rarity – he is economical. These are not the usual overblown, over-written, sprawling ‘masterpieces’ in need of a good sub-editor: they are very good novels indeed which I recommend wholeheartedly. Having said which be prepared to find the subject matter disturbing. I understand that these books draw heavily on St Aubyn’s own life-experience in which case he has all my sympathies. But these are not ‘misery-memoirs’ – they are simply stories drawn from life which confront the sometimes horrible reality that the central character, Patrick Melrose, confronts. These are the finest English novels I have read in the last decade and bear comparison with some of the Greats: Evelyn Waugh would be not be shamed by some of this writing and I couldn’t give higher praise.
by psoro
St Aubyn’s Patrick Melrose series is captivating. Semi-autobiographical, he takes us from Patrick’s odd, privileged, lonely and frighteningly abused childhood through much of his life. The character development of Patrick and his intimates is powerful, brilliant. The continuing interest in the developing young rich-ish kid who travels from of drug and alcohol dependency followed by cold turkey to the very fragile career success as a barrister is compelling. The man remains damaged, on the brink of disaster all the time. The characters who inhabit Patrick’s world are weird and wonderful: nasty, evil, pretentious, compassionate, wise cynics, foolish sycophants, loving friends, dangerous enemies. His father’s influence dogs him throughout as is true of St Aubyn’s life. it’s brilliant. Each book is a bite-size chunk of dark, comic exposure of human motivation. The prose crackles. All human life is there.
by Jonathan Talbot
The best fiction is often based on real people and real events as is the case here. These are not books about a half understood world and it is that veracity, along with the darkest shade of black humour which gives these novels their bite. Easily the best thing l have read in British fiction for many years although relatively unheralded, largely l suspect because they depict a world which we are supposed to have left behind. As a dedicated prole myself l say three cheers for top notch posh fiction – this is even better than Evelyn Waugh.
by Pen
I enjoyed reading these books but found them quite depressing in parts, specially when he was heavily into drugs. The books are quite a good read but certainly would not be for everyone. Patrick Melrose obviously came from a highly privileged background which probably explains a lot of his problems!
by Jamie
I like these books in as much as – I couldn’t really put them down and in every case wanted to find out what happened. I like them because they are challenging – hideous events (child rape, drug addiction) but written with such humour (black of course) and pathos they at times brought tears of both joy and sadness to my eyes. Well written? at times – and at other times, maybe not? It is clear these tales are therapy for the writer – explaining or getting rid of ghosts, and this comes through. But then how could anyone write about these issues without experiencing them in real time and really get it right? very sad, very brave and almost there.
These are going to be made into a film – I hope they get the message right too!
by Gilly Murphy
Loved them !
by Mary R.
I loved reading this brilliant sequence of novels. However the third book, Mother’s Milk, arrived with a few pages in the middle damaged. I didn’t know this until after the last return date.
by Title page
I couldn’t put these books down. In fact when I finished volume 1, I immediately started from the beginning again to savour it more slowly. His writing is wonderful, lyrical and totally engrossing. I finished them all too soon; basically reading a volume a day while on holiday. I was fascinated by the insight into the workings of the upper class mind and their way of thinking; breathtaking arrogance but compulsive all the same. Patrick’s experience as a drug addict in New York is both sad but laugh out loud funny. Is it any wonder with his mother and father he turned out the way he did. Knowing that these books are autobiographical makes them all the more shocking and poignant. A must read both for the subject matter but also for St Aubyn’s beautifully crafted writing.