I Read Therefore I Am discussion

Our monthly Boxall's read for August is The Unconsoled, start commenting as soon as you like but please hide any spoilers.
(Our next read (TBA) will start on September 15th)

Just ordered my copy

My copy downloading on the Kindle as I type :)

Yay!

I need to raid the library as am a bit skint - will definitely be participating in all the groups reads - just a bit of a slow start! :)

No probs - as the group has just begun - I expect it'll take a little while for folks to source the 1st books and for the discussions to warm up. Glad to hear you'll be joining the reads (more Yay!). I'm planning to announce the next couple of monthly reads next week so that we all have plenty of time to get hold of copies :0)

I'm looking forward to reading this. I loved The Remains of the Day by the same author.

Me too - and the film

I've only read Never Let Me Go by him before - a lot of people have said they hated it but I thought it was quite good. He is very clever anyway, so The Unconsoled will be interesting if nothing else.

I'm terrible with the names of authors and this author didn't seem familiar at all so I was very pleased "The Remains of the Day"was mentioned as I have read and really enjoyed that. Looking forward to "The Unconsoled" and will order it now.

Good stuff - think it's going to rather different from the Remains of the Day - but hopefully just as enjoyable :0)

well so far, so odd- it's certainly intriguing.

good intriguing?

yes definitely it's kind of like being inside someone else's dream!

That describes it very well. After the first half dozen chapters I didn't know if I was going to be able to carry on with it, but then I somehow got drawn in. I've nearly finished, so I'm hoping for some resolution at the end.

I'm about half way through- it's become even more dreamlike for me because I've realised that I must have read at least a chunk of it (I think I must have given up before the end) years ago, and I keep getting deja vu.
I think it's probably a marmite book - I can see that people could find it really annoying (I think I did the first time I tried it) - but, like Joy I'm hooked.

I've finished it and I'm really hoping that someone is going to shed light on it for me - show me some sort of pattern or meaning to it. The strange thing is I was completely beguiled by the writing; the more I read the more my nose was glued to it. But now I've finished I feel frustrated because I can't see any point to it and I need someone to explain it.
(view spoiler)[ I suppose there could be a comparison to be made between the parent /child relationships of Ryder & his parents and Stephan & his parents, but this seems a bit trite / inadequate. Was food significant? It seemed important at the end. Help! (hide spoiler)]

Started this late last night, read the first chapter, definitely already a slightly odd!

I'm still sticking to my dream theory - everything about it feels like it's been dreamt (view spoiler)[ the bit at the cinema for instance where we find out that 2001 A Space Odyssey has always starred Clint Eastwood and Yul Brynner and includes a scene where Yul is testing Clint to see how quick he is on the draw - I so could have dreamt that (hide spoiler)]

Lee I agree it's certainly dream-like, but is there anything more to it?

Based on my reading of the opening chapter, and probably influenced by my last read, I'm guessing angels/some kind of place people go between life and death. But I'm very early on in the book (only page 22!) and it could be going anywhere!

Joy wrote: "Lee I agree it's certainly dream-like, but is there anything more to it?"

I'll let you know if anything comes to me :0)

Ellie wrote: "Based on my reading of the opening chapter, and probably influenced by my last read, I'm guessing angels/some kind of place people go between life and death. But I'm very early on in the book (only..."

I see where you're coming from Ellie.
Still not sure whats going on myself and I'm over half way through!

Started this last night - it is like a dream isn't it? Like how things suddenly change from one place to another. I'm a little confused but still interested - I want to see where he is going with this.

100 pages in and I'm still trying to work out where's he going with this! Not sure if I actually like it. It certainly has plenty of scope for discussion!!

The most common suggestions seem to be, based on what I have read on t'internet, is that Ryder has amnesia, and the city he's in is somewhere in Germany. Does anyone have any thoughts on those suggestions so far?

If Ryder does have amnesia, it works in a most odd way, with him remembering in great detail some events.

Also, how can he be in a car and hear word for a word, a conversation taking place in a nearby house?

I'm picking up a theme on parental pressure - Stephan's story about his piano lessons, Boris and his tiling (what is it with the tiling??); anyone got any views?

Ellie - I don't see how he can have amnesia - as you point out it doesn't fit with other things that happen. I don't actually think there is a rational explanation; I think it's intended to be surreal. However even within those parameters I would expect there to be some purpose or some issue the author is trying to highlight - but it beats me what it is!

There's definitely some very bad parenting going on (I'm also thinking of Gustav and his daughter Sophie and particularly the incident with her pet if you've got to that)
The amnesia theory doesn't really appeal to me either - that doesn't account for all the weird events and transformations. I think your afterlife explanation is a good one or perhaps, like Sam in Ashes to Ashes he's in a coma?

Yes, Gustav/Sophie is another parenting thing, I had picked that up then forgot it again!

I like the Life On Mars suggestion, that would make more sense than amnesia. Even Boxall's says Ryder has it, but I am not buying it.

The book seems to completely distort time and space. Definitely surreal

Definitely - I love it - every few pages there's something that delights me - Number 9, the new version of 2001 A Space Odyssey, the calls for a statue for Bruno, the incredibly rude journalists...

It's got to be either a dream or some weird after life scenario - I like the Life on Mars angle (and that was an awesome series btw) - maybe he needs to help these people before he can move on? Everyone seems to want something from him, much more so than you would expect if it was just the case that he is a famous musician in town to give a talk and a concert.

Alice in Wonderland just popped into my head

I've finally made it on to the second day. Alice in Wonderland does indeed spring to mind. Time and space are distorted completely is it because Ryder has forgotten parts of his day?

It is very dream-like. The reception for Brodsky, for instance - there's a moment in that which is one of those classic dreams many people have had.

Mind you, I still haven't got a clue what's going on!

I'm quite amused by Ryder's irritation with Sophie when he himself seems just as lacking in attention.

Yes -I'm beginning to go off Ryder and yes I still have no idea whats going on!

He keeps leaving that kid unattended! Driving me crazy.

I have no idea either what's going on or what the point of it all is.... although that's not to say that I'm not enjoying it when I'm reading it, I'm just baffled.

Laurel, that is exactly how I'm feeling. Poor Boris is still, as far as I know, in a cafe with some cheesecake at the moment, poor thing

Don't worry, he does go back for him eventually!

Phew!

Why is it that he seems to live with Sophie and Boris and keeps having to go away for his work, but at the same time, he is visiting this city???? It's still very surreal in a dream like way - I don't think this is ever going to start making sense....

I've thought the very same, Laurel. I am hoping that somewhere before the end I will have a flash of inspiration!

I have the growing feeling that it's not !!!

I started off thinking that Ellie, that it would all start making sense by the end but I'm losing hope - I'm not convinced I will be any the wiser once I (finally) get to the end!

I'm trying to be optimistic, Laurel!

Where are you up to?

Almost half way, Ryder has just bumped into Fiona for the second time

I'm about 80% through - I kept thinking that I was nearer the end than I was! We've actually reached the concert hall - but we're just about to dash off again!

I'm really far behind, he has just got to the reception on night 2 with Sophie and Boris.

Don't worry - still ages to go till we start the next one.

By the way, I've just come up with a theory that explains absolutely everything:

Ryder is a heavy user of hallucinogenic drugs! :0)

Well I have just finished this strange but riveting book and after reading the posts above have realised that I probably should have been participating in this discussion. Told you I was knew to this sort of thing!!

I loved it!! Didn't understand the point of it, but loved it all the same. I don't buy the amnesia at all. If its anything other than an exercise in surrealism it has to be a dream. What I really enjoyed was the mixture of totally believable, natural dialogue with surreal twists and turns of the story. I definitely se a similarity between Stephen and Ryder and would say more if i could remember how to do a spoiler (will look this up in future before i start). What was also interesting was how the character of Ryder changes throughout the book, becoming gradually less likeable.

I'll be pondering this for a while!

Hilary, I think I may be on your wavelength

I totally agree - I think theres also a strong similarity between Ryder and Boris (view spoiler)[ The book keeps hinting about Ryders parents' relationship being a difficult one , and that Ryder was often worried and upset by their arguing and fighting - just like poor old Boris with Sophie and Ryder. Also - you know when Ryder took Boris back to their old apartment to retrieve number 9, and the neighbour came out and started going on and on about how the previous occupants were fighting all the time and how awful the man was to his partner - do you think he was actually talking about when Ryder, Sophie and Boris lived there? (hide spoiler)] If there is an underlying theme to the book - I think it is maybe lack of communication causing the breakdown of relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children etc.
You're so right about Ryder gradually becoming a less sympathetic character - it's very cleverly done .