Reviews
I know I said I’d be reviewing the new film Mesrine in this week’s Communist Party event write up. However unfortunately there was a small misunderstanding between myself and the Cinema’s website. I won’t go into details as this all has nothing to do with the book, but suffice to say, I didn’t see it. Although I HAVE just finished this book.
It’s not new by any stretch, in fact it’s nearly 11 years old. But this shouldn’t matter as it’s a book, and it’s set in the past anyway.
As you can guess, the main character’s girlfriend gets herself into a coma pretty early on. The first half is based on how each of her friends and family deal with the loss and uncertainty the situation compels in them, and the turns each of their lives take as they progress into adulthood, trying to carve a life of their own amongst the changing times of an eighties Canada.
The content is pretty interesting in itself, as well as intriguing for anyone (aware or otherwise) searching for answers in their own life. At whatever stage of life you’re at, Coupland manages to present empathy for either the past, future, or present condition of his reader.
The second half of the novel goes on to (In Gazz’ words) ‘Go dead weird’. As Karen (comagirl) awakes from her slumber a mere 18 years late (she should get a new alarm clock). Throughout the next few months Karen struggles to adjust to a dramatically different world, not just for her, but also for her friends, who seem to have wilted along with their dreams. Soon the gang become all too aware of more meaning in their own lives, than they could ever imagine alone.
Coupland attacks big questions of life, love, relationships, contentment, and meaning in it all with a feral immediacy translating through the text. His prose often act more like poetry than conventional fiction, fitting for the subject matter. There may be times, whilst reading through the book, you don’t quite understand what he’s on about (70% of it for me). But I urge you not to turn back, put down, or re-read. The artistic, stimulating, flow of English will reward you like a classical score.
Girlfriend in a Coma - Douglas Coupland - Brought to you by James Wormald -