Matt McAvoy Book Review

I have to admit, this is a review which doesn’t truly reflect the qualities of this book.  I say “qualities” rather than “quality” because it is comprised of tremendous work, in many different styles, but as a whole sum of its parts, presently, it really doesn’t work.

First and foremost, Charles is exceptional.  His writing is outstanding and his academic and professional credentials undoubtedly at the highest level; however, it seems to me that he wasn’t entirely clear, going into this project, the book he was intending to create.  As a result, it reads as rather a mixed-up compilation of articles, transcripts and narrative, which are not really coherently ordered to deliver the story I think he wants to.  As a result, for a long period I found myself unsure if I was reading non-fiction, academia or fiction.  What it actually is, as started to emerge in the book’s second half, is a profoundly poignant and cerebral tale of a traumatized teenage girl sent to stay with her psychiatrist grandfather for the summer, in the hope that she will find peace with her abuse and her own self-worth, while Grandad himself has a few issues with a dying ex-wife he still loves.  It is a beautiful if rather bleak premise, and the author undoubtedly has the knowledge to deliver it to the standard of authenticity it deserves, but if I’m being honest I’m not convinced how seriously this book takes itself.  It requires a good deal of work, but if doing so will unquestionably gather 5-star reviews all over, including from this reviewer.

The premise is good, and the backstory laden with academic credence.  The transcripts of counselling, while I’m not sure if they’re real or not, are authentic and thought-provoking.  It is as convincing a fictionalized case study into depression and low self-esteem as you are likely to read, without delving too deeply into the darkness of the human soul, as such books tend to do; that isn’t really Coleman’s point.  It doesn’t linger on the abuse – that simply happened – and it doesn’t present the characters as hopeless substance or alcohol abusers, angry and disturbed, or desperately suicidal (though there are references to that); they are rather just ordinary people coping with the greater difficulties of life.  It turns out that Hanna herself is real, I think (though I’m not entirely sure), as the author takes the opportunity to present a prospectus of a project she is involved in after the book – I think that, too, is real, though don’t quote me on that.  It is, however, a little confusing.  Much of the content and styling in this book is obscure, to say the least, and presents as quite abstract.  But, strangely, although it doesn’t come together collectively, I have tremendous hope for the book.  It is a project, and a genuinely rather superb one.  The author has all the ingredients to make it really stand out; I just hope he will make it work, because it really deserves to.