Oxygen
Andrew Millar
Author was a Booker-prize nominee. Book is about four people: a
woman dying of cancer, her two sons and a Hungarian writer whose
work is being translated by one of the sons. The writer never
meets the other characters but their stories run in parallel.
Very well-written with well-drawn characters. Covers the cancer
issue very well, cool but not unsympathetic. Very fine
descriptions of people's feelings. No proper ending but none the
worse for that. Highly recommended.
Doreen 28/10/01
A Booker nomination which Andrew liked very much. There are 2
stories, tenuously linked - one in England and America, 2
brothers - one coming home to look after their mother; the other
a story of a Hungarian playwright. Good quality of writing,
disappointing end the only negative comment. Would recommend.
Andrew 2/12/01
Shortlisted for the Booker. An interesting story, or rather four
intertwining stories. The book revolves round four characters: a
woman dying of cancer, her two adult sons, one of whom is
struggling with both his marriage and career, the other seems to
have lost his direction; and a melodramatic gay Hungarian.
Recommended.
Jean 19/10/03
Not finished yet and Jane's not sure if she likes it. It's a story about a woman dying and her story is very good. The woman has two sons and their stories are less interesting. A good book in there somewhere.
Doreen has also read this and thought his first book, Ingenious Pain, was better.
Jane 24/9/06
By the same author
The frames have
gone all funny - click to make it good.