Death Books

Last week I read the books "A Spot of Bother," by Mark Haddon, and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the former of which features a protagonist who is afraid of death, the latter of which is all about death. I'm starting "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold, which is the story about a girl who relates the story of her grisly murder. I guess I'm just in a dark mood. But while I wait for it to pass, a quick book review or two:

"A Spot of Bother," was definitely not a page-turner. Haddon ("The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time") is not skilled at narrative, though his observations on life makes this story of a very average British family surprisingly enjoyable. Haddon's perception is sharp and he surprises with his accurate measurements of life. This novel pulled me in in spite of myself. The characters start out flat and two-dimmensional, and Haddon inflates them almost to exploding at the end.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," is as removed from Haddon's book as possible. Rowling does have a skill for narrative, though her writing is often jejune, as she relies on sophomoric techniques (I believe I mentioned her prodigious use of adverbs, and her tendancy to hand-hold her audience). After all, Harry has grown with his audience, and we should be able to put 2+2 together by now. Still, Harry is a coming-of-age story, a mystery series, a fantasy book, a book about prejudice and choices. The characters are so close, they're like family. Which makes it all the more difficult when Rowling starts killing them off like the Zodiak killer. For her 17-year investment in this series, she really ended it in a serial-killer way. But as the book dwells on death, it is a fitting end. This book is the furthest departure from her usual formula, but fans won't mind the deviation. A worthy finish for an enjoyable escape of a book.