While the Sun Shines
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Fantastic read. This book starts off with scenes that for obvious reasons catch the readers interest: alcohol, sex, drugs, etc. Chapter by chapter the hero finds himself in situations each more outrageous than the next... to the point of being unconvincing, (how stupid are we to believe that his wife, also an academic is?) but so gradually that you don't really notice how ridiculous. Very interesting journey to the complete demise of the hero's grasp on reality, to the point where it no longer seems strange that he has conversations with his deceased relatives. The sub-stories seemed to spiral out of the realm of believability, almost to the point where he could loose a skeptical reader, but then finishes with absolute mastery and surprise. Tragic that "Michael's" struggles and seemingly only moment of complete clarity is followed by the finale of the cycle of mental degradation that was building throughout. Fitting I suppose.
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Amusing but disappointing.
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Having thoroughly enjoyed "What we did on our Holiday", I was really looking forward to another book by J.Harding. Unfortunarely it did not live up to my expectations.
The book started out very well and the first few chapters are both astute and amusing. However, I could not sympathise with the sorry state Prof Cole gets himself into and the halucinated relatives were just too unbelievable.
3 stars is a little tight as I gave it 7/10 on my ranking system, but still not a book to go out of your way to read.
Reminded me of "The Wrong Boy" by Willie Russell, so if you enjoyed "When the Sun Shines", you might be interested to follow it with the W.Russell book.
Sorry Mr Harding! But I will read your next book because I thought "What we did on our holiday" was fantastic.
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Frighteningly like my family !!
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I loved this book, I went through so many feelings whilst reading it, I laughed, cried and was pushed into thinking of my own family. I was quite shocked at the ending it was so sad yet not sad. The terrible thing about this book was that I swear it was my family !! and could possible be yours !
I would recommend this book whole heartedly I truefully couldn't put it down.
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The author donne good
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This is an instantaneously interesting and entertaining book which makes the reader relate immediately with the main character, an anti-hero lecturer hooked on drugs and woman whilst going through a mid-life crisis. As the book progresses we are drawn to sometimes be frustrated, but at the same time feel sorry for Michael's misfortune (despite it being frequently the result of self-induced situations). There is also the dark humour of his dead relatives' comments on his current life. Great fun with meaning
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My favourite book ever
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This is the most brilliantly funny and moving book I have ever read. I actually had to put it awqay on the bus because I was laughing so loud. It's an ambitious, literary work dealing with the big questions - death, why are we here, and their relationship to sex. The leading character, Micahel Cole is a philanderer, and totally debauched and should be a figure of hate, but, with Harding's masterly handling is somehow endearing and lovable. The Fenland childhood scenes moved me to tears and made me laugh out loud in the same paragraphs. Cole is a latter day Lucky Jim and one of the great characters of English fiction in the last decade. And, as with Harding's first book, the ending is quite stunning. Incredibly clever and moving. After all the laughter, I found I just couldn't stop the tears. Even better than What We Did On Our Holiday - and I never thought I'd say that.
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