In many ways a very easy reading story of an ordinary middle class family living in a village outside Peterborough, by the author of the outstanding “Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time”.

George has recently retired and married to Jean, who is (as he discovers without her knowledge after aborting a trip away) having an affair with his old colleague David. Their daughter Katie having been left with a hyperactive son Jacob by her first husband Graham announces her engagement to the dependable Ray (seemingly a working class ex rugby player, who her family dislike as being not intelligent enough for her and who Katie herself is not sure she loves so much as depends on). Ray realises over time that Katie doesn’t really love him and walks out when he finds her chatting to Graham, before returning to her. Their (unacknowledged although known by them) gay son Jamie is unwilling to commit to a relationship with a builder Tony and his reluctance to invite him to the wedding causes Tony to walk out (although he comes back part way through the wedding). George discovers a lesion on his leg which he is convinced is cancerous even though assured it is eczema and begins a descent into a form of madness where he alternates between lethargy and panic attacks over his fear of death. His family – particularly Jean – try to rationalise and ignore his behaviour even when he ends up in hospital after hacking the flesh off his leg. The book culminates in the wedding where George attacks David.

The easy reading style and examination of the issues of madness and (mis)communication are links with the previous book – but this story is very unremarkable and gave me little insight into George’s true state of mind or world-view which is a huge contrast to its predecessor..

It's official, Mark Haddon and I just don't mesh. He's not for me! But to be fair, I won't rate this because it is really just me. Others seem to be drawn to his writing, but I just am not a fan.

I'm not sure why this book has so many negative reviews, I loved it. It is a story from the perspective of 4 people- a retired couple and their two adult children, and largely deals with a mental health crisis in the family, while the other characters struggle with relationshio drama. I thought the novel was funny but dealt with anxiety in a believable way. I liked all of the characters, but my favourite was Jamie, the adult son. He was just a very normal and capable bloke.

4.5 stars for me, I really enjoyed it.

Okay, here's how this breaks down:

Book about a real-life serial killer
Trin: I think I'll read this my first night in a strange, new apartment, in an unfamiliar neighborhood, when I'm all alone, and almost all the lights are off! La la la!

Book featuring one plot thread about a man's slow descent into madness, including a scene of botched self-surgery
Trin: *hides under the bed* *whimpers*

Yeah. I found this novel very hard to get through—which, if anything, should I suppose be a compliment to Haddon. As he demonstrated with  The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, he has amazing skill when it comes to POV: while in the head of any given character (even an autistic boy, as in Incident, or a man slowly losing it, as in Bother), the reader is fully aware not only of how that character perceives the world, but of how that perception is subtly (or not-so-subtly) off. It's an incredible balancing act, and Haddon never stumbles. Just, if you're planning to read this book, know what you're getting into. It may be a light comic novel, but it is a light comic novel that will freak you the fuck out.

After Curios Dog, I was eager to read another book by the same author. I couldn't identify with the characters at all. I found myself wanting to shake some sense into them. I know characters shouldn't be perfect, but come on! I made myself finish it. While it does delve into the thought process of someone with acute anxiety and fear and irrational thought (that was a bit interesting), the rest I just couldn't stand.

"E talvez que tudo na vida pudesse suportar-se, contando que a pessoa tivesse meia hora por dia para se sentar num sítio e deixar o espírito divagar livremente."

"Um Pequeno Inconveniente" é uma tradução bastante fraca do título original, "A Spot of Bother", mas o que é importante é o facto de o seu conteúdo não partilhar a mesma falta de originalidade e interesse. Muito pelo contrário, Mark Haddon surpreendeu-me, pela segunda vez, com um enredo e personagens mais que perspicazes, viciantes. Tal como "O Estranho Caso do Cão Morto", também o seu segundo romance é surrealmente realista.
George Hall e a sua família têm vários problemas, como todos nós. E estes variam entre a hipocondria, infidelidade, homossexualidade, casamento e afins. É um livro direto e não rodeia o leitor com falinhas mansas: a insanidade e o absurdo são postos a descoberto e tanto nos dá para rir, como para chorar.
A verdade é que, apesar de não gostar de todas as personagens de igual forma, quero fazer parte do mundo de todas elas. Haddon consegue despertar amor e ódio pela mesma personagem, fazendo-me sentir, de certa forma, parte da família Hall. Não me identifico com ninguém em particular, mas vejo um bocadinho de mim em cada um dos familiares.
Mark Haddon é um escritor muito talentoso e oferece-nos diferentes perspetivas, através do pequeno conjunto de personagens, cujas descrições são apresentadas minuciosamente.
"Um Pequeno Inconveniente" é escrito com um humor inteligente, ao mesmo tempo que abordas temáticas importantes e questões existenciais, sobre a vida e as relações, levando-nos a refletir ao mesmo tempo que usufruímos de uma leitura envolvente.
Quanto ao final deixa-nos com vontade de ler mais do fantástico escritor que tem como nome Mark Haddon.

Ordinarily this is a book that would have me running away, desperate for something lighter, anything but this depressing story. Yet, somehow this one worked. I kept reading.

There’s George who is having a breakdown, his wife who is having an affair, his daughter who is marrying someone completely unacceptable and his son who is gay (something both parents have trouble accepting). I liked George’s self-awareness – he knows his thoughts are crazy and he does his best to conquer them. He is a self-contained man who doesn’t easily open up even to his wife so he tries to find his own solutions. Each member of the family is consumed with their own problems so his go unnoticed for a while. Inevitably everyone’s issues come to the boiling point at the same time and there is what seemed to me a spectacular ending.

First the quibbles: Haddon's a young guy. He has a young guy's perspective, which is to say, a limited perspective. His portrayals of the middle-aged are in places laughable. Mark, I've got to tell you: people over fifty don't think the world belongs to the young. They don't think they're obsolete. It's young people who think that about their elders. Youngsters are often (not always) better at the very latest technology, but that's their only advantage. Well, that, and the good health they take for granted. Also, Haddon writes here about people with no real problems, which is to say, the characters are well-off, not in physical want or peril, and advantaged in every way. Yet they suffer. And whine. At length. But that is what characters in novels do. At least Haddon has them whine interestingly and about problems that we absolutely relate to. After all, lots of readers are whiners, too.

Callowness (and shallowness) aside, A Spot of Bother is great writing. Haddon explores deep and painful areas in a way that reads fast and easily, with just the right kind of humor in just the right places. It's as much a riveting page-turner as any thriller, and nearly as suspenseful. He really is an adept writer, able to expose human lunacy, wrong-headedness, love, and decency with the seeming ease of turning a shirt inside out. Highly recommended.

bonus: It's British.

TW: Autolesión, depresión (?)
La primera mitad del libro se hace algo lenta, aunque en general se trata de un libro ligero (a pesar de intentar presentar temas "trascendentales" e importantes) y rápido de leer. A partir del 50% se podría leer de una sentada, ya que el conflicto se expone y se precipita hacia lo que podría considerarse su resolució.
El autor habla de los problemas de comunicación en el matrimonio y la familia, de envejecer, de la insatisfacción y la cegera emocional. También hace un intento con la ansiedad y lo que creo que es una depresión, pero es un tema al que no da resolución satisfactoria (como si se solucionase con una leve mejora de las circunstancias y una sobredosis de Valium y alcohol sin consecuencias), lo cual me parece irresponsable por su parte. Si vas a sacar ciertos temas en tu libro, deberían ser tratados de la manera adecuada.
Los personajes son humanos y, por lo general, creíbles en su irracionalidad ante distintas situaciones, pero no me llegaron tanto como esperaba (con la posible excepción de George en ciertos momentos). El final me ha parecido algo insulso, no se siente la satisfacción del conflicto resuelto, simplemente el clímax pasa sin que apenas te des cuenta y luego se asienta en lo que podría considerarse un pequeño epílogo.

Would have given 3.5, as it was more than liked it, but less than really liked it. Anyway, moving on from the scoring system....An entertaining book that maintained interest all the way through. A book that did not stir big emotions - humorous but not funny, poignant but neither sad or though-provoking. The characters are all interesting in their own way and the staccato nature of the writing kept you in touch with their stories.

Have tried to write this review without spoiling the plot/reveals. The denouement (favourite word of the year) was a little too Hollywood with all loose end tied neatly in a bow, although the final few words reflected the title.

Well worth a read

This book was so awful. Every single character was an absolute moron. So pathetic, selfish and annoying.

Ultimately, this is a story about family--a family who don't want to put anyone out over their perceived issues whether it be mental or physical. Got a wedding coming up? Maybe. Got a gay boyfriend? Maybe. Are we all going to die? Well, certainly, but let's talk about that.
I love how Haddon makes these people absolutely visible--and audible!