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Diane's Reviews > The Nix
The Nix
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This is a Big Bold Debut Novel that I thought was OK, but I didn't love it. At one point I was so frustrated with this book that I abandoned it.* Later I trudged back and decided to finish.
The story is 600+ pages worth of complications. Samuel is a struggling writer and college professor. He is estranged from his mother, Faye, who gets caught in a media storm when she's videotaped throwing rocks at a political event. Samuel is offered a chance to salvage his book contract by writing a story about his mother, which pushes him to contact her for the first time in years. This plot device allows us to flash back to 1968, when Faye was involved in the countercultural movement and the riots at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. We also learn the story of Faye's family, and see the forces that shaped her life.
To sum up: this book is about a troubled mother-son relationship, mixed with political and social commentary. There were some passages and themes I liked, so I think a 3-star rating is fair. If you like Big Bold Debut Novels, you may like this.
*Sidenote: My big complaint about this book is the negative portrayals of female characters. My first sign of a problem was the author's introduction of a young college student who was caught plagiarizing and then lied about cheating. The scenes with this young woman became so ridiculously hateful that I dreaded reading this book. The early descriptions of Faye were also negative, and when we jump back to Faye's youth, we meet more difficult women. I'm putting this comment in a sidenote because I was reading this book during a heated presidential election, when sexist comments and stories were daily in the news and circulating on social media. I am sensitive to sexist stories, and this novel was only adding to my outrage. So if you can overlook the sexism, you will probably enjoy this novel more than I did.
The story is 600+ pages worth of complications. Samuel is a struggling writer and college professor. He is estranged from his mother, Faye, who gets caught in a media storm when she's videotaped throwing rocks at a political event. Samuel is offered a chance to salvage his book contract by writing a story about his mother, which pushes him to contact her for the first time in years. This plot device allows us to flash back to 1968, when Faye was involved in the countercultural movement and the riots at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. We also learn the story of Faye's family, and see the forces that shaped her life.
To sum up: this book is about a troubled mother-son relationship, mixed with political and social commentary. There were some passages and themes I liked, so I think a 3-star rating is fair. If you like Big Bold Debut Novels, you may like this.
*Sidenote: My big complaint about this book is the negative portrayals of female characters. My first sign of a problem was the author's introduction of a young college student who was caught plagiarizing and then lied about cheating. The scenes with this young woman became so ridiculously hateful that I dreaded reading this book. The early descriptions of Faye were also negative, and when we jump back to Faye's youth, we meet more difficult women. I'm putting this comment in a sidenote because I was reading this book during a heated presidential election, when sexist comments and stories were daily in the news and circulating on social media. I am sensitive to sexist stories, and this novel was only adding to my outrage. So if you can overlook the sexism, you will probably enjoy this novel more than I did.
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Reading Progress
May 31, 2016
– Shelved
Started Reading
October 28, 2016
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Finished Reading
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rated it 4 stars
Nov 26, 2016 12:04PM
You finished it! What did you think??
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Hi Amy, I finally a short reaction to this book. It's a flawed, complicated novel, but it has some good social commentary.
"600 + pages worth of complications"! Wow! Succinct and all I needed to know- a fabulous review all the way round too, Diane. Thank you for taking the time to finish and review this, so that I may be saved from the fatigue, no matter how well-written!
Thanks, DeB. I'm glad I finished it this book, but it took some effort.
Great review Diane. I've been trying to decide if I want to add this book to my huge list of TBR books. I think you've helped me make my decision, and I thank you. I thought I lived through enough sexism in the seventies and eighties, with dignity, and humor. But it seems to creeping back in, and that's dangerous. I've noticed in a book or too, certainly in this past election. But, as one who lived through it, and as a mother of a young adult woman, I can't overlook either. I may read this book one day, slip it to bottom of the bottom of the pile, but just not yet. Diane is right, keep your eyes open, be observant, don't let this slip in again. My opinions.
Hi Toni, thank you for your comment. Based on what you said, I think this book would drive you bonkers. Definitely one to push aside for later.
Thanks, Diane, this is such a good review. I have had a block against this novel (so often a big hyped novel by a man) and your comments about sexism I appreciate. I have so little tolerance.
Thank you, Rae. I felt peer pressure to read this book, and while I'm glad I finished it, I wouldn't pressure anyone else to read it. Looking ahead, I doubt I'll yield the next time a Big Bold Debut Novel is pushed on me. I'm done.
Yes, the biggest problem with this book is that all the men are damaged by the women in their lives.
I liked your review, but I didn't pick up on the sexism thing at all. Trust me, no one has more issues with the outcome of this election than I, but I respectfully disagree that this book is an example of insidious sexism. I thought that the male characters were far more despicable/pathetic than the female characters - Faye's father, the headmaster, Charlie Brown, Ponich, Periwinkle, even the boy that Laura Potsdam manipulates into doing her skullduggery - none of whom stand for a sparkling example of manhood. The female characters at least had some backbone, or had a sense that there was more to life than they were seeing. Alice was exploring sexuality which led to some questionable decisions but she seemed to turn into a strong woman, and even Faye, despite discouragement by her father and being categorized by her husband, continued to search for more in her life. As for Laura, I absokutely loved those sections - perhaps because as a parent of teenagers, I see how recent parenting trends have resulted, imho, into inflated self-esteem. Frankly I see it more in male college students than female ones, but the sections with Laura were satire that was very well done.
Lormac, you liked this book more than I did.
Diane wrote: "Lormac, you liked this book more than I did."Yes, it looks like it. I may have been seduced by the fact that this book took me places where I did not expect to go, (ElvenWorld, northern Norway, the 1968 DNC) which made it a fun read for me. It may have come after a run of predictable plots ("IN a Dark, Dark Wood" Garrrggghhh). Timing is everything sometimes.
I've heard other people mentioning the current events filter, too, which may make us more sensitive to certain types of slights. I see what you're saying, Diane. As for BBDNs, it should really come down to the inherent quality of the book independent of the buzz.
Hi Steve, absolutely, the quality of the book is more important than the hype. And yes, current events have been overwhelming lately.
