Book Review - A Spool of Blue Thread (Man Book Shortlist 2015)

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Beautifully written portrait of a family based in Baltimore. Anne Tyler's 20th novel follows the intricate dynamics of the Whitshank family. Patriarch Red and his wife Abby receive some startling news from their son Denny. And this starts off the tale of how the family functions.

While there's a lot to love about this book and it's occasional plot twists or heart-wrenching phrases, it pales in comparison to the other Booker shortlisted entries. I'll be harsh with it because the Booker is a big deal and this book does not do its place in the competition any favours.

Though Tyler paints a vivid picture of the Whitshanks, Baltimore is missing from the picture, as is the family's connection with other people. Also, the uneven lengths of the parts really took me out of the book. Doesn't help that parts 2, 3 and 4 were not at all interesting.

Part 1 felt like a complete book in itself, and showcased an arc for most of the characters. I am still really annoyed that the author uses the gay card to open her book, but then it just becomes a red herring. It infuriated me because I immediately thought this would be a really good relevant book for 2015. Dangling the diversity carrot in front of readers' faces only to take it away (and never mention it again) seems insensitive and it's definitely a big part of why I can't like this book.

Part 2 was contrived and clichéd. Yet another female character loves the bad boy while ignoring the nice guy who she's grown up with. Please! Get over it.

I intensely disliked Part 3, though some of the people I've met absolutely loved it. I just don't think it's all that appropriate to include a precocious 13-year-old girl in your book for the sole purpose of her duping an older fellow into a relationship. Let's be honest, most 13-year-olds don't do that, not voluntarily, and books like this feed into the popular mindset of girls and women always using their sexuality to get their way. It was disturbing to say the least, mostly because I kept reading it in today's context.

Part 4 tried hard to evoke some emotion, but it fell flat, because it was not a resolution.

While I understand that life is pointless for the most part, a book about a pointless life needn't be. 'A Spool of Blue Thread' just ends up as aimless as Denny's ambitions.

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