Even apart from the sheer narcissim and self-obsession of the entire narrative, there's something more fundamentally objectionable about Fisher's projected take on life and what makes it worth living. Vale's collapse is triggered by one thing and one thing only — her husband abandoning her for another man. What follows is an odyssey of self-discovery to prove one thing and one thing only — that Vale is actually appealing to the male of the species. This is reinforced by the awkward ending. Vale's self-image and persona are, according to Fisher, inherently and totally dependent on how she is viewed by the men in her life. Somehow, this is not just silly and plain wrong, but coming from someone like Fisher, quite unacceptable. I don't buy into the theory that women need men to be 'fulfilled' or 'complete'. At its heart, and despite all the posturing (and that's all that it is), Fisher's book is horribly misogynistic.
Unless you're a real glutton for literary punishment, or you're seriously starved of good reading matter — and you've got to be marooned on some island — don't bother. Or, as Fisher might say ... don't--bother ...
Incidentally, a somewhat gentler and very accomplished review appeared in the Guardian/Observer.
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Article comments
1 - Keilantra
I completely disagree with this. The Best Awful is wordy, yes, may have excessive punctuation, but if you look at it as a whole, that craftmanship of this novel is outstanding. I have never been so touched by a novel in so many ways before. Perhaps it is because you mere mortals have never felt what Fisher so stunningly describes... oh so tongue in cheek!
It was some sort of echo for me
2 - Vita
I haven't read the book, but I love this review! It almost makes me want to read the book for a sort of masochistic--thrill. Gosh. And you're right about bullocks/bollocks.