I'm sure this novel was aiming for something deep. Psychological conflict, small groups of strangers in dangerous situation yada yada. Whatever it was, it never got there.The writing is okay, if a bit shallow, and the bokk starts out okay. We get to know the group of canoeists meeting for the summer holidays, learn a little about every character, the usual. Good set-up, if it were leading somewhere.Then a father and a daughter arrive, and it becomes clear immediately that the father and the female team leader will have a thing (or not, but he will want to). A little obvious, but still okay. Later, we find out about the problems about the two team leaders who are in a relationship. Still okay.While the father is fighting to improve his canoeing skills by overcoming his own problems in life, the teamleader (girl) tries to comit suicide. Woah, wait? How did that happen?Exactly, I have no idea why that happened. I can imagine the story that would lead to her suicide attempt, but sadly, it's not in this book. I'm just not very convinced by the events the author is describing.Other things that bothered me were - the political component (both team leaders are political left-wing, taking part in anti-globalization protests), because again, the author kind of leaves you hanging. Does he want to make a statement about this? Is it just to show the difference to the world the father (banker) is living in? What's the point?- the many many sexual references. Okay, so there are teenagers, but really, even teenagers don't make sexual comments ALL the time. Also, because the book focuses on the father, but many of the sexual comments occur in connection with his daughter, they seem rather inappropriate. And I'm far from being prude. It just seemed to superflous, and sex can be such a powerful tool, why use it in a way that annoys the readers (unless that was intentional, and if it was, I completely missed the point anyway, so I rather doubt it.)Altogether an easy to read book that people whose library consists mostly of Stephen King and David Baldacci (or whatever his name is) will probably enjoy. I didn't.
I was somewhat disappointed in this, as I'd just read Parks book about Italian train travel. This book is oddlyw ritten, without quotation marks when characters are speaking. This was mildly distracting and confusing at times. At the risk of sounding a bit idiotic, there were a lot of characters to keep trck of, most of them minor. The primary story is about Vince, a banker whose wife died six months previously. It turns out he begins to question his very planned-out cautious life while on the t
What do You think about Rapids (2006)?
A lot of characters to follow, and all of them talked about at the same time and in the same context. Ultimately the book seems really to be about three people, perhaps even only two, but this realization only comes at the very end, making one wonder why one had to follow the travails of a whole group for 80% of it. Parks tries to put flesh on the central characters although at times it feels as though the same characteristics are being drawn out repeatedly to no obvious end. The subtext of global capitalism contrasted with nature is fine but doesn't sustain.
—Erik
