Traders, Hippies Et Hamsters (2013) - Plot & Excerpts
Doro and Marcus were militant lefties who founded and lived on a Doncaster commune in the seventies. They marched, they demo-ed, they ate vegetables and engaged in free sex. Now, late middle-aged and vaguely connected to current economic reality, they have decided to get married. Meanwhile, their children Serge and Clara are living separate and single lives, while Down's Syndrome Oolie still lives with Doro.Son Serge is now working in the City and getting himself in a spot of financial bother. Daughter Clara is a teacher in a grim comprehensive in Sheffield, dealing sweetly with the good-natured hooligans in her class. Serge doesn't want Doro to know he has sold out and does his best to convince her that he is still studying for his Phd at Cambridge. Serge and Clara lust after people they can't have.There's more, but I won't bother you with it. What we have here is an extremely well written, witty, fluent, elegant and well researched book. Lewycka recounts '70s hippydom beautifully and has a flair for dialogue and a sharp turn of phrase. My problem is that everyone is nice and well meaning. Even the evil characters are nice. There's no tension, no conflict and no-one to root for. You know it will all turn out nicely and that no-one will get hurt. A pleasant and amusing read, but hardly gripping. Latest by Marina Lewycka - of Ukranian tractors fame. She produces slick likeable amusing characters. This one traces a set of siblings after they grow up on a commune with some really hippy liberal no rules parents. One daughter becomes a fairly uptight but save the world school teacher. Another son uses his maths genius to get into the financial sector and games the stock market and gets into all sorts of trouble. I particularly liked him - he put a human face on doing bad things with other people's money. There were some funny linking themes about hamsters and pets.
What do You think about Traders, Hippies Et Hamsters (2013)?
Best novel I've read with the 2008 crisis as background. Characters are funny and lovely.
—Eunice
I enjoyed the book however not as much as the author's previous books.
—rob
I enjoyed it, not Marina's best book, but worth reading!
—titi
started out well, but let down by a poor ending.
—boafprostudio
liked it but it fizzled out rather than ended.
—marysia
