Started Early, Took My Dog - Kate Atkinson
K Barrett
Atkinson. Atkinson's books are usually convoluted, this one is more
simply put. The point here being the backstory of the characters
involved in the story rather than the story (crime) itself. I have a
feeling its going to be a base for the next one coming - but I could
be wrong, LOL!
One of the characters is an aging actress, once of some renoun but
time has passed and she's no longer the girl she once was. She's
losing her short term memory which is a real problem considering she's
in a TV crime show and can't remember her lines. I think all of us of
a cetain age cringe in recognition of her plight. Is that going to
happen to me? The past so clear, the present a vague wash of
impressions, an existence scorned by the young? sigh.
Anyway, Atkinson creates these characters and doesn't do much with
them. Other than delve into their lives. And so I was left with 'Is
that all there is?' If it was meant as a character study, then fine.
She does that admirably. But a rousing chase with thrilling double
backs and death's door scene leading to a forehead slapping denoument
(Wow, I didn't see that coming!). Nope, not in this book.
Don't get me wrong. I love her as an author. But I expected
something along the lines of the convoluted When Will There Be Good
News. I expected these long digressions into the character's lives to
eventually have a relevant pay off someplace in the crime story. They
didn't. Not that they weren't well-written and enjoyable. Just that
it wasn't crime fiction.
K Barrett
Bev Vincent
"K Barrett" <morm...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3e7873d2-f68e-43e4...@j13g2000pro.googlegroups.com...
I don't think of her books as crime novels. No more than Jackson Brodie
honestly thinks of himself as a detective any more. She does something
audacious in her books, which is to rely on coincidence and happenstance to
bring people and events together. There's no good reason why Brodie and the
aging actress and Tracy and the little girl should all be in that mall at
the same time, for example. And no earthly reason why Jackson should stumble
upon Tracy after she hits the deer. This has been true in all of her books
so far. I'm about 90% of the way through (according to my Kindle) and I'm
delighted by it.
This is the first of her books where I've noticed a lot of British TV
references. Life on Mars, Doctor Who, Hyacinth Bucket.
--
Bev Vincent
www.BevVincent.com
K Barrett
> "K Barrett" <mormo...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>
> - Show quoted text -
I guess I should stop thinking of them as crime fiction and start
thinking of them as fiction. She does write very well. In previous
novels all the rambling resulted in a pay off in terms of the crime
plot. In Started Early they don't. Which is why I wondered why she
created this universe and populated it with people and stuff, only to
have the story end. I wonder if she'll take them forward to the next
book.
I noticed the TV references. Maybe because the elderly actress was
working in a TV production? Maybe not. Maybe just references to
things the reader may relate to.
K Barrett
Sue D.
I didn't realize it until I read your post, but you are right. There
really isn't a mystery, a great book, but not a mystery. Funny I didn't
notice that. But then my favorite authors are big on characterization.
Sue D.
JayJay
entertaining and good and I am so pleased that the Group recommended her, I
so hope another Jackson Brodie is published soon.
JayJay
"K Barrett" <morm...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3e7873d2-f68e-43e4...@j13g2000pro.googlegroups.com...
Bev Vincent
"K Barrett" <morm...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3e7873d2-f68e-43e4...@j13g2000pro.googlegroups.com...
********** SPOILER SPACE *****************
What did you think about the birthmark shaped like Africa? Do you think it
means
(MORE SPOILER SPACE, JUST IN CASE!!)
that the little girl was a kidnap victim before Tracy bought her? The
birthmark is mentioned earlier when Jackson is ruminating over his friend
Mitch's missing persons files as one of the identifying features on a
missing child.
--
Bev Vincent
www.BevVincent.com
A R Pickett
potential
I think that's exactly what it means. I noticed the issue the second time
it came up, and wondered if she would work it in somehow. The character of
the "second Jackson" is a good candidate to appear again.
So, I won't be surprised to see the issue a second time, if she decides to
use it in another book.
For those who enjoyed her earlier books featuring Jackson Brodie, this is a
worthwhile addition to the series. I was very taken with the dog - she got
the dog right from it's first appearance in the park.
--
A R Pickett aka Woodstock
"It's bad luck to be superstitious"
Paul Phillips, Colorado Sky Sox catcher
Now blogging!
http://www.journalscape.com/woodstock/
Remove lower case "e" to respond
Bev Vincent
"A R Pickett" <WOODe...@PReODIeGY.eNET> wrote in message
news:91or6d...@mid.individual.net...
> "Bev Vincent" queried - and I'm not repeating the question to avoid
> spoiler potential
>
>
> I think that's exactly what it means. I noticed the issue the second time
> it came up, and wondered if she would work it in somehow. The character
> of the "second Jackson" is a good candidate to appear again.
>
> So, I won't be surprised to see the issue a second time, if she decides to
> use it in another book.
>
> For those who enjoyed her earlier books featuring Jackson Brodie, this is
> a worthwhile addition to the series. I was very taken with the dog - she
> got the dog right from it's first appearance in the park.
I was also charmed to death by the kiddo with her thumbs up/down and making
stars with her hands and her fairy wand.
--
Bev Vincent
www.BevVincent.com
K Barrett
> "A R Pickett" <WOODeSTO...@PReODIeGY.eNET> wrote in messagenews:91or6d...@mid.individual.net...
I keep coming back to the old acrtress, how we automatically take her
side becasue as a narrator we expect her to be truthful or
dependable. But the exchange about the 20 pound note we begin to
wonder if she's batty or what.. And that leads to terror in an of
itself. We see her as a woman going through life collecting odds and
ends, her wondering how all this stuff got in her purse.
But the dog was good, the kid (especailly how Tracy kept thinking of
her as The Kid not Courtney, *G*! heck the whole thing was good,
that's why I wondered why Atkinson created them. The fellow supplying
the identities will recurr too, I'm sure!
K Barrett
Janet
I just finished reading this book, which I thought was great. She's such a
unique writer.
I agree about the birthmark in the shape of Africa, and wonder if the items
in Tillie's purse will turn out to be significant along with the items in
the pink rucksack. I'll have to go back and review them and see what they
were...