The Nothing
Author: Hanif Kureishi
Published by: Faber & Faber
Pages: 167
Format: Paperback
My Rating ★★★
Waldo, a feted filmmaker, is confined to his London apartment by old age and ill health. Frail and frustrated, he is looked after by his lovely – and younger – wife, Zee.
But when he suspects that Zee is having an affair with Eddie, ‘more than an acquaintance and less than a friend for over thirty years’, Waldo is pressed into action. Determined to expose the guilty couple, he sets out to prove his suspicions – and then to act out his revenge.
My thoughts:
The Nothing is certainly not a book for everyone. It is darkly humorous, vulgar, unashamedly honest, twisted and very edgy. The story is told entirely from the perspective of Waldo, an elderly British filmmaker of some distinction, whose health has become so bad that he is now confined to his apartment where he depends upon his considerably younger wife to care for him at all times. It soon becomes obvious that his wife, Zee, has been growing more and more impatient with her husband and his refusal to die.
Much of the book is therefore centred around the tension of whether or not she will have the nerve (or be able to convince someone else} to speed the dying process along and be done with it. Waldo is now bed-bound and reliant on his wheelchair to move around during the day. After hearing noises in the night as he lays unable to sleep, Waldo begins to suspect that his younger wife is conducting an affair with an old acquaintance who frequently visits Zee and stays in their flat.
Interestingly, at times I did feel for Waldo despite his various personality flaws. Much like all the characters in this story, he is simply not very likeable or easy to identify with. In fact, all the characters in this story are pretty much awful people with a lot of issues. Feeling so much detachment and dislike for the characters involved, only made the plot feel darker and more disturbing to me. Perhaps this is what is so interesting about this short novel. It creates a lot of unease and discomfort for the reader, yet I finished it in one sitting, and can honestly say I was gripped from start to finish.
The writing is concise and compelling, but has a lingering undertone of darkness and foreboding throughout. Hanif Kureishi’s extremely dry humour and sarcastic views made this book a real treat to read. It was fast paced and I couldn’t help but feel anxious at some points, trying to understand and predict what was going to be Waldo’s fate. I liked the premise, and I feel the author was successful in leaving me feeling quite strange by the end of the book. It really was a punchy, disturbing and disquieting fable.
All in all, I would recommend The Nothing to all those who like an intriguing, farcical short story and are not afraid of crude dark humour.
Overall reaction:
Published by: Faber & Faber
Pages: 167
Format: Paperback
My Rating ★★★
Waldo, a feted filmmaker, is confined to his London apartment by old age and ill health. Frail and frustrated, he is looked after by his lovely – and younger – wife, Zee.
But when he suspects that Zee is having an affair with Eddie, ‘more than an acquaintance and less than a friend for over thirty years’, Waldo is pressed into action. Determined to expose the guilty couple, he sets out to prove his suspicions – and then to act out his revenge.
My thoughts:
The Nothing is certainly not a book for everyone. It is darkly humorous, vulgar, unashamedly honest, twisted and very edgy. The story is told entirely from the perspective of Waldo, an elderly British filmmaker of some distinction, whose health has become so bad that he is now confined to his apartment where he depends upon his considerably younger wife to care for him at all times. It soon becomes obvious that his wife, Zee, has been growing more and more impatient with her husband and his refusal to die.
Much of the book is therefore centred around the tension of whether or not she will have the nerve (or be able to convince someone else} to speed the dying process along and be done with it. Waldo is now bed-bound and reliant on his wheelchair to move around during the day. After hearing noises in the night as he lays unable to sleep, Waldo begins to suspect that his younger wife is conducting an affair with an old acquaintance who frequently visits Zee and stays in their flat.
Interestingly, at times I did feel for Waldo despite his various personality flaws. Much like all the characters in this story, he is simply not very likeable or easy to identify with. In fact, all the characters in this story are pretty much awful people with a lot of issues. Feeling so much detachment and dislike for the characters involved, only made the plot feel darker and more disturbing to me. Perhaps this is what is so interesting about this short novel. It creates a lot of unease and discomfort for the reader, yet I finished it in one sitting, and can honestly say I was gripped from start to finish.
The writing is concise and compelling, but has a lingering undertone of darkness and foreboding throughout. Hanif Kureishi’s extremely dry humour and sarcastic views made this book a real treat to read. It was fast paced and I couldn’t help but feel anxious at some points, trying to understand and predict what was going to be Waldo’s fate. I liked the premise, and I feel the author was successful in leaving me feeling quite strange by the end of the book. It really was a punchy, disturbing and disquieting fable.
All in all, I would recommend The Nothing to all those who like an intriguing, farcical short story and are not afraid of crude dark humour.
Overall reaction: