The Book of George by Kate Greathead - Book Review

 

ARC from NetGalley
Publish Date: October 8, 2024

Inexplicably, George was the perfect name for this frustrating character. Kate Greathead cleverly painted a vivid picture of George – stubborn, narcissistic, inconsiderate towards others, self-deprecating, & pessimistic. He is someone we have all welcomed in our lives out of pity and painfully parted with from utter exhaustion and failure to reach. Although we see glimpses of his self-realization in spurts, our hope is thwarted by George’s inability to shift. Ironically, the author is speaking to the nature of humans in general – they rarely transform, even throughout a lifetime.

       The author excelled in writing a compelling character like George but struggled to weave a cohesive storyline that wasn't centered entirely on him. Putting aside a very uninspiring, yet very Geroge-esque ending, the characters I desperately wanted to know more about were the females in his life; Jenny, his long-time on-and-off girlfriend, Ellen, his mother, and Cressida, his sister. Maybe there could be a follow-up, “The Book of Not-George”

        As a whole, this book was a pleasure to read. Kate Greathead’s writing style is top-notch and paints the perfect tapestry for us as readers to understand the intricacies of George, as frustrating and painful as they might be.