Customer Reviews

Crustaceans

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Paul is the narrator. Every chapter alternates from one timeline to the other. First chapter tells of Paul starting a pilgrimage of sorts on what would have been the 6th birthday of his dead son. He is going to the seaside town where he died, and where Paul lived some of the few moments of happiness in his life. Chapter 2 reels back to his days in art school, where he met his wife Ruth, and where his days of true happiness began. Paul had a very sad childhood, among secrets and hidden feelings, his mother dead and his father emotionally absent. The death of his son gives Paul an opportunity to reflect on his losses. As tragic as his pilgrimage is, it ends up on what to me sounds like a hopeful note of acceptance.

Andrew Cowan's newest novel begins in sadness: the narrator Paul addresses his dead son Euan with a muted sorrow that finds the beauty in the most simple of scenes. This quietly emotional novel continues on a journey of the past to explore Paul's relationship with Euan as well as with others integral to his life, including his own father. Illuminated by his grief for Euan, Paul's life comes into sharp focus as the author leads the reader inexorably to the conclusion.

This is a purely literary work, recommended for those who love language and the meanings of gestures, who like to discover greater truths through the details of ordinary lives. Cowan's prose is lyrical yet clear, at times self-conscious but always impressive. His abundant talents for literary fiction are on full display in this book. However, if you are searching for an uplifting book with a compelling plot, I recommend that you look elsewhere.