19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Haunting, both literally and figuratively, February 21, 2005
The theme of this novel is revealed in a quote near the ending of the book: "Sartre said all writing's an act of infidelity. So's surviving the dead" (p. 286). In this beautiful, spare novel, Duncan explores the many betrayals that make up a family, ranging from an all-too-common marital infidelity to the infinitely more tragic betrayal of not being able to protect one's child from brutality. We meet Nathan, the central character, in his first few moments of his awareness of being dead. At first there is nothingness: "It was neither dark nor light but if he lifted his hand in front of his face he wouldn't be able to see it." As the novel progresses, Nathan regains memories as well as being allowed to witness his family member's actions and thoughts. As details emerge, the reader begins to realize there is much more here than an ordinary life and death.
This is not a book to read for a laugh, as there are few laughs, if any, in it. It is instead a book for any parent who has dared to confront the unthinkable: How would I react if it happened to my family? Could I cope? How could someone possibly cope? Nathan's story provides the uncomfortable confirmation of your suspicion that, sometimes, things happen that just can't be coped with. This message will linger with you long after you've put it down. Duncan does a wonderful job of portraying characters as humans, fully dimensional, possessing hidden strengths yet simultaneously capable of thoughtless and mean behaviors. Duncan's talent becomes apparent when you finish the book, despite full awareness of the wrongs committed by the people within it, feeling great sympathy and tenderness for all members of Nathan's family, including Nathan himself.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Extra--Ordinary Death, February 15, 2005
Extra--Ordinary Death
Glen Duncan's compelling fifth novel, Death of an Ordinary Man, is a gripping novel about one man witnessing his own funeral. Such an experience would be awesome and mystical, if we could be able to hover over our own wake; this is the case for Nathan Clark. While having the ability to view his own ceremony, he also has the ability to hear people's thoughts. Nathan experiences the whole day as a ghost, and as such he tries to understand those who were closest to him. Nathan also uses his after-life encounter to re-experience events during his life, which he could not remember at the time of his death. While Nathan still has this time to experience reality as a ghost, a question that is the major focal point of the story is what happened to Lois? Another intriguing question that keeps readers entangled is how did Nathan die? Death of an Ordinary Man, by Glen Duncan explores a common theme about reviewing one's life, but Duncan takes it on with a lovely, yet morbid angle that, throughout the novel, continues to shock the reader and shape the story.
With constant reference to the new house, in which the novel takes place, Glen Duncan releases many themes. While Nathan is afloat in his after-life state, he uses the experience to open doors to the past. With each door in his family's new home he finds the mysteries that have haunted his life. With every story Nathan learns from the house, the reader is awarded insight into what kind of character Nathan became. The house contains clues that Nathan must find in order to move towards his destiny in eternity.
Although Glen Duncan's novel, Death of an Ordinary Man, is a creative way to view after-life, the plot is thorny at times. In the novel, Nathan is able to engross himself in another character's flashback where the author, at times, loses his readers. When involved with a certain character, Glen Duncan gives Nathan unrestrained thoughts which will lead to distraction of the theme for average readers. Even though there are some negative facets in Duncan's narratives, the imagery he uses in his stories is astonishing.
The one aspect of this novel that Glen Duncan has truly mastered is his language. The reader experiences a rollercoaster of a trip in the original way the author explains the story. There are some parts of the story that whisper poetry not prose. If there is one downfall in which the novel flows linguistically, it is the use of profanity. Duncan has found it necessary to explain his theme with the constant use of the `f-word'. Even though while reading the novel the reader experiences Nathan's true emotions with the use of profanity, the overuse destroys the brilliance of the work.
The title, Death of an Ordinary Man, is an ironic name for a novel that involves such a multifaceted character, in which Nathan becomes a medium for multiple themes. It is almost a game while reading the novel to find ordinary attributes for him. Nathan is not the only unique character in the novel. The author has a slew of characters, most importantly, Lois that captivates the reader in wanting to know more about her unordinary life. Duncan also uses his characters to maintain a complex novel, but with a simple measure he uses few characters. By using only a few characters Duncan traps the reader into several different stories about each one, compounding the theme.
There are multiple themes this novel tackles, the central theme is vague, but it is life. Through Death of an Ordinary Man, Glen Duncan questions his readers' ideas on life. Duncan allows the readers to become as one with Nathan and try to understand what Nathan's life has meant and where his family must go from here. First time readers will read this novel and experience it as entertainment, as they make their way through, but at the end will question their own beliefs and internally analyze themselves. Although the story is centered upon Nathan, who is a deceased ghost, Glen Duncan does a superior job in isolating his novel on the living and what it means to live, not die.
Death of an Ordinary Man, by Glen Duncan reaches a selective audience because of its content. Those who do not like the idea of self examination through the thought of their own personal death will not enjoy such a read. The novel vividly touches on many vulgar activities, so those who enjoy censorship might want to put it back in the shelf. The average reader also might want to shy away, because during the course of the novel it is easy to get lost in the thoughts of someone else examining those thoughts. Overall this is a good book that comments on a resounding theme, shared by every human on earth: life, and what to think about it. Although the author, Glenn Duncan examines life taking a different approach, he does so in an enchanting way.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Ambivalent, April 21, 2006
I echo Artic Fox's review. I'd just read "The Mercy of Thin Air" - also narrated by a dead person - and truly a haunting, moving book. It was clear from the beginning that "Death of An Ordinary Man" had a different agenda.
It was good enough for me to keep reading it, but only a chapter at a time. The narrative style - while certainly introspective and thought provoking (assuming you are terrifically moved by the book) - was rambling, and I skimmed places. Then I'd have to go back and read it because suddenly I'd be like, "Whaaaaa?"
It didn't really move me, but it was well written for that style. If you really dig the first few chapters, you'll love the book. If you find yourself iffy on it, or bored - you might as well put it down because I doubt it will grab you when you get further in.
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