Customer Reviews

The Laments: A Novel

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a novel that defies description. It falls somewhere between bizarre slapstick and sarcastic social commentary. The deal is that a couple from South Africa marry and have 3 children - well the first one really isn't theirs, because their real child was kidnapped at birth, then killed the same day in a car crash, so the doctor who inadvertently precipitated the kidnapping suggests that the bereaved couple just take home the baby of the couple killed in the car crash, no problem, no one will be any wiser, papers? who needs papers, everything will be fine, yada-yada.
Right.
Then they begin moving from one continent to another, always searching for the greener grass on the other side of some ocean, always slightly dissatisfied, always at odds with their surroundings. A large part of the story is told from the point of view of their eldest son, the one who was switched at birth. Not only does he feel at adds with whatever school/neighborhood/city/country/continent in which he finds himself, he also feels out of synch with his own family - as though he just doesn't belong.
Little does he know...
A little bizarre, a little unusual, a little indefinable, The Laments is a witty and sarcastic piece of writing that lampoons one society after another, from puffed up Rhodesia to suburban America. Really, really good.

Start hoping now that George Hagen is hard at work on this next novel, because when you finish "The Laments" you won't be able to wait.

"Laments travel," explains Howard Lament, a Southern Rhodesian engineer with a deep fascination for valves. His wife, the bold, arty Julia, their son Will (who is not really their son but an infant given to them after a peculiar mixup in the maternity ward), and later a pair of rambunctious twin boys join him in these travels which take them first to Bahrain, then back to Africa, then to England, and finally to New Jersey. In one place after another Will falls for the odd-girl-out and the twins pick up the local accent and wreak the havoc particular to that place.

The Laments' adventures are charming and endrossing, even when their story begins to darken upon their arrival in the US. John-Irving-ish events occur which cast a pall over the family and make the reader wonder about the purpose of sending the story in this direction. Is it to show that suburban America can be the weirdest place of all? Don't we know that already? When Howard recommends that the Laments move again, you'll be all for it if it means getting them out their increasingly uncomfortable situation.

George Hagen is a first novelist of great talent with a high-spirited, engaging style and the ability to create appealing characters. "The Laments" is the sort of book readers will look forward to getting back to. He still has some learning to do (the twins, George, the twins!) but this will not lessen the enjoyment of this novel. This would be an interesting book club selection with lots of opportunity for lively discussion.

'The Laments' is one of the best books I've read in a long time, and I read voraciously. George Hagen mixes humor and sadness into a compelling, heartrenching novel. His prose is clean, and the pages fly. I normally don't recommend novels because people's taste in books is so relative, but I can't imagine anyone not liking this novel. Highy recommended.

Does it tell you anything that I kept interrupting my wife to read her bits out of this first novel by George Hagen? The characters are just screwy enough that they keep you off balance with their oddities, their turns of phrase, their impulsive comments and, even more, their impulsive behavior, mostly done in good humor and definitely done with funny outcome. Others before me have written synopses of the plot and I won't get into that. But I will say that the father of the Laments (an engineer who is 'in valves') provides the engine for the saga by repeatedly moving the family from one corner of the world to another. In a sense this is like a funny travel book, except the Laments always live 'on the economy' and are able to interact with the locals' idiosyncrasies in their own appealing way.

I enjoyed 'The Laments' thoroughly. I'm just afraid that my wife, who is now reading the book, will be disappointed that she has already had some of the good bits read out loud to her. Ah, well, there's plenty more where that came from. (Be on the lookout for the passage about the olive oil with the particularly tangy aftertaste.)

Scott Morrison

This is a totally engaging novel that will ring true to many people: the Laments are family members, seemingly going in many different directions, even if, as in this case, they end up in the same place... Funny and very sad, this engrossing read takes no energy to get through, with its brief chapters and fleet delivery, but it makes quite an impact. George Hagen is an acute observer of family life and I hope he has more gentle humour to impart.

George Hagen's The Laments is an excellent family saga, without all the boring baggage that so many of these tales bring along. Hagen's story bubbles with humor and is highly entertaining. The Laments, well, they travel. They are African-born British subjects, and we meet them first in Africa, where they live in several countries in search of the perfect job for dad. The oldest son is born, kidnapped, dies and is replaced with an adopted child all in the first 20 pages. That is the first of many tragedies that befall the Laments, but the novel is certain not "tragic" because of Hagen's wonderful sense of humor. The novel gets compared to Garp frequently and in that sense, it is very much like Garp. Hagen doesn't take the Laments too seriously and we are not forced to either. We follow the Laments from Africa, to England and finally to New Jersey, where the novel ends during the 1970s. Their adventures are humorous and entertaining. The Laments is a very enjoyable, almost breezy novel that should appeal to most readers.

A South Rhodesian couple, Julia and Howard Lament, trek across the continents in search of contentment, after a bizarre incident changes the course of their lives. When Julia gives birth to her first child, a beautiful baby boy, unexpected complications arise. The unorthodox circumstances set the tone for their marriage, haunting the years ahead with doubts and indecision. Consequently, the Laments' are curiously off-kilter, their misadventures proof that the family is aptly named.

Premature baby Will clings to life and to his new parents, inseparable from them. When the family moves to Bahrain for Howard`s new job, the first of many diverse employment opportunities, life is bursting with promise, adventures yet to be experienced. A fresh start is the answer to their doldrums. What better and more exotic place to move to than Bahrain? Unfortunately, the Laments find themselves emotionally overloaded in their new home; as is his habit during stressful times, Howard changes jobs, convinced that a fresh start cure their problems.

Later, Julia gives birth to twins, Julius and Marcus, and the family is hopeful once more as their lives take on another dimension. But the twins are wildly energetic and make their brother Will's days nightmarish; Will has the dubious task of riding herd on the little boys, whose daily activities are filled with mischief. At this point, Will begins to see himself as the odd one, the solitary son between two couples.

Another job for Howard, another change of address, this time in England, where Howard's minimal salary barely covers family expenses. Desperate financial circumstances strain the marriage as the Laments embark upon some difficult years. Once so full of promise, their days are spent struggling for survival in an unfriendly climate. Then, in an amazing stroke of luck, Howard is hired by an eccentric visionary who offers prospective employment in America. Ever the optimist, Howard renews his belief in the future and moves his family to America.

Howard's best intentions fail in America when his job fails to meet expectations and the family grapples once more with changing fortunes. Ever unpredictable, fate lurks in the wings, striking one more blow. Suddenly this new country, so full of opportunity, has turned as unfriendly as any other. But the Laments do what they do best, stick together, even though the fabric of the family is stretched cruelly out of shape.

Hagan brings together remarkable and spirited characters, who set upon life with a gusto that is undiminished, certainly admirable. Even when reality kicks in, this is a family of survivors, reinventing themselves as necessity dictates. The sturdy Laments are tested along the way, often harshly. Yet Julia and Howard pass on their boundless enthusiasm to their children, a testament to their remarkable qualities. In the end, it is simple affection, trust and family spirit that render the Laments unforgettable. Luan Gaines/2004.

This book is absolutely outstanding. I personally feel privileged to have had the opportunity to read the first novel by this author. This beautifully realized story takes the family named Lament through their family history, from the teen years of the mother through the next 20 or so years. And what a story it is! From babies switched at birth, the constant moving of this colonial family, their day-to-day adventures: what a wonderful, full story it is. I found especially rewarding the way each character is so fully developed. I loved each and every single one of them. Even the less sympathetic people, like the Rhodesian colonial with a biting dog -- obviously not a person one would care much for. Still, as literature, I just loved the depiction. I even felt sorry for the dog! The twins in the story are described as almost forces of nature -- and you had to love them at every age.

I laughed at the family adventures and seriously cried at the very sad parts. I had to keep reminding myself that it was a piece of fiction, I felt so much joy and grief at different times.

What a writer! I recommend this book absolutely to anyone that wants to read a story that covers multiple continents and spans 20 years of life in an eccentric family. It is so good I want to run up to strangers on the street and say, "READ!"

This is an amazing 1st novel--very impressive. The main thread (of many) lies in the relationship between a mother & her (surreptitiously) adopted 1st son--suspiciously like a changeling in mythology. Indeed, like myths, this work is full of symbols--some even explicit in the attached Readers' Guide--and it explicitly repeats its' core myth like a mantra: "the Laments travel" (as if it's in their blood--despite that fact that Will doesn't have any Laments' blood). It is subtly philosophical in its juxtaposition of personal choice (was his name Will for a reason?) vs. fate or karma or whatever you wish to call it. Or, if you prefer: dreams vs. reality (esp. portrayed in the husband, Howard). Could a mechanical heart (that's never used) be symbolic somehow? Thus, this novel is deceptively light -- with lots of laugh-out-loud humor. Yet it's also full of tragedy & also pokes holes in human hypocritical personas, esp. as represented in nations & national attitudes. It's a psychological, philosophical, mythological, tragi-comedy--just the opposite of the prickly pear which is tough/spiny on the outside but soft/sweet on the inside. Seemingly surreal, it depicts the human condition but in a more intense than life manner. The writing is very fine too. Overall, it's a fantastic effort though the tragic events may depress highly sensitive readers. Highly recommended.

The Laments is a sweet and honest story about a quirky family. If I had to sum this book up with one emotion, it would be longing. Every character in this novel has some secret longing or passion that motivates or burns them.

We follow the Laments as they live in different locales: Rhodesia (before it became Zimbabwe), Bahrain, England, and The United States. When Howard, the patriarch, doesn't find what he's looking for, it's time to pack. His reason, "Laments travel!"

The plot meanders through the lives of this family as they experience victories and losses. As their name suggests, they do face tragedies, but there is enough comedy to buoy the story up and keep it from being depressing. The sadness in this story manages to be sweet and never without hope.

The prose has a relaxing rhythm and it's very easy to read. It's one of those stories that left me feeling like I need some time to ruminate.

Strength: The characters. They are well developed, realistic, and likeable.

Weakness: Maybe it meanders too much, but I didn't mind.