All Families Are Psychotic
Douglas Coupland
The title of Douglas Coupland's novel may be entirely correct (indeed, all families have a psychotic tendency in some form or another), but thankfully most experiences with slightly deranged relatives won't reach the epic proportions seen in this novel. While the caricatures can seem a bit overworked at points, at the heart of All Families Are Psychotic is a delightful romp through heavily touristed Orlando and its environs. Coupland's work is over the top for sure, bestowing an entirely unbelievable plot twist upon a family too distorted to be real or relateable. However, despite predictability and sheer outlandishness, this book is entirely enjoyable and Coupland's characters strangely likeable by the end of the book. Each has a laundry list of undesirable characteristics but each retains the ability to surprise and to grow. For a group of incompetent idiots, the Drummond clan is surprisingly- and shockingly- real, brought to life by their utter uncompromised failure as a fmaily and through Coupland's keen ear for dialogue. The interactions between characters is All Families Are Psychotic saves the book from becoming redundant and keeps it moving despite its fantastic plot. Most delightful is the novel's self-consciousness as characters discuss how to spell a girlfriend's odd name, remarking on its pronunciation which is, of course, delightfully obscure to the reader. Readers' lives are (hopefully) not this messed up, but it is quite possible to see oneself in the book's many strained interactions. Ultimately, what is most shocking about the book is not the sheer silliness of the Drummond family's instability but its startling resemblance to our own "ordinary" families. Coupland is careful to keep the Drummonds within reach of reality while exploiting their comic potential whenever possible.
Most comedy contains its overly ambitious moments, and All Families Are Psychotic is no different in this regard, but its flaws are excusable due to their sheer outright hilarity. There are moments in the book where the overly contrived plot wears thin (an errand undertaken by the Drummond men is outlandish and is unable to successfully employ its sentimental connection to the family), but the progress of the family's reconciliation is continually interesting and eventually outshines the vehicle invented to facilitate it. Occasional forays into the family's past are relevant and often provide a welcome break from constant bickering; these flashbacks enhance the text and give relevant background information that helps flesh out the family and its problems. Despite a cliched and sentimental ending that clashes dramatically with the preceding pages of chaos and selfishness, the character evolution seems realistic and fits with the (admittedly contrived) plot, ending with a satisfying lack of conclusion and with just enough neatly wrapped ends to keep the Drummonds within the scope of reality. Coupland's novel stretches a little too far when searching for some of its laughs, but the subtleties in its dialogue and the strange truths hinted at despite radically disarming characters keep All Families Are Psychotic entertaining for those seeking a quick and humorous book.
Grade: A-
Douglas Coupland
The title of Douglas Coupland's novel may be entirely correct (indeed, all families have a psychotic tendency in some form or another), but thankfully most experiences with slightly deranged relatives won't reach the epic proportions seen in this novel. While the caricatures can seem a bit overworked at points, at the heart of All Families Are Psychotic is a delightful romp through heavily touristed Orlando and its environs. Coupland's work is over the top for sure, bestowing an entirely unbelievable plot twist upon a family too distorted to be real or relateable. However, despite predictability and sheer outlandishness, this book is entirely enjoyable and Coupland's characters strangely likeable by the end of the book. Each has a laundry list of undesirable characteristics but each retains the ability to surprise and to grow. For a group of incompetent idiots, the Drummond clan is surprisingly- and shockingly- real, brought to life by their utter uncompromised failure as a fmaily and through Coupland's keen ear for dialogue. The interactions between characters is All Families Are Psychotic saves the book from becoming redundant and keeps it moving despite its fantastic plot. Most delightful is the novel's self-consciousness as characters discuss how to spell a girlfriend's odd name, remarking on its pronunciation which is, of course, delightfully obscure to the reader. Readers' lives are (hopefully) not this messed up, but it is quite possible to see oneself in the book's many strained interactions. Ultimately, what is most shocking about the book is not the sheer silliness of the Drummond family's instability but its startling resemblance to our own "ordinary" families. Coupland is careful to keep the Drummonds within reach of reality while exploiting their comic potential whenever possible.
Most comedy contains its overly ambitious moments, and All Families Are Psychotic is no different in this regard, but its flaws are excusable due to their sheer outright hilarity. There are moments in the book where the overly contrived plot wears thin (an errand undertaken by the Drummond men is outlandish and is unable to successfully employ its sentimental connection to the family), but the progress of the family's reconciliation is continually interesting and eventually outshines the vehicle invented to facilitate it. Occasional forays into the family's past are relevant and often provide a welcome break from constant bickering; these flashbacks enhance the text and give relevant background information that helps flesh out the family and its problems. Despite a cliched and sentimental ending that clashes dramatically with the preceding pages of chaos and selfishness, the character evolution seems realistic and fits with the (admittedly contrived) plot, ending with a satisfying lack of conclusion and with just enough neatly wrapped ends to keep the Drummonds within the scope of reality. Coupland's novel stretches a little too far when searching for some of its laughs, but the subtleties in its dialogue and the strange truths hinted at despite radically disarming characters keep All Families Are Psychotic entertaining for those seeking a quick and humorous book.
Grade: A-
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