Terms
& Conditions
Robert
Glancy
This
is another one of those books that I grabbed on a whim from the
Champaign Public Library's new books area, and I am ever so glad I
did. Robert Glancy absolutely nails the delicate balance of
irreverence and heart that defines this particular brand of satire.
In Terms & Conditions,
Glancy traces the recent history of mild-mannered corporate lawyer
Franklyn Shaw, who attempts to reconcile his subconscious feelings
with reality as he regains his memory after a mysterious car crash.
As he tries to piece together the events and emotions that led to the
“little episode” that caused the crash (and, by extension his
amnesia), Shaw must come to terms (ha) with the condition (haha) of
his life, which is, as he correctly assumes, a bit more complicated
(and, inevitably, much more depressing) than the version he gets from
his wife and brother. Though the novel relies on very little plot-
focusing more on backstory and a general sense of Franklyn (or, more
accurately, Frank), the man- readers can easily follow along as Frank
traces the paths that led him to his crash and, more importantly,
lead him to a series of revelations about his life.
The
narrative structure can get a bit fragmented- it is at times
difficult to discern which events are occurring during Frank's
post-amnesia awakening and which are solely in the past- but the book
is generally easy to follow. Moreover, it is chock-full of sarcastic
asides, often delivered in the types of footnotes that might
punctuate Frank's own contracts. Some of these are better integrated
than others- many should really be part of the text, as the next part
of the main narrative relies upon them- but many take advantage of
the format, sometimes referring to further footnotes in a downward
spiral. Glancy avoids most of the pitfalls of what could be an
annoying gimmick by successfully varying the types and content of
footnotes: some are true, tangentially related asides; some are
straight-up jokes; and some represent Frank's inner dialogue. Less
consistent are the chapter titles (all offered in the unnecessary
format “Terms & Conditions of X”) and the aphorisms that
accompany them; occasionally brilliant, they are often missed in
favor of a direct engagement with the chapter proper.
Glancy's
ability to maintain the book's tone and, much more importantly (and
impressively), land most of his intended jokes is remarkable; books
like this often fail because they cannot sustain the high standards
of their most uproarious gags. Glancy, however, engages all of his
ideas with equal parts gusto, wit, and heart, and the book is better
for it. From a brother's profane (yet appropriate, we learn) e-mail
handle to Frank's increasing frustration with the direction of his
life, the book is equal parts hilarious and profound, without trying
too hard to be either. Readers may be frustrated by Frank's eternal
middle child-ness and his reluctance to sustain important
confrontations, but his faults make him far more realistic and
relatable, providing the novel with the emotional core that ties it
all together. Glancy expertly leverages both levity and gravity,
making profound statements about modern life without preaching,
either to his characters or through them. I thoroughly enjoyed Terms
& Conditions (no footnote
necessary), which proves that humor and gravitas can be just as
moving as their straight-laced counterparts.
Grade:
A
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