Mark Haddon’s last novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time was a great read for both adults and children; it’s original, funny and well-composed. His second book A Spot of Bother may not be as brilliant, but it’s definitely worth reading.
A Spot of bother is hardly an upbeat, pleasant story but it’s very well-written. It’s not light-hearted to read about a depressed old man cutting bits off his body with a pair of scissors, after witnessing his wife in bed with his ex-colleague. However, I admire Mark for his talent in describing situations and emotions, and his extreme attention to detail. There were times when the scenes became a bit too graphic and embarrassing to read but at the same time, it also shows off Mark’s powerful observation and realistic description.
Reading A Spot of Bothet is almost like watching The Office - it’s painfully embarrassing, yet you can’t resist it. In the end, you just can’t help butt love it and feel sorry for the characters.