Trauma by Patrick McGrath
Bloomsbury 2008, 224 pages
Charlie Weir is a psychiatrist who earns his bread and butter treating the traumatized citizens of New York – Vietnam veterans and victims of child abuse. However, Charlie is not without his own personal baggage: a feckless father whom he despises, a successful brother he loathes and a depressive mother who, try as he might, he can never seem to please. Unable to come to terms with the end of his marriage (due to a professional blunder) he embarks on a relationship with the beautiful Nora, only to kick-start his own downward spiral.
Earlier in the year, this one was being passed around the blogs like a veritable hot potato with reviews appearing on Asylum, Lizzy’s Literary Life and dovegreyreader scribbles. I read it in August, but held back from putting it on this blog because to be frank, it touched a personal nerve. Now that it has been shortlisted for the Costa 2008 novel award, what the heck! Suffice it to say that for me, Mr McGrath has brilliantly nailed the misery and hopelessness of his damaged characters; there is light at the end of the tunnel but not everyone is able to see it, and next time the black dog cocks his leg up my lamp post, I’ll be ready with a bucket of water.
2 responses so far ↓
John Self // December 5, 2008 at 7:47 am |
An excellent review of an excellent book! I’m a big McGrath evangeliser though, so I’m biased. I also recommend without reservation his earlier novels Dr Haggard’s Disease, Asylum and Port Mungo (in fact, all his novels except Martha Peake, but those three I think are the best).
offmytrolley // December 5, 2008 at 12:43 pm |
John
Thank you for your kind comment, I’ll check out your recommendations.