Reviewed by Rinn on
Having read several of Matthew Quick’s books, I’ve come to expect something from his writing. His books are always a little quirky and unusual, the protagonists never entirely fit into ‘normal’ society, and there’s usually a darker thread running through the story. And whilst The Good Luck Of Right Now ticks all the boxes, it just wasn’t as enjoyable as his other works in my opinion.
I found it really difficult to connect with Bartholomew, a forty year old man who lives with his mother until she dies. He made me feel uneasy, uncomfortable and not at all sympathetic, not like Pat in The Silver Linings Playbook or Leonard in Forgive Me Leonard Peacock. I suppose it’s part of the point, as Bartholomew does not fit well into society, a man heading towards middle age who still lives with his parents is not the norm. I don’t know whether it was because Bartholomew was older than the normal Matthew Quick protagonist, or whether it was his home situation and general attitude, but I did not feel for him at all.
What I did like about the book, however, was how it was told through letters to Richard Gere, Bartholomew seeing him as some sort of ‘spiritual guide’, as his mother was fixated on the actor. It was a cute way of showing how Bartholomew was growing up, albeit rather late in life, after the death of his mother.
With a sweet, if rather predictable, ending, I definitely feel this is not the strongest of Quick’s books, but would recommend it to his fans nonetheless. It has that writing style I’ve come to know and enjoy, and as always he deals with mental health both delicately and creatively.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 30 November, 2014: Finished reading
- 30 November, 2014: Reviewed