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Am I the only one who thinks "The Other Hand" by Chris Cleave is absolute trash?

26 replies

Saker · 11/01/2010 15:20

I have read it for my book club. I know that many of them have really enjoyed it. I have looked at a few reviews and they all rave about it. Yet I think it is one of the worst books I have ever read. Really really poor prose, unrealistic stereotyped characters, unbelievable plot with huge flaws (like a refugee could walk from Essex to Kingston upon Thames in two days without food or water or rest and without knowing the way), deeply patronising to Nigerians and insulting to Britons implying we are all racist.... And am I cynical to think that by picking a controversial and upsetting central theme (ie the plight of asylum seekers) it means all that this is overlooked ?

Sorry I need to get this out of my system before my book group meeting since I don't want to spoil it for people who really loved it. But I would appreciate a bit of moral support - or am I just missing something totally with this book?

OP posts:
maxpower · 21/01/2010 21:12

Disappointed with it but I agree there was something about it that made me keep going - maybe there was some kind of a promise in the prose that it would get better. However, the bit about Little Bee always needing to know how she could escape (ie commit suicide) wherever she was stayed with me.

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