Black Swan Green by David Mitchell

[Gilgamesh]

I wish I had read Black Swan Green before I read The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet and Cloud Atlas by the same author, both of which I enjoyed immensely. Then my primary negative comment would have been the intensely British English dialog, reflecting my American bias and my ignorance of British English.

Black Swan Green is a coming of age novel which emphasizes the physical brutality of adolescence, with just a nod to sexual awakening. The immediate characters, Mom, Dad, and Julia, sister to Jason Taylor, are well drawn, natural, and completely credible. The primary conflict is the bullying of Jason by schoolmates, in the context of secondary but serious familial conflicts along several dimensions. Jason feels such extreme peer pressure that he sees no way out of his victimization until, when it becomes unbearable, he does. The resolution of Jason's weaknesses is well prepared and logical.

This is a very good read but not a good introduction to David Mitchell, whose other works are more broad ranging and much more satisfying. In spite of that statement, if you haven't read David Mitchell, start here. You probably will enjoy this, and your pleasure will increase.

Gilgamesh

[DATo]

Actually, I can't say that any of Mitchell's novels can serve as a proper introduction to any other work in his current oeuvre. Each of Mitchell's books seems to fit a unique classification. Thousand Autumns reads like an historical novel that could have been written in the 19th century. Number9Dream is a fast-paced mystery /thriller. Ghostwritten and Cloud Atlas have more in common but even here there are distinct differences; also, the last two could be considered 'postmodernist'.

Black Swan Green is a departure from each of Mitchell's other novels in that it is, as you say, a bildungsroman - although to a certain extent Number9Dream is too - but it is also partially an autobiography. Much like The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-time by Mark Haddon with respect to autism, Mitchell gives us a vicarious view into the life of a stammerer along with the problems attendant to this affliction.

In short, I guess what I am trying to say is that each of Mitchell's novels is a statement unto itself in both style, subject, and may I hazard to say, even genre? This is what impresses me most about David Mitchell - his ability to segue to different themes, settings and character types with each novel. He is an extraordinarily versatile author.

[Gannon]

Actually, I can't say that any of Mitchell's novels can serve as a proper introduction to any other work in his current oeuvre. Each of Mitchell's books seems to fit a unique classification. Thousand Autumns reads like an historical novel that could have been written in the 19th century. Number9Dream is a fast-paced mystery /thriller. Ghostwritten and Cloud Atlas have more in common but even here there are distinct differences; also, the last two could be considered 'postmodernist'.

Black Swan Green is a departure from each of Mitchell's other novels in that it is, as you say, a bildungsroman - although to a certain extent Number9Dream is too - but it is also partially an autobiography. Much like The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-time by Mark Haddon with respect to autism, Mitchell gives us a vicarious view into the life of a stammerer along with the problems attendant to this affliction.

In short, I guess what I am trying to say is that each of Mitchell's novels is a statement unto itself in both style, subject, and may I hazard to say, even genre? This is what impresses me most about David Mitchell - his ability to segue to different themes, settings and character types with each novel. He is an extraordinarily versatile author.

Hello there DATo. How are you? Having read every DM book I agree with you completely. I love them all but I am puzzled as to why Black Swan Green has been posted in the classic books. Hmmmmmm.

[Fran]

@Gannon
Thrilled to have you back amongst us & straight away you're catching the wayward posts (I've moved this to Specific Book Forum)

As another fan of David Mitchell I agree with you & DATo: wonder what genre he will select for his next book, but given that I think he said it takes him about 7 years to write a book we will have a bit of a wait. No doubt it will be well worth the wait.

[Gilgamesh]

Thank you for moving the review. I am quite new to this and endeavoring to learn.

Gilgamesh

[Fran]

Thank you for moving the review. I am quite new to this and endeavoring to learn.

Gilgamesh

If you use the search function at the top of the Forum Home page & search David Mitchell you will find topics for his other books - as you're a fan you might like to read through the opinions posted & post your views on those books also.

[DATo]

Greetings Gannon and Fran. Somehow I just KNEW you'd make it to this thread sooner or later *LOL*

Gannon - Doing well and hope you are too. I am inundated with home projects of the landscaping variety at present, thus explaining my recent absence from the boards. I do check in each day but as I am only reading some short stories by Poe at present I feel that I have little to contribute.

Fran - It seems I did come across something, somewhere about Mitchell's next book but for the life of me I can't remember what it was. Nice plug, by the way, of our previous discussions regarding Mitchell's books *L* ... I almost did that in my first post but I was posting from work and had to scoot. I'm glad one of us mentioned it. Perhaps Gilamesh will join our David Mitchell Fan Club.