Doug's Reviews > Shy

So when Porter first appeared on the scene way back in 2015 and was all the rage with his faux-novel about Grief, I read it, but thought it a rather trite, unfathomable (unless one had a Ph.D. in Ted Hughes), and chilly, instantly forgettable experiment, and one I wouldn't ever have to repeat.

Then his second quasi-fiction, Lanny, got longlisted for the Booker and as a completist, I steeled myself to get through that - and though slightly more comprehensible, it was so unbearably twee, I hated it with a passion.

I successfully avoided his 3rd Bacon book, since all I know about the artist is what I gleaned from a weird movie about his life; about all I recall of THAT is that Daniel Craig went full-frontal in a bathtub for it (no, he didn't play Bacon - that was Derek Jacobi). And even people who enjoyed his first two books claimed it was unreadable.

So why, you might ask, did I put myself through yet another torturous exercise in gobbledygook, complete with Porter's trademark myriad and microscopic frilly fonts, numerous colloquial UK expressions that meant nothing to me, and a storyline comprised of every 'troubled teen' cliche out there? This really should have been called 'Boy, Interrupted' .... if only Porter had an ounce of humour!

Well, lemme tell ya - first off, it fulfilled a 'Read Harder' Challenge in one of my GR groups - to read a book by an author to whom you had never given more than a 2-star rating. And as you can see - Porter's batting average remains intact.

Secondly, it currently sits at #15 on the Listopia of 2023 Booker Eligible Novels - and because the Booker gods hate me, I am almost sure it'll be announced as one of the Booker Baker Dozen come Aug. 1. So I'll have already gotten through what I am sure will be #13 in my rankings, and I can sleep easier tonight. Luckily, it only took me 90 minutes to plod through, and now I can get on to more important things ... Candy Crush isn't going to play itself.

PS. What's up with Porter and all the dead Mustelidae and Erinaceidae? Dude has some serious 'issues'!

PPS: If you want a 5-star read with the same title, check out: Shy: The Alarmingly Outspoken Memoirs of Mary Rodgers

PPPS: How did the Booker judges neglect this pile of excrement? Sure, their longlist was rife with largely unreadable dreck, but I was SURE this would make it on there... I demand a recount!