Title: A Beautiful Truth
Author: Colin McAdam
Published: Granta Books August 2013
Status: Read from August 10 to 11, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy Allen & Unwin}
My Thoughts:
So I am not even really sure where to start with A Beautiful Truth. I feel I must have missed something important, something that would have revealed McAdam’s novel as a work of brilliance rather than an awkwardly written take on the movie Rise of The Planet of the Apes.
At times I admired a well written phrase or keen observation but mostly I felt the narrative, which is shared between humans and chimps, was cold, distant and arrogant.
I thought the plot disjointed, focusing first on Louee’s life with Walter and Judy Ribke, interspersed with the first point of view of a group of chimps housed in a nearby research institute, which then shifts to a biomedical testing facility where Looee is later exiled. McAdams also detours randomly to introduce characters which add little to the story – a politician, a neighbour, a researcher’s girlfriend and then drops them unceremoniously.
While I recognise McAdams does make some thoughtful observations about love, communication, and the characteristics of humanity, I feel that substance was sacrificed on the altar of ‘literary’ style.
A Beautiful Truth didn’t work for me but reviews are mixed. I would only recommend it to reader’s who have the patience for literary pretension.
Book’d Out 
Thanks for an honest review!
LikeLike
I can’t get past the monkey cover!
LikeLike
I’ve seen some differing opinions on this one and I’ve been pretty curious. I tend to like books that are a little strange, but I’m still not sure how I’d feel about it.
LikeLike
I’d be interested to see what you think Shannon
LikeLike
Oh dear, this is on my reading pile too and had high hopes. But sometimes interesting ideas don’t translate into a success…. Fingers crossed my experience is better than yours Shelleyrae.
LikeLike
Oops, a disjointed plot? I have a copy of this novel – I hope I like it a bit better tan you!
LikeLike
me too 🙂
LikeLike
Did we ever have different experiences with this book; it’s definitely going to be on my list of favourite reads for this year! I haven’t gone looking for reviews but now your thoughts have made me curious about how differently folks have responded to this story. I do understand that you found the alternating sections disjointed, but I believe it was deliberate, and although there were parts of the book that I did not enjoy (subject matter, partly), I greatly admired it and absolutely loved Walt and Judy’s story, which grabbed me from the start.
LikeLike
It seems to be something you either love or hate BIP
LikeLike