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Jason Taylor is a “middle-ranking” boy who watches his position in the school yard fall perilously into “leper” status, before bobbing back to “middle-rank.” Jason is comfortable exploring the woods outside his home, yet finds himself at odds with his mother, father, and know-it-all sister. Jason doesn’t realize the vanity of labels or name-calling until close to the end of the novel, when he triumphs over local bullies and overcomes his strange fixation with cruel Dawn Madden. As usual Mitchell employs innovative narrative techniques. Jason Taylor hears voices in his head, “Unborn Twin” and “Maggot,” that speak up at various times in the novel. Hangman, the personification of his speech impediment, also takes control of the exasperated Jason at humorously inappropriate times.
David Mitchell might become popular again now that a movie version of Cloud Atlas is forthcoming.
It's embarrassing to admit that I checked this out from PPLS at one time, but never managed to actually read it.
ReplyDeleteI seem to recall that you had nice things to say about Cloud Atlas. Any thoughts on movie adaptation of that book?
It should make an interesting film.
ReplyDeleteThey will have a hard time with the musical score if they do it right. The music one of the characters creates is an important part of the book.
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