A Good Man by Ani KatzMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
“That’s what I did for a living. I spun stories, made things like death seem clean and manageable - attractive, even.”
A GOOD MAN by Ani Katz is a haunting and disturbing novel. From the beginning of the story, narrated by Thomas Martin, the titular ‘Good Man’, it is clear that something tragic has occurred, horrific enough to warrant examination in the media. Thomas tells the story of his family, trying to make sense of the events.
Despite having grown up in a damaged, perhaps toxic, household, Thomas is a successful advertising executive with a beautiful French wife and exceptionally bright daughter who adore him; at least that is how he tells it. Thomas is a convincing and engaging storyteller but there are moments when we question his reliability. He lets slip that Miriam, his wife, whose trust-fund bought the beautiful home that Thomas selected for them, was not, initially at least, as enthusiastic about leaving the city of New York as he was. Thomas loves the good things in life - opera, food and fine wine - but his occasional comments about ‘a haphazardly constructed cheese plate’ and the eating habits of others seem a little off. He frequently returns to Richard Wagner’s Tannhaüser, and its self-destructive hero with whom he appears to identify almost obsessively. In returning to parts of his tale he sometimes adds additional detail which changes our understanding.
A GOOD MAN is one of those books about which it is difficult to say much without spoiler, suffice to say that I was drawn in and held enthralled until the truth was revealed. Ani Katz is a talented writer and I read A GOOD MAN with the creeping uneasiness with which I read Shirley Jackson. It really is that good.
View all my reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment