Strange Nervous Laughter

I love this product. I bought this book fiction novel supposedly used but arrived like new. I love this book. I am halfway in the story, it is getting interesting. The story is very interesting. All the characters are odd, but I'd say their interwoven purposes are clear and make sense. This is my 2009 summer best read!

I would describe this book as Paul Auster mixed with chick lit, with twists that are logically unbelievable but within the tale make sense. The characters were well developed and all likable in their own zany, flawed ways. The book deals with the romances of these characters, their struggles and successes and how they grow through their relationships. And as an extra bonus, Strange Nervous Laugher was set in my hometown, Durban (South Africa). This book made me introspective - I could recognise a bit of myself in each of the characters. More than your average book about love. Highly recommended.

The city of Durban like all of South Africa is suffering from the blistering heat with temperatures breaking records almost every day; there appears no break in the sweltering record setting summer. Tempers already are frayed when a robbery occurs at a small mom and pop grocery. No one is hurt as cashier Beth and two customers Mdu and Meryl cooperate with the robber. Afterward the somewhat traumatized trio feels good to be alive Each moves on past the incident. Beth floats when she is euphoric and currently rises high as she is elated with dating undertaker Pravesh in spite of his toe nail fetish; helping him in his occupation is he knows when the Grim Reaper is coming by a tingling sensation behind his knees and heat burning up his inner ears. Mdu, who communicates with whales, meets Aisha, who ignores reality as an unnecessary intruder while somewhat living inside her dreams. Guinness World Records sends assistant Meryl to obtain information on Harry, who seems on the verge of breaking the record for dining green. STRANGE NERVOUS LAUGHTER is a profound yet whimsical character study that takes a deep look at what is love and how we behave when we believe we are in love. Each of the key characters are fully developed so that the reader accepts their musings and misbehavior due to their conviction they are in love; they act out of character when they feel that way. Thus the audience obtains a powerful analysis of love inside an amusing tale as the cast members tend to delude themselves that this is the one and act eccentric and quirky while under love's magical spell. Bridget McNulty provides an excellent contemporary tale that brings South Africa to life while insisting love's behavior is universal. Harriet Klausner

Although this charming little novel begins with a robbery that brings three of the six protagonists together, the theme is undoubtedly the vagaries of love: "Human nature is the source of all bad romantic comedies." In the unlikely pairings of a group of eccentric characters, the author explores the many faces and detours of romantic love. The city of Durban, South Africa, is immersed in the hottest summer that anyone can remember, the nights as humid and steamy as the ongoing dramas between disenchanted lovers. And what a rogue's gallery McNulty has provided: Beth, cashier in a neighborhood grocery compelled to save every man she falls in love with, thus perpetuating a constantly shattered heart; Pravesh, an undertaker, appearing at first the perfect boyfriend, unsure of himself and hiding a rather kinky fetish. Aisha is a dreamer who floats through the world without direction; and Mdu has communicated with whales since childhood, half a man waiting to become part of a whole. Then there is Harry, collector of everyone's cast-offs, separated from loving parents by their untimely death. Perhaps the most complicated of all is Meryl, who has armored herself against the emotional pain of failed romance only to meet the perfect man and be blinded to his charms by her fear. In a blend of magical realism and black comedy, these tortured lovers stumble through the painful stages of romance, from euphoria to boredom, from terror to submission, from selfishness to fulfillment. For all its whimsy, there is a strong element of truth in these strange pairings, the urgency of connection to another human being, for approbation and acceptance, for completion. As unique as the South African city where a steamy summer yields unusual couplings, each character is riddled with flaws and self-doubt, with hubris born of ignorance and frustration born of desperation. One cannot help but be enchanted by the prose of this talented writer, her imagination as fresh and vibrant as the ever-changing landscape of lovers at odds with one another and with fate. The most defiant and stubborn are brought to their knees by love's demands in a flavorful, spicy stew of false starts and leaps of faith. Luan Gaines/2009.

This was a very strange read, with elements of the supernatural involved. I thought the characters were quite interesting and not something that you typically see in Chick Lit. It did remind me of Christopher Moore in that the characters are all a little off in someway and as they find their way to love, they become "normal". I can't wait to read the next one by this author as I was a little sad when this one ended.