The Doctor's House

This novel is an authentic and well written story about a very dysfunctional family with real survivors. Beattie's writing is good, and she is able to create believable and likable characters the reader is always hoping will survive all the chaos.

I started reading "The Doctor's House" as bedtime reading but soon realized that the book required real brainpower to appreciate, more than I could give it in the drowsy state that seems to suffice for many other contemporary novels. There's genius at work in the author's technical accomplishment here, bringing to life on the page three consciousnesses that are as articulate and complex as actual complicated humans (blindspots and warts included). This novel is narrated just as much as your own life is--which is to say zilch. In this interrelated triptych, as in life, you're on your own to "get it"; Beattie leaves it to you so see as far as you can and to construe as much as you can. The book serves as a model of what fiction can do far better than any of the other arts--probing the inner reality (thoughts, emotions, perceptions, idiom) of its characters. Norman Mailer wrote years ago that an author couldn't create a character more intelligent or complex than he himself was. Thank goodness Beattie has the capacity to create such compelling characters. It's up to readers to meet her at that level of sophisticated perception.

I had to interject that I've read lots of far worse contemporary fiction. The novel does make it clear that the kids were born in the late 50s (there are references to their 70s high school and 40-ish current age) and, in our mobile society, it's entirely plausible that an independent computer wizard could catch a commuter jet on the weekend. I agree the father isn't a well-developed character, but such sadism does exist. Maybe as a Nina-like character (an editor who loves carriage houses), I could relate more than most. Not the best book I've ever read, but I had no trouble finishing; definitely not the worst out there..

This is not her finest work, but well worth purchasing/reading. The characters are not empathetic, but the story is compelling, and it is a very quick read. Powerful, parts of it were disturbing - not so much because of what happens but because of the way the protagonist(s) deal with the events - I finished it very satisfied. It was well worth my time/money. Real fans will not be disappointed. Hopefully a new collection of short fiction or a selection of her non-fiction pieces from magazines, monographs, et cetera, will be forthcoming soon!