A compelling and reflective novel that explores the varied conceptions of purpose and the meaning of life that occur within different generations. Son of a Madman addresses whether one’s life is best lived by adhering to traditional societal values; or if one’s life is better lived as a unique creation of the individual?
Lost in an endless maze of trying to keep up with yesterday, Ivan’s journey begins with two feet in the world of traditional values and career development. Isolated, alone, and woefully unhappy. He spends his days at the office and his evenings at home, where he takes care of his increasingly abusive and senile father. Ruptures in Ivan’s routine wake him out of his passive attitude toward life. His desire to take life more seriously becomes fueled by an unusual romance which inspires him to turn his focus toward personal fulfillment as he cautiously starts to place one foot into a whole new world.
Meanwhile, an unsettling parallel exists between Ivan’s relationship with his father and Robert, Ivan’s brother-in-law’s relationship with his son. Cold, demanding, and authoritative, Robert is both emotionally distant and emotionally damaging to his teenage son who is coming of age and trying to decide what he wants his life to be about. The unfortunately similar aspects of their troubled relationships with their fathers help Ivan and his nephew to form a unique bond. A bond, which, ultimately, makes it easier for them to step through the daunting changes in their lives together.
Plot/Idea: 6 out of 10
Originality: 6 out of 10
Prose: 7 out of 10
Character/Execution: 7 out of 10
Overall: 6.50 out of 10
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: While facing his father's disintegration, middle-aged Ivan grapples with anxiety and frustration surrounding his care. After his father's sudden death, Ivan's focus shifts to his own circumstances as he embarks on a search for meaning, along with the pursuit of a new love interest. There is something of a disconnect in the plot before and after Dillon's death, as if some of the focus and momentum is lost.
Prose: Martin is a capable and introspective writer. However, the prose is wordy and convoluted in places, and Martin's style of providing intense exposition and background narration has a tendency to slow the storyline. There are, though, many bright spots in the writing that bring the characters and their relationships to life.
Originality: Although the plot becomes somewhat predictable following Dillon's death, Son of a Madman is a novel that is rich in ideas; Martin also writes movingly of the challenges of caring for an elderly parent and the implications for adult children as they face their own futures.
Character/Execution: Martin tends to over-narrate the thoughts and feelings of his main players, which has the effect of distancing readers from the characters. Nevertheless, Ivan has depth and promise and his sister Lilly is relatable in her reluctance to accept her father's circumstances. Amber, Ivan's love interest, can come across as overly sagacious rather than fully realistic.
Blurb: A middle-aged man struggles to find happiness and meaning amidst his father's abuse, mental deterioration, and demise.
Date Submitted: May 18, 2023
