Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs is a book about a seriously dysfunctional family. Someone told me that it was funny. It is in parts, but then somewhere in the midst of reading it, you realize this is not fiction. Even if the story is 50% true, (it is just one person's perspective) it makes everyone else's family look extremely normal and bland in comparison. Thank goodness!
Augusten's mother is mentally ill and depressed. She sends him to stay with her doctor and his family because she can not handle anything. The Finches are self-aware eccentrics who can quote Freud to each other, but can not handle getting rid of the live Christmas tree in the living room. The fact that Augusten can handle the chaos - and he is given no choice - gives the reader some admiration of his coping skills.
He is writing about his adolescent self, which is sometimes likeable - sometimes not, and all the angst that adolescence contains is merely magnified in his environment. It is hard enough on a teenager, without having a sick parent, an unhealthy family life, and a developing gay sexuality to deal with.
Blame it on the 70's, blame it on the drugs, blame it on a sick parent - whatever the case, Augusten manages to learn how to survive in this environment. He writes well, but the story reminds me of a bad gorey accident. You know that you should look away, but your eyes are being drawn to the chaos and mess.
No comments:
Post a Comment