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The Groups
Mothertalk Review: More Than it Hurts You
One of my favorite modern art developments is the photo-mosaic. Much like the neo-Impressionist created pointillist process, photo-mosaic is a technique that renders a work of art into many smaller works of art. It actually can be viewed in different ways depending on where you stand. Up close you see either a dot or, in a photo-mosaic, a photograph. The photo could be placed next to something that has no obvious relation to it. A vacation photo next to an old photo of your childhood pet. Next to each other they don’t seem to work as something that you could imagine as a cohesive work of art. And then you step back a bit and gasp. Stepped back you don’t see individual images, but rather one singular image comprised of the smaller ones. Suddenly it is something else entirely. Suddenly it all makes sense.
Darin Strauss’s latest book, More Than it Hurts You, is an outstanding novel that reads like what I imagine looking at a photo-mosaic feels like: characters that seem out of place up-close, but when you turn the page you step back and are blown away by the big picture.
The novel begins with Josh Goldin a popular everyman type at the top of his game. Successful in his career, his marriage, and his self-esteem, Josh is the cool guy in your carpool, the fun neighbor down the street. He brings you into his world simply and honestly and immediately you feel like this is the guy you would have voted best all around on class day.
Josh is a smooth operator at chit chat in his office’s break room and relaxed in a way that only the truly popular can achieve. And then his secretary runs into the break room with the news that Zack, Josh’s son, is in the emergency room. His eight month old son.
At the hospital we meet Dori, Josh’s wife. An expert at all things with the temperament to back it up, Dori is clearly the driving force behind many things, including her marriage. We quickly find out that Zack has been brought in to the hospital after he threw up and Dori noticed that there was blood in the vomit. By the time Dori had reached the hospital with Zach he had coded.
Dori, a phlebotomist, indicates that she believes that the hospital has been negligent with the care and testing of baby Zach. However we soon discover that it is the hospital staff that is suspicious of Dori.
One of the most engaging and fascinating characters of this novel is Dr. Darlene Stokes. To give you an example of how Darin Strauss achieves this photo-mosaic effect with his writing this is the character to study. We are briefly introduced to Dr. Stokes early on in the original hospital scenes, the lengthy and riveting prologue of the novel. Part I then begins in an unfamiliar world, the back of a prison release bus. We are brought into the world of a just released prisoner, Intelligent Muhammad.
It feels jarring at first. The switching from such a tense and climactic moment at the hospital to a dark and grungy portrait of street life. Soon it is revealed how Intelligent is connected to Dr. Darlene Stokes and almost immediately your perspective begins to shift. We then go in depth into the childhood and life of Darlene. It is a submersion that is so powerful that you might find yourself actually feeling like you are inside Darlene’s head. When she banters with a parent hosting a play date we understand how much is left unsaid. We understand her as if we are her.
It is this kind of intense and breathtaking character immersion that makes this novel unique. It is crucial that you are connected to every player before the onion of the story can completely unfold. We are hooked into Josh and Dori Goldin. We are hooked into Dr. Darlene Stokes. We feel ready. And then the world explodes with three words: Munchausen by proxy.
This novel just blew me away.
Everything I know about Munchausen by proxy I have learned from television or movie plots. It is always such an obvious story line on tv and usually resolves in this tidy and absolute way. What this novel presents feels like a more authentic portrayal of this syndrome. Everything feels true. It is not tidy, nor is it absolute. It is a mosaic of characters all trying to do what’s best for a baby.
Author’s Website (really awesome insight into this author)
Amazon Link to More Than it Hurts You
Comments
9 Responses to “Mothertalk Review: More Than it Hurts You”
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Nice review! I really like how you described it as a photo mosaic.
It sounds like a great read. My next stop from here is Books-a-Million online. I’ve always been fascinated with various psychological disorders, with Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy being one of the top few. My mother actually diagnosed a case of it a few years ago.
Wow really great review that makes me want to read it.
Hey,
thanks for the kind review — I really appreciate it. Glad you liked the book, and touched that you wrote about it so nicely. You’re a great critic — and I don’t just say that because you liked the book!
Sorry to hear about your grandmother; it must be tough. But how generous of you. As for the fertility stuff, my sister had similar battles — failed iVFs, miscarriages, etc. — and she was ready to give up hope, but she got pregnant. So (I know it’s easy for me to say, but) hang in there!
Anyway, thanks so much again
-ds
Whoa. Cali has mad connections. She got a comment from the author. Sweet.
This looks really interesting, thanks Cali. I will check it out!
[...] Creating Motherhood says, “Darin Strauss’s latest book, More Than it Hurts You, is an outstanding novel that reads like what I imagine looking at a photo-mosaic feels like: characters that seem out of place up-close, but when you turn the page you step back and are blown away by the big picture.” [...]
Ok, I have to admit, I went to the author’s website after you said he was hot. How incredibly shallow and intellectually inferior am I?
I noticed on said website that GARY FUCKING OLDMAN reads the excerpt of More Than It Hurts You, which is fantastic because I love Gary Oldman and would kind of like to have the secs with him. Further googling yielded the information that Mr Strauss is working with Gary Oldman to adapt a previous book, Chang and Eng, for film. Gasp.
To slightly redeem myself, I had actually heard of Chang and Eng thanks to my time working at Large Chain Bookstore. How very literate of me indeed. That, and I knew who they were even before the book was published. So there.
Yes, I agree, it was a fascinating book! He really delved deeply into his characters, their lives, and their motivations.