The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris
by Jenners • 10/14/2010 • 4.5 Stars, Dystopia, F Authors, Fiction, U Titles • 69 Comments
The Unnamed by Joshua FerrisReagan Arthur/Little Brown & Company, 2010
320 pages
Genre: Thriller? Personal Dystopia?
My Rating: 4.5 stars (Make Time For This One)
Imagine that, one day, you are compelled to start walking. You HAVE to walk. You walk for hours until you collapse from exhaustion. The compulsion to walk can strike at any time, in any weather. You might be in the middle of a work meeting. You might be sitting at home talking to your wife. You don’t want to walk, but you’re forced to by some compulsion that no medical doctor can detect or define. And it seems like you might be the only one in the world who has this compulsion.
Imagine that you are married to a man who suffers from this walking compulsion. At any time of day or night, he might disappear from your home. Frantic, you drive your car searching for him. Sometimes you find him sleeping in a pile of snow, half-frozen, miles from your suburban home. Other times you have to wait until you receive a phone call telling you where he is. You love him … you really do. But this walking compulsion is difficult to understand. What is making him do this? Why can’t the doctors figure it out? Is this a mental illness? Is he faking it? Sometimes the stress of living with the uncertainty of his affliction is too much to handle. But then the compulsion disappears. Life gets back to normal. Until one day, “it” starts again.
This is the life of Tim and Jane Farnsworth. As the book opens, the walking has started again for the third time after stopping for a few years. As readers, we’re plunged right into the thick of it—with Tim and Jane struggling to keep it together and maintain the life they’ve built since the last time “it” happened. Alternating between Tim and Jane’s perspectives, the book explores how Tim’s walking affects their lives, their marriage, and the life of their only daughter—who is just now beginning to fully understand what her father and mother have gone through.
I started this book early one evening, was quickly sucked in, and finished it in one night. I felt as compelled to read it as Tim was compelled to walk. The details on how Tim and Jane try to manage his walking were fascinating and horrible. And the choices that each makes to try and keep Tim’s compulsion from destroying their lives were simultaneously tragic and heroic. My heart broke when Tim decided to try and spare Jane the continued horror of his affliction, and it broke again when he struggled to return to her in a time of need.
When I began reading, I was reminded of Stephen King’s story, The Long Walk, which is wildly different but involves forced walking. (In the story, teenage boys are forced to walk until they are the last one standing or risk being shot to death.) When reading King’s story, I was fascinated with the idea of being forced to walk far beyond what your body could take or endure. I rekindled that fascination when reading about Tim’s walking. Ferris does a wonderful job of making the walking “come alive.” At times, I felt like I was out there with Tim…tramping by empty fields or down the sides of abandoned highways. The logistics of how Tim and Jane try to cope with the walking interested me too. It was impossible for me not to imagine myself in Tim’s place. What would I do if this happened to me? Interestingly, I never really imagined myself as Jane. In many ways, being Jane seemed like the more horrifying position to be in, which I think says something about me but I’m not sure what.
This felt like such an original book. When trying to figure out what “genre” to put it in, I was flummoxed. Is this is a thriller? In a way— but it doesn’t really capture the depth and “literariness” of the book. I finally decided it was a Personal Dystopia. In most dystopian books, we see an entire world that is negative or horrifying. In this book, only Tim and Jane experience the dystopia. Their world is ripped apart in a way that no one else can fully comprehend or define. At one point, Tim wishes he suffered from something that was “named” and “known”—like cancer—something you could explain to someone and they could understand or sympathize with.
I loved this book. It was dark and bleak and haunting and compelling. If you’re looking for something different to read and what I’ve described sounds intriguing, give this book a try. I imagine you’ll find it as haunting and compelling as I did. (Just a word of caution: Don’t start it if you don’t have time to finish it any time soon. If you’re like me, you won’t be able to stop reading. It really was “unputdownable.”)
What are other book bloggers saying about this book? Find out at the Book Blogs Search Engine.
The Whys and Wheres: I bought this book for my Kindle after reading this review on The Book Lady’s Blog.
Note: I am an Amazon Affiliate and earn a percentage of sales if you buy a product using Amazon links on my site. So, if you do, thank you!
I bought this book at the airport on my way to New Orleans. I never got around to reading it but after reading your review I sure wish I would have!
You would have been so wrapped up you would have forgotten to get off the plane.
When the length stops scaring me away I’m sure I will love this one.
Jenners you are great at these reviews and often intrigue me to pick up the book. Books are you most definitely. I am currently lost in ROOM and would love to have the time to sit and read for many hours until done. I don’t think I’ve been able to read a book in one day since 2001,
. Now I’m married and don’t have the luxury of lazing in bed all day and reading as long as I want, he would not understand, oh well. Much better than being alone. :0)
I’m reading ROOM now too!!! I’m finding it so different and amazing so far. It is living up to all the hype I’ve heard about it.
And reading really is my “thing” … I kind of kept those parts of me separate when I had the two blogs and now my two selves are united again! : )
I really liked this book as well. It was so original and kept me hooked. Great review!
I’m so interested to read his other books now.
Sounds fabulous – I want to read it!
Jenners, your review does compel me to look into this one. Sounds good and many of your commenters seem to agree.
Yes … I was not alone in liking this book. Always nice when others who have read the book liked it as much as I did. Gives me credibility. HAHA!
I thought this one was completely addictive too. It was his relationship with his wife and daughter that really hooked me.
By the way, if you’d like to participate, I’ve tagged you. Check it out here…
http://avidreader25.blogspot.com/2010/10/tagged-one-year.html
Glad you felt the same way. I’ll have to check out and see if I want to be “it.” : 0
Personal Dystopia…interesting idea. I read about this book before but the descriptions did not grab me..now you have made it sound intriguing.
Do you think I can get credit for coining a new term? : )
sure..just find out who is in charge of such things and tell them!
I’ve picked up this one many times and have not yet read it. Your glowing review makes me anxious now. Thanks jenners
You’re welcome … and I’ll be anxious to see what you think if you read it.
This sounds nothing if not original! And you know, despite seeing it around the blog world a lot I actually had no idea what it was about. But after what you did here, encouraging us to imagine it happening to us, I’m really not likely to forget!
It is wildly different and involving. And I guess I hit on a new way to review books!
Like a previous commenter, I was reminded of The Time Traveler’s Wife when reading this review. I’m putting this on my to-read list. I’ve been looking for a compelling read.
I’m just kicking myself that I — who loved Time Traveler’s Wife so much — did not see the similarities.
Why do you do this to me!!??? I already have several books I read about here sitting in my TBR pile!
Figured since you read this one on your Kindle I’d better go on and get it. Just linked to Amazon from your page and one-clicked it.
Oh … I love you! You’re so kind!
And it is my mission in life to torture you by giving you an endless supply of books that you HAVE to read. HAHA!
oh my goodness! best. review. ever. i hung on every word. but i’m weirs about books, like that! i *think* it’s reminding me a bit of “time traveller’s wife,” which i loved. to pieces. can you read my mind and guess why? this is going on my to-read list. right now.
You aren’t the first one to mention Time Travelers Wife!!! So funny … it didn’t even occur to me until you mentioned it and a previous commenter. Is it because of the abrupt and unexpected absences? I love Time Traveler’s Wife too … but I never made the connection myself.
it is! also from the wife’s perspective, how would that be to be doing what you do and then poof! gone, changed, whatever. again, this is a fave review of mine!
I need this disease so I can be thin and svelte. This one is still on my TBR list.
You and me both! : )
It would be ideal if I was afflicted with this walking compulsion just one hour a day (preferably during daylight hours).
I just won this book over at Dar’s blog, and I am so excited about it. The reviews have been incredible, and I know it’s one that I am going to want to sit and savor for hours once I pick it up. The walking affliction sounds like such a strange thing, but from what I hear Ferris really makes it work. Fabulous review! I am so glad to hear that it was such a compelling read for you.
How cool that you won it! Ferris does a wonderful job making something that seems kind of “silly” work incredibly well. And it is a book you’ll think about once you’re done. Looking forward to seeing your thoughts on it.
I listened to this on audio, and while I liked it, I had a hard time loving it. It made me so depressed. But 98% of bloggers did love it for the depiction of the relationship, the uniqueness of the plot, and the ambiguity of the “disease”. I guess that is what touched me the deepest was that I have friends whose kids have an unnamed affliction and I know what their life is like, trying to get help, trying to find support.
It was depressing … one of those books that is hard to say that you “loved” in a way. I can’t even imagine having to deal with an unnamed affliction in real life … how hard that must be. I’m sure this struck a nerve for you.
Wonderful review! I’ve read several reviews and I feel like yours helped flesh out the story for me more. I have had this one on my list for a while now and hope to read it at some point soon.
Thanks. I remember reading reviews and not getting exactly what it was about but being intrigued by the walking aspect. Wish I could give my copy to you. I guess that is the downside of the Kindle.
Sounds like a good read. On my wishlist, and I have bookmarked this page so I can buy it through your affiliate link once I am ready!
Oh … you’re very sweet. Thanks!
I listened to this book and enjoyed it very much. You wrote an excellent review of the book.
Thanks … and I think I need to listen to this book one day as well.
I love your genre classifications! I listened to this one on audio while on a road trip alone, and it was so lovely!
I could imagine this might be a good listen on a solo road trip. So many people said they listened to it on audio … it makes me wish I had listened to it too. I’m sure it provides a different experience for the book.
It was nice to picture him walking next to the car, but I also wish I would have read it in print because there were some passages I wanted to write down. Ferris is such a good writer, and admittedly, I’m not the biggest audio book fan, but literary fiction is not my favorite audio genre because I love to reread poetic passages.
That is a good point. It is nice to have a “real” copy to mark passages and such.
I have this one in audio — ironically saving it to listen to when I . . . walk. LOL
So funny! It would be an interesting one to listen to when you walk. But if you find yourself walking further and further each day, you might want to stop listening! : )
Dang!!! I MUST read this one! Wowza! You made it sound really, really good. I can’t even imagine a life like that.
It is soooo good. It was such an involving story at so many levels.
I just checked my library’s online catalogue – they have the book, I’ll be picking it up today!
Cool! And I bet you’ll be returning it in just a few days after you devour it! Can’t wait to hear what you think.
I’ve read a similar book and in the end the medical profession gave a diaganosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Thanks for the recommendation Jenners, this sounds like a worth while read. The book (what was it called?) that I read concentrated too much on the medical side of things rather than the personal so perhaps I will enjoy this more.
This book deals almost exclusively with the emotional side. It was such an involving read … and his compulsion goes far beyond OCD.
Sounds like an interesting book. In a way, your review reminded me of the Time Traveler’s Wife in that they had to deal with his sudden disappearances.
Yes! That aspect of the book is very similar. The stresses of dealing with his disappearances were similar in feel. Good thought!
I have this book on CD to listen to but I haven’t been on a long enough car ride by myself to actually hear the story…I think I may need to break down and get it for my kindle and just re-gift the CD’s to someone, somewhere…or perhaps a giveaway. I just know after all the reviews I’ve read on this book I will want to fly through it to see what happens next – I’m one of those incredibly impatient readers that will stay up all night long to finish a book and be absolutely miserable the next day, but by golly I found out what happened, lol!
I think you need to plan a long vacation for yourself that involves driving!! : )
I need just a little bit of his compulsion…it would make exercising a heck of a lot easier!
I hear you! If only I was compelled to exercise just an hour a day … things would be so much better in the belly and butt area!
This sounds really fascinating. I might have to pick it up. By the way, are you still writing your fabulous funny life stories? I miss them!
Thanks for the reminder. I need to get back on track chronicling my “amazing” life. : )
I don’t know, I don’t know…. But I too love the personal dystopia label.
I think you’d really like this! And I’m going to start charging for the use of the personal dystopia label! HAHA!
I listened to it as well (read by the author). I really liked it. I also liked his book Then We Came to the End (recommended).
I like the Personal Dystopia tag!
I think “personal dystopia” will be a new genre!
I want to try more Joshua Ferris books so I’ll check the one you recommended. Thanks!
I haven’t heard a lot about this book, but what I have heard has been uniformly positive. It’s such an intriguing premise, and it sounds like it’s well done, too!
I love the label “Personal Dystopia” for this kind of book. It gives it a kind of weight beyond “thriller” but still makes it clear the book isn’t your ordinary novel.
It is very well done. And I’m glad that “personal dystopia” resonated with you.
I listened to this book and I was sucked in as well! What a story – I loved the exploration of relationships in the book.
Me too! I got so involved in this story. It was so well done. I’m curious to check out his other books now.
I’ve heard of this book a lot but never knew what it was about. It sounds interesting.
You know, I’ve wondered why you weren’t putting pictures on your reviews the last few weeks, and now I see it’s just that they’re not coming through on the feed! Strange! Pictures always help me to focus on the review (though I couldn’t say why) so it’s good to know they’re still here to look at.
The way I set up the new blog has pictures as “featured images” … and it looked weird to have the picture and then to have it again right under it. I do like having a picture in the feeds … I’ll have to think about how to get around that.
I’m not sure my theme has that capability. I’ve had to learn some html for my images. The way wordpress imbeds them is weird so they show up in the feed oddly unless it’s centered. I’ve learned how to make it appear the same as it used to in blogger now, finally!