Care of Wooden Floors by Will Wiles
by Jenners • 12/05/2012 • 4 Stars, C Titles, Contemporary, Fiction, Humor, W Authors • 53 Comments
Care of Wooden Floors by Will Wiles
Where I Got It: Amazon Vine
Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Humor
Why I Read It: Jackie at Farm Lane Books Blog made it seem right up my alley … and it was!
My Rating: 4 stars
Novels don’t always have to be about big important subjects like war or star-crossed romances. In the case of Care of Wooden Floors, the subject is very small and personal: taking care of a friend’s apartment when he is away. That’s it … nothing more. Our narrator (a barely making it British copywriter) arrives at an unnamed Eastern European city to take care of his composer friend Oskar’s flat. The only instructions: Feed the cats, don’t touch the piano and make sure nothing damages the wooden floors.
From this simple premise, debut novelist Will Wiles builds a steadily escalating tale of calamity and mishap wrapped in a delicious layer of black humor. Like all good slapstick, Care of Wooden Floors starts small and slowly builds—lurching from one small problem to another until everything snowballs out of control. Yet aside from the rather hasty and unsatisfying ending, the story never feels outlandish or unbelievable. Each event seems inevitable (almost preordained), and while you feel the narrator’s panic and pain as things escalate, you’re can’t help but laugh. (However, as Jackie rightly cautions, if you are a cat lover, you might not appreciate some of the narrator’s more blackly comic misadventures.)
From the prophetic and oddly specific notes left by Oskar to the steady disintegration of our narrator’s peace of mind (as well as the apartment), this book was a delight from start to finish. I immensely enjoyed it and will definitely seek out future books by this author. If you’re looking for an offbeat book that is best described as “literary slapstick,” this would be the perfect choice.
I wonder if I would like it or not– while I will laugh at a good slapstick movie they don’t usually keep my attention for long- never have read a book of one.
Well it isn’t as “dumb” as movie slapstick. It is just one small thing snowballing into another and getting more and more ridiculous … I thought it was hilarious.
I nearly didn’t click to read the review, thinking it was a manual for taking care of wooden floors… but then I thought I knew your blog better than that and decided to click through anyway. I’m glad I did now! Great review
I can pretty much guarantee that I will never review any kind of manual for actually taking care of wooden floors.
This sounds intriguing. Though I’m little nervous about the misadventures involving cats. I’m sensitive where animals are concerned.
It is a fiction book. No animals were harmed in the writing of the book.
Oh this sounds like great escape reading. I bet Mr. BFR would like this too.
It is exactly that … a good little escape, a minor but entertaining diversion.
Thank goodness this wasn’t literally about the care of wooden floors. Sounds like this would appeal to my sense of humour, thanks for sharing.
Trust me … I doubt I would EVER read a book that was actually about caring for wooden floors.
I love great reviews like this because they make me consider books I’d normally dismiss!
2 Kids and Tired Books
Especially if you thought it was a book about caring for actual wooden floors!
I’ve requested this at my library.r
I hope they have it and I hope you like it.
LOL, sometimes I am blonder than I pay to be. I saw the title Care of Wooden Floors in my reader and figured you were going to give a great tip or a “don’t do this, and I immediately thought I’ve got to read this as we (hubby and I) are discussing getting wood floors. Oh well, it does sound like a good read.
Sorry to disappoint … and you weren’t the only one to think that!!
I ADORE books like this one. Simple plots yet full of meaning. Great title too. Makes me want to read more.
I think you would like this. It is funny but dark, which seems right up your alley.
This sounds great! Thanks!
It was great … and you are welcome.
There have been times in my life where events have snowballed into catastrophe…and in the end, I did laugh – but not ’til the end.
I think I’ll have to check the library for this one – it reassures me to read of someone else’s misfortunes (fictional though they may be).
It is never funny in the midst of it — only in retrospect. I hope your library has it. I suspect it isn’t a “mainstream” book.
This sounds like something I would enjoy. My best friend is known for leaving quite detailed notebooks full of instructions on how to take care of her house and her dogs, which I sort of completely ignore
I bet this is a really fun book for when you are feeling down, and since I haven’t read a lot of literary slapstick, it seems like this would be perfect for me. Very nice review today, Jenners!
Oh you need to read this book. Your friend and Oskar in the book sound very similar — and you and the narrator sound like you have a lot in common. It might be a cautionary tale for you!
Who knew a genre called literary slapstick even existed? See why I keep coming back for more of your reviews? You reveal so much to me, oh wise one!
Sounds like a really fun read.
Well, I did kind of make up the term but it sounds good, doesn’t it? I wonder if it is a real term or if I am bona fide genius?
Sounds like a great comic read.
It was … and sometimes you just need a book like that.
I’m so pleased that you enjoyed this one too! I’m not sure I can agree that it was all realistic, but it was at least entertaining all the way through. I also agree that the ending wasn’t quite right, but I’m not sure what I’d do to improve it.I’m still feeling a guilty about laughing at the cat cruelty!
I’m so grateful I read your review as I quite enjoyed it. As I was reading, I could see these things really happening. Sure, it might have been a little absurd but it wasn’t completely outlandish. Thanks for the recommendation!
really nice wood floors are scary…as are cats…
Yes they are indeed. Don’t let Larry read this one.
This sounds like something I would definitely watch if it was a movie so I should read the book, right? I haven’t heard of this one but it sounds fun!
It might be too slight for a movie but it works perfectly as a short novel.
Very nice review! Before I read it I thought you were passing along housekeeping tips. This sounds like a book I’d also enjoy.
You’re not the only one! Quite a few folks were thrown off by the title!
Well, I’m a dog person so …
For some reason I can imagine this premise as an I Love Lucy sketch
Hmmm…you’re a dog person so you don’t mind hearing about horrific things happening to cats?
Literary slapstick! Now that sounds interesting
I’m putting this on my list!
It is possible I coined that term but it really felt like it to me!
I can just imagine all the bad things that would happen to those floors if I was the one apartment sitting. This sounds fun!
Me too! The things we have managed to do to our own floors and countertops over the years gives me pause.
This book sounds enjoyable – and what an interesting premise. Dark comedy always wins me over.
It is my favorite kind of comedy.
I do enjoy black humor, but I hesitate because of the cat business. After all, now that I have three grandcats, I’ve grown quite fond of the creatures.
Well, it is all in “good” fun. And no cats were harmed in the writing of the book.
I am chuckling. I was thinking “oh good, I need help with mine.” I should have known you generally don’t review “how to” manuals but one never knows.
You weren’t alone in thinking that!! The post title threw off more than one person!
This sounds different, I would have never thought to read it because of that cover, but your review surely makes me want to pick it up.
Yeah … the cover isn’t inspiring but the book was a delightful little gem.
Hi friend. Catching up on your reviews and thought I would let you know I finished The Slap. I really enjoyed the book and style of writing. I have to say I wasn’t thrilled that they ened the story on Richie. I have also never wanted to slap a character more than Rosie!!! Thanks again for the great read….I will be passing it along.
I’m glad you enjoyed the book. It was different, wasn’t it? And Rosie … yeah, she deserved a bit of a slap. Glad you’ll be finding it a new home. If I don’t “talk” to you before then, have a wonderful holiday season.
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