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14th out of 16 books
—
6 voters
The Dubious Salvation of Jack V.: A Novel
by
Jacques Strauss (Goodreads Author)
For eleven-year-old Jack Viljee, apartheid Johannesburg is a rational and simple place. Whether he’s picking fights with his little sister or fretting over his possibly gay best friend, Jack can always depend upon Susie, his family’s black maid, for a word of sympathy and approval.The Viljee household, in its small way, mimics the politics of South Africa.But Jack’s little...more
ebook, 256 pages
Published
August 30th 2011
by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
(first published May 1st 2011)
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A sort of short coming of age novel that I think wants to be a South African version of Huck Finn; we get a young man born to privilege in SA who has to sort of grow beyond the racism and classicism of his experience, through, as it turns out, his love for his nanny, Susie.
I don't think it totally works, honestly-- Jack is never as interesting as Huck, for starters, as likeable. I think for the critique to work, it's important that Jack comes from privilege, but it also makes him a bit unlikeabl...more
I don't think it totally works, honestly-- Jack is never as interesting as Huck, for starters, as likeable. I think for the critique to work, it's important that Jack comes from privilege, but it also makes him a bit unlikeabl...more
Jacques Strauss
The Dubious Salvation of Jack V.
(New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 2011)
It’s hard not to love the very existence of a funny South African novel, especially one that includes Apartheid. But the brilliance of the novel is not that you laugh out loud in the face of darkness. Rather this book succeeds because it manages to exist both as a compelling novel about eleven-year-old Jack and his betrayal of his housekeeper Susie—his “second mother”—and as a not-overbearing philosophical...more
The Dubious Salvation of Jack V.
(New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 2011)
It’s hard not to love the very existence of a funny South African novel, especially one that includes Apartheid. But the brilliance of the novel is not that you laugh out loud in the face of darkness. Rather this book succeeds because it manages to exist both as a compelling novel about eleven-year-old Jack and his betrayal of his housekeeper Susie—his “second mother”—and as a not-overbearing philosophical...more
Snappy writing here, and I learned a lot about South Africa, from a certain standpoint. It would be an excellent novel to read as an antidote to Coetzee et al (see also the notes on Vladislavic's novels, which have the same function). Strauss had a very different upbringing, and that shows brilliantly here: he was "half English, half Afrikans" and grew up very privileged. His sense of race, history, land, and place are wonderfully divergent from Vladislavic's.[return][return]But this isn't quite...more
Jacques Strauss' novel sees apartheid-era South Africa through the eyes of Jack Vilijee; a mollycoddled, middle class and thoroughly muddled up eleven year old boy. With a Boer Father, English Mother, a sexually confused best friend and a black maid called Susie to whom he devotes as much love and reverence as he would his own mother, Jack, a boy who has never been completely comfortable with the idea of having black servants (unlike his Boer friends), is thoroughly confused. Confusion that, upo...more
3.5 stars.
I picked up The Dubious Salvation of Jack V. in our resort's convenience store whilst on our honeymoon, and was so intrigued by the blurb (and the cool cover), I impulsively bought it.
I knew nothing about the book going in - in more ways than one. Not only was I completely unaware of the book itself, I embarrasingly knew very little about its setting - South Africa during apartheid. Of course, I had a vague understanding of what had happened - I knew about the racial segregation and N...more
I picked up The Dubious Salvation of Jack V. in our resort's convenience store whilst on our honeymoon, and was so intrigued by the blurb (and the cool cover), I impulsively bought it.
I knew nothing about the book going in - in more ways than one. Not only was I completely unaware of the book itself, I embarrasingly knew very little about its setting - South Africa during apartheid. Of course, I had a vague understanding of what had happened - I knew about the racial segregation and N...more
I received this book for free through Good Reads First Read, and it wasn't something I would normally pick up in a bookstore. However, I enjoyed it immensely. Not only was it an interesting story, but also gave a lot of insight into the history, politics and culture of South Africa as seen through the eyes of an 11-year-old boy.
The main character and narrator, Jack V, was likeable although extremely flawed. Although South African culture is an important element of this book, Jack is also just a...more
The main character and narrator, Jack V, was likeable although extremely flawed. Although South African culture is an important element of this book, Jack is also just a...more
May 15, 2011
Lins
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Philip Roth fans, people who want a more modern and relevant PeeKay (The Power of One)
The Dubious Salvation of Jack V. is a South African Portnoy's Complaint. It examines a sexuality, ethics, race and culture, politics, guilt and discrimination within the setting of a middle-to-upper class Johannesburg family, the Viljee's, and the family of their maid, Susie.
The frank discussion of masturbation and the preoccupation of an 11 year old boy with this and other bodily functions may be a bit much for some readers. Along with this is a concentration on the violence of the society arou...more
The frank discussion of masturbation and the preoccupation of an 11 year old boy with this and other bodily functions may be a bit much for some readers. Along with this is a concentration on the violence of the society arou...more
I had the feeling that the novel kept building up to something but couldn´t deliver. It has too many characters and the ones that are most important (Susie, Percy) are not fleshed-out enough. Maybe this is also because I couldn´t understand the many political references and have little feeling with the historical context. I could appreciate the tongue-in-cheek humour that portrays the depraved psyche of an eleven year old boy. This novel may be flawed, but Jacques Strauss is still a talented new...more
Jack V. is an un-likeable 11-year-old who has a lot to say. In between his observations (and obsessions) about death, executions, sex, and disfigured bodies, Jack has some insightful things to say about the larger issues of race, class, politics, and God. In that way, the book succeeds--even though I still don't like him. Then again, I'm sure most 11-year-olds (or my 11-year-old self) are annoying.
This book was the literary equivalent of a blind date who is reasonably attractive, but like, has chronic halitosis. It has potential, but never really measures up. It builds the reader up, hinting at some horrible betrayal, and there are several sign posts throughout that suggest a messy turn of events that change all the characters' lives, but that never happens. It's just the overreaction of a spoiled brat, and the other less memorable characters are barely affected. BOO.
This was a nice quick read after spending over 2 weeks on Augie March. I just picked it off the library shelf - no recommendations given. Maybe the yellow cover called to me?
Narrated by an 11 year old boy in South Africa, it was at times a funny insight to boys of this age. I think this was a good first novel and I hope the author plans on writing more books in the future.
Narrated by an 11 year old boy in South Africa, it was at times a funny insight to boys of this age. I think this was a good first novel and I hope the author plans on writing more books in the future.
So I didn't actually finish this, but after talking about it at book club and having read 60%, I think I'm good...
There were some funny parts and I think there's depth to the story, but very minimal plot and I just didn't care to read all the details (since other people told me how it ended).
There were some funny parts and I think there's depth to the story, but very minimal plot and I just didn't care to read all the details (since other people told me how it ended).
a fun short enough read. a great visit into daily life in south africa. another book narrated by a young boy...a great voice...but in the end,the book isnt that complicated.
I think this will go down as a favorite. The writing style is effortless and engaging, and although I'm normally a slow and easily-distracted reader, I couldn't put it down. The narrator is (often uncomfortably) honest about what it's like to be 11, and although the themes are universal, we're given a glimpse into South Africa from a perspective I haven't before seen. This book is a rare find - a fast and easy read that's also thought-provoking and uncompromising in its literary integrity.
This book disgusted me...
Well that was a waste of my time. Nothing happened. It was a story about a boy growing up... sort of. All I really gained from this book is learning just how screwed up South Africans were. Those were some racist, racist people. Wow.
Witty, honest, and as inconclusive as life. Jack's sense of self, of shame, of memory, of embarrassing fears: it confirms and comforts.
Too bad that Jack and Petrus lost track of each other --
Too bad that Jack and Petrus lost track of each other --
I read this book during Jury Duty and it made time go by at a pleasant rate. I found Jack to be an entertaining character, and very serious for his age.
I enjoyed this book thoroughly. So thoroughly, that I would put off skommeling for hours at a time, just to read more.
Apr 04, 2013
Marty
marked it as to-read
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I was born and raised in South Africa and lived in New Zealand for a few years. I moved to London in 2005. In my twenties, I was a failed playwright but when I turned thirty, I decided this was undignified and decided to become a failed author instead. This seemed more glamorous. But then hey - I got published: UK May 19 2011 (Cape); US August 30 2011 (FSG).
During the day I'm a freelance digital...more
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