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36th out of 380 books
—
141 voters
In a Fishbone Church
When Clifford Stilton dies, his son gene crams his carefully kept diaries into a hall cupboard. But Clifford's words have too much life in them to be ignored, and start to permeate his family's world. In a Fishbone Church tells the story of three generations of the Stilton family, woven together with brilliance and subtlety, spanning continents and decades. From the Berlin...more
Paperback, 271 pages
Published
by Picador USA
(first published May 1st 1998)
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This book is not widely available in the United States and I had a difficult time finding reviews and a copy of the book. Many of the reviews I did read covered the like and dislike of the book. There is no obvious plot or resolution, which makes "in a fishbone church" such an enjoyable read. I was reminded of my own experiences with my grandparents' quirks, parents aging, and moving away just to get away. It almost seems like this would be a memoir written by someone with a fairly normal childh...more
hmm, my 2nd NZ book in a row, and also a bit turned upside down and playing with both time and perspective (as did "the rehearsal"). i was initially worried that there would be many whole chapters written in this rather dry, choppy old man's dairy entries, but turns out there was just the one. (was that a forgotten motif, or a mirror of how random life can be, with threads easily picked up and then abandoned?)
for a book preoccupied with death, it was surprisingly funny (relatively speaking). i l...more
for a book preoccupied with death, it was surprisingly funny (relatively speaking). i l...more
There is a lot to like about this novel: it is crisply written, engaging, and contains some memorable characters and incidents. Its chief weakness is that it starts out focusing on one character, family patriarch Clifford Stilton, but ends up being more about his children and grandchildren. They are supposed to be under the influence of Clifford and his diary, but that influence never adds up to anything conclusive.[return][return]The novel is strongly reminiscent of a family memoir. Elizabeth J...more
When Clifford Stilton dies, his son, Gene, inherits his carefully kept diaries which talk about his rock collections and his life. The book leaps back and forwards over the three generations; his wife Etta, their two daughters, Bridget and Christina. Strangely nothing much happens yet it is so well written and so satisfying to read. Her first novel.
This is Chidgey's fish book and her best. It is pretty standard NZ fare - and will fill a hole in your afternoon. Her later works fall off the pace somewhat.
Read as part of compass journey page
Very odd. I did not finish it.
Apr 15, 2013
Ðɑηηɑ
marked it as li_unfiltered
Mar 25, 2013
Sue Strickland
marked it as to-read
Dec 23, 2012
Margaret
marked it as to-read
Nov 13, 2012
Ellinor
marked it as to-read
Nov 01, 2012
Julia
marked it as to-read
Aug 16, 2012
anonymous
marked it as to-read
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Catherine Chidgey (1970 –) is a novelist and short story writer whose first novel, In a Fishbone Church, was a critically acclaimed multi-award winner, and a New Zealand bestseller.
Born and raised in Lower Hutt, Chidgey was educated at Victoria University, and in Berlin, where she held a DAAD scholarship for post-graduate study in German literature
More about Catherine Chidgey...
Born and raised in Lower Hutt, Chidgey was educated at Victoria University, and in Berlin, where she held a DAAD scholarship for post-graduate study in German literature
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