This is a quick read and I wavered between 3.5 and 4 stars. The voice of the protagonist is authentic and I have a liking for desperate hopeless characters . I also like first person narrative. Ray is a loser but you want him to win. Ultimately he probably fails, which is inevitable. Some great scenes and lines which had me laughing out loud. The middle section of the book (London riots) didn’t hold my interest but improved when things returned to the relationship dramas. ( )

If you are a regular reader of my blog or of my reviews, you know my love for Tin House books. I tend to enjoy them because they stick with me and continue to unfold the more I think about them. I was excited to receive a copy of The Adulterants from them for review, but I will say it has not been my favorite.

The book flows, almost dream like as Ray Morris goes from place to place throughout the book. He goes from cheating on his wife, Garthene, to being part of a looting incident, and into other conversations and adventures.

Ray is in a state of arrested development as he must grow up, but almost refuses to. He is not a man of great character (in the book) and at times can be almost unbearable. He is a guy you want to see fail.

As a praise, I would say that is a draw of this book. Ray is not great. Through his immaturity, we are forced to examine our own lives. We ask the questions around what makes one grown up?

The drawback is it is difficult to be with Ray. There are anti heroes who are terrible, but kind of fun to be around and there are anti heroes, who you do not want to spend much time with. For me, Ray was the later. I didn’t care if he succeeded or even got his comeuppance. It was a tough read for me.

I gave this one 3.5 stars.
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A comic story, but with bitter undertones, Dunthorne’s tale charts the struggle of Ray as he tries to buy a property together with his wife Garthene in East London. Dunthorne captures Ray’s precarious position, his employment as a n internet journalist uncertain, which makes their mortgage prospects more difficult and fuels his growing resentment as his friends escape renting and also his parents who live a comfortable life in Suffolk. The fates seem to conspire against Ray as he gets caught up in a riot near their home and his attempts to deal lightly with events only put him in a more difficult situation. Dunthorne deftly paints Ray’s increasingly desperate responses to events around him and in an engaging novel, raises some sympathy for him, despite his ineptitude, sometimes adolescent behaviour and his lack of awareness of Garthene’s needs.

Following the life of the hapless millennial Ray as his life falls apart, but he's determined to keep positive. Often really funny, but touching too. Read my full review on my blog Bookpost - http://annabookbel.net/joe-dunthorne-adulterants-wales-readathon-dewithon#commen... ( )

This book does not give much insight into the human condition, but damn is it funny. Recommended. ( )