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He makes every character so broken and wonderful and captivating, and this was the perfect book to showcase that talent with. Having reached the age of forty, he's an eeny bit overweight and feeling more than a little disillusioned. It’s hard to read the novel without reflecting on where his knowledge of suicidal thoughts came from (Watson has been quite open in the past about his struggles with his own mental health) but I thought this made the writing feel completely authentic. Edinburgh holds a special place in James’s heart, a place he visited regularly with his father Alan, prior to his death.
From his estranged sister, now living in Australia, to his widowed Mother, his ex-girlfriend, ex-best friend and his current flatmate, everyone has their own reaction to the message. One of Mark Watson's previous novels, Eleven, is counted amongst my favourites and I enjoy both his humour and his writing.
And they all recount memories of their time together and look back on what exactly went wrong, and what exactly this message means to them. My precis: someone threatens to do something, then nothing happens for a good 90% of the book before a different thing happens that feels inappropriate and unsatisfactory. James Chiltern boards the 23:50 sleeper train from London to Edinburgh with two pork pies, six beers and a packet of chocolate digestives. He opens up an important conversation, particularly perhaps for some men struggling with loneliness, body image and self-worth. However its not the big disasters that crack him, but the multitude of small sadnesses and loneliness that grind him down.
Of course the book is about those ‘left behind’ as much as James and we spend time with his sister Sally as well as his mother Jean. We learn all about him from his contacts, and learn quickly that this is not someone doing this for attention. I never imagined loving this book as much as I did and although it did take me a while to get through (purely because I need to be in the right state of mind to read something so heavy), it was amazing and truly heartbreaking.In January he'd received just two texts in an entire week, and one of them was to offer him two-for one pizzas if he replied with the word PEPPERONI. This book is an interesting one, it deals primarily with suicide and so it is a heavy book but Mark Watson (who is also a comedian) manages to infuse this book with some lighthearted moments as well. I was emotionally invested in the outcome, and found the prose very readable, despite some minor head hopping. It's realistic, I guess, that someone suicidal wouldn't do a complete 180 over the course of a single day.
Update: I'm knocking off a star because now I have some distance, the first thing that springs to mind looking back is how crummy and unsatisfactory the ending was. The book then reveals with how his contacts deal with the news and, in flashback, how he came to be in such a sorry state. One aspect of Contacts that I enjoyed was the use of technology as a force for good; building a safety net around James even as he travels north completely unaware of what is unfolding across the globe from Berlin to Melbourne. Mark Watson is probably best known for his comedy work, having been one of the most diligently hard-working and hilarious comedians on the circuit for ages. James is a wonderful creation, someone pushed to the very limits and doing something incredibly extreme.
I’ve read novels by comedians who are determined to make every sentence a punchline, but Watson knows how to deliver them and when to hold back. The end of the book doesn't acknowledge the people who helped him, even his friend who is with him after he doesn't kill himself. I knew this book would be emotionally heavy for me, but I found the plot so intriguing that I had to give it a go. Watson has shown us that although we might often regret the way human interaction has changed for the worse with the emergence and prevalence of various technologies, it is those same technologies that can make all the difference in times of crisis.
In particular, I really felt for James’ mum, who didn’t really use a mobile or social media and so was completely cut off from her son in all sorts of different ways and had to rely on others to ascertain where he might be. Chapters where James is reflecting on his life are interspersed with chapters revealing the responses and, often regrets, of James’ close contacts. Just to say at the outset that this novel deals with the subject of suicide, a sensitive subject for some no doubt. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.His partner has left him, he no longer speaks to his sister or best mate, and he's just lost his job. For all ebook purchases, you will be prompted to create an account or login with your existing HarperCollins username and password.
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