Review: "Worst. Person. Ever," by Douglas Coupland
Douglas Coupland is a damn genius. You just know the book is going to be good when the book jacket literally has a disclaimer on it saying "Viewer Discretion Is Advised." Distilled down, Worst. Person. Ever. is essentially a novel about a man (Raymond) who goes through life getting shit on at every turn. Throughout, Raymond experiences all the real life issues we go through, but he experiences them during a global nuclear crisis, while navigating life on an island in the middle of nowhere with his ex-wife and a homeless man he recently met. This book is actually LMAO funny at points. Coupland is really in touch with contemporary humour, and he didn't shy away from a single taboo subject. He talks a lot about sex (self pleasure and orgies alike), he uses every swear word and swear combo imaginable, and he even manages to tackle a little bit of politics. W.P.E is a commentary on life. Although it may seem exaggerated at times, really there isn't a single thing that happens to Raymond that doesn't happen to someone out there in the world. And even though we are not currently experiencing a nuclear crisis, we certainly have in the past, and more than likely will in the future. Raymond has his heart broken multiple times, he falls in love multiple times, and he experiences a twentygy (an orgy with 20 people). Coupland shines a light on how small the world is; Raymond just so happens to keep running into people from his past, and under the worst possible circumstances imaginable. Now, I would caution anyone who is easily offended (which I doubt many of my fellow Goodreaders out there are) because there are certainly things in those pages that could mark someone the wrong way. But if you approach this novel with an open mind, you can actually see the likeability of Raymond, even through his hard outer shell and outward persona. I was able to see a lot of myself in him, which I found surprising. He has many redeemable qualities. I think this book's sweet spot was shining a spotlight on the insecurities of certain people and how those insecurities manifest. For Raymond, he puts on a tough outer shell, but on the inside he has emotions and feelings like the rest of us. He feels shame and embarrassment and even guilt. Happiness and jealousy. It's all there. It's a reminder that, even though someone may appear one way on the outside, they may be completely different on the inside. What I loved about the ending was that it all worked out for Raymond. For me, the lesson here was that we may all be going through awful things in our own lives, but in the end its all going to be okay. Great literature teaches you something about yourself, and this book taught me to take a deep breath, relax, and realise it's all going to work out in the end. On the writing: Coupland is a rare talent; sheesh that man can write a sentence. I flew through the pages, constantly on my toes, wondering what the heck was going to happen next. His writing is fluid, almost inhumanely so. The novel runs through your mind like you're watching it on the big screen. Coupland is one of those authors that deserves a broader audience than he has. I can't wait to read another one of his books.
