Michael O'Dell is hit by a car. When he doesn't die, he is surprised and pleased. But he can't seem to move from the crash position. He can't concentrate, or control his anger and grief, or work out what to do about anything much. His wife Wendy is heroically supportive but his teenage children don't help his post-accident angst: daughter Rosie punches out a vindictive schoolmate and all hell breaks loose; son Declan is found with a stash of illicit drugs. A strange policeman starts harrassing the family and ordinary mishaps take on a sinister desperation. To top it all off, Michael's professional life starts to crumble.
With this funny, compelling novel about love, family and the precarious business of being a man, Mark Lamprell's extraordinary debut examines the terrible truth: sometimes you can't pull yourself together until you've completely fallen apart.
Read Caroline Baum Review
When Michael O'Dell is hit by a car he is not seriously injured. But although he is pleased to have been so lucky, somehow his life goes off and tilts at an angle, making it hard to recover his internal equilibrium. Small things niggle and soon seem bigger. His daughter is having problems at school and his son is keeping a stash of drugs in his room. A policeman starts harassing the family and Michael can't quite get his working mojo as a film critic back.
As the narrator of his own melt down, Michael is charming, funny and self-deprecating, making this is a very likeable, amusing debut about what it means to fall apart.
About the Author
Mark Lamprell has worked in film and television for many years. He co-wrote the film Babe Pig in the City and wrote and directed the award-winning feature My Mother Frank. His most recent project is the movie musical Goddess, which he co-wrote and directed. The Full Ridiculous is his first novel.
Industry Reviews
'Gorgeous and heartfelt...The Full Ridiculous is a portrait of individual crisis and family dysfunctionality. But although Michael's family is on the edge, their collective situation never degenerates into the brutally satirical world of, say, the Joy family in Peter Carey's Bliss. Although the story hovers on the cusp of seriously dark territory, Lamprell chooses a gentler path, one closer to Graeme Simsion's highly successful recent comic novel, The Rosie Project. Ultimately, The Full Ridiculous is a story about a family's love and durability.' * Weekend Australian *
'The Full Ridiculous will appeal to readers of quirky, contemporary fiction such as The Rosie Project and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. It reminds us that sometimes, to really appreciate the beautiful highs of life, you need to hit rock bottom first.' * Bookseller & Publisher *
'This is a funny, thought-provoking and ultimately inspiring tale that will have the reader thinking about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, adoption, self-worth, suicide, peer pressure, unconditional love, self-delusion and hospital ceilings. An outstanding debut novel.' -- Fantastic Fiction blog
'Mark Lamprell's debut novel, The Full Ridiculous is laugh-out-loud funny from page one. Pacey, wry and observant, this is a novel set to tickle a fair few funny-bones.' -- The Hoopla
'A fast-paced and witty take on the highs and lows of modern family life.' * Good Reading *
'Lamprell's novel shows a deft touch. His writing is serious and wise, but is underpinned by a great sense of humour...This is a short breezy novel, easy to read...I love it.' * Waikato Times *
'A stunning debut.' * Courier Mail/Herald Sun/Sunday Territorian *
'A very funny and truthful novel.' * Kirkus Reviews *
'This is a delightful book, that I found virtually impossible to put down. The vast majority of it was consumed in one sitting. It is tightly crafted, tautly honed and touchingly haunting. At the end, it leaves you hoping for a little bit more. Except that, really, it has provided you with just enough.' -- Bookshelf Reviews blog
