The Bastard Club

This book is a seriously – and comically – good read! Although it’s set in the early noughties, it doesn’t feel dated at all, except for the references to CD Roms, which made me feel quite nostalgic. But the main theme – ‘male resurgence’/toxic masculinity/what it means to be a man in today’s world – is still very much alive and kicking. Skilfully, what could be a heavy topic is handled with a light, extremely humorous touch, not just in the description of the different situations and characters, but above all when beautifully replicating the analytical thought processes of the main character and the messes he gets himself into and out of, and into… I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions, especially due to the author’s subtle and witty use of language. The book has all the elements of a best-seller – credible and gripping plot, several interweaving storylines, a strong romantic theme and a certain moral edginess. I found myself missing my evening read of it when I’d finished. And one last thing: if you read it on the train you may raise a few eyebrows by the shouty title itself and the striking yellow-pink-black colouring of the cover.

This is a terrific book - such a satisfying development of characters struggling to understand themselves and their motivations as they work through conflicted relationships and the wreckage of past affairs. The false but tempting promises of male self-assertion are explored with care, and the romance plot that drives it is full of twists. The writing is skillful and pleasurable. The whole thing achieves so much more depth than is customary or required in contemporary fiction.

Known a few bastards in your time? Want to find out the secret rules they play by? Then 'THE BASTARD CLUB' is for you. In this deliciously ironic take on gender politics, Andrew Hawkins introduces us to The Institute aka The Bastard Club, a conscience-lobotomising training programme designed to shore up fragile masculine egos, run by the charismatic snake oil salesman, Al Eschler. With its echoes of EST and Al's name very close to another past master of paths that lead nowhere, alarm bells should be ringing for systems analyst, Patrick, a man devastated after his recent break-up with wild child, Cynthia. But neither the spurious initiations and Iron Man weekend retreats at £2k a pop (you need wealth to be an Eschler bastard) nor the misogynistic rules of the club, designed to circumvent falling in love, alert him. It is only when he meets Lillian, whose humanity challenges the objectivising stereotypes the Bastard Club believes in, that he sees the need to subvert the subversive Eschler ideology and break free. Patrick finally declares his love - but it is Lillian who will have the last word... A witty, intelligent debut novel from a writer who looks at the world with an admirably level gaze - and who skewers our expectations on every page. Highly recommended.