- Hardcover: 352 pages
- Publisher: Viking; First Edition edition (5 Feb 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0670917818
- ISBN-13: 978-0670917815
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.8 x 3.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (72 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 403,958 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Mr Toppit
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
'Charles Elton's humour is as pitch-black and merciless as Darkwood itself... This is an extraordinary debut, not only for its confident storytelling but for its nerdish familiarity with such an eclectic range of subjects: the costume melodramas of Gainsborough film studios in the early 1950s, contemporary Los Angeles, publishing contracts and even Mexican cuisine. The author details on the book jacket don't reveal whether he's working on his second novel; I hope that he is' --The Sunday Times
Product Description
And out of the Darkwood Mr Toppit comes, and he comes not for you, or for me, but for all of us.
When The Hayseed Chronicles, an obscure series of children's books, become world-famous millions of readers debate the significance of that enigmatic last line and the shadowy figure of Mr Toppit who dominates the books. The author, Arthur Hayman, an unsuccessful screenwriter mown down by a concrete truck in Soho, never reaps the benefits of the books' success. The legacy passes to his widow, Martha, and her children - the fragile Rachel, and Luke, reluctantly immortalised as Luke Hayseed, the central character of his father's books. But others want their share, particularly Laurie, the overweight stranger from California, who comforts Arthur as he lies dying, and has a mysterious aganda of her own that changes all their lives. For buried deep in the books lie secrets which threaten to be revealed as the family begins to crumble under the heavy burden of their inheritance.
Spanning several decades, from the heyday of the British film industry after the war to the cut-throat world of show business in Los Angeles, Mr Toppit is a riveting tale of the unexpected effects of sudden fame and fortune. Not since Jonathan Coe's What a Carve Up! has a novel managed to capture a family and a society to such wonderfully funny and painful effect.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I think this book has been marketed inappropriately. It's a work of literature, not full of plot, but a novel that draws you into a perfectly realised world with wonderfully-drawn characters. I've never read anything quite like it with its contrast between a a very specific English setting in the first half and a bizarre, sad and hilarious second half in Hollywood.The fantastic Holden Caulfield-like hero, Luke, holds it all together. It's not a suspense novel in any way, but I couldn't put it down. Fantastic!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I'm mystified by some of the sniffy reviews of this book. It's one of the best books I've read in the last year and remarkably assured for a debut novel. Maybe it's too quirky for some people, but I loved the book. It's difficult to make a book this original and different a page turner. But this is what it is. And it's very funny, poignant and a great read.The hero Luke is a wonderful character, surrounded by some of the most weird and dysfunctional people I've ever read about. I can't wait for Charles Elton's next book.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
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The marvellous cover of the hardback edition of this book promised a great deal. Unfortunately the book does not quite deliver. The problem seems to be a lack of focus.
Initially the book appears to be the story of Luke Hayman the narrator (of portions of the book anyway - the point of view does tend to veer all over the place), a kind of Christopher Milne character, unhappy at being the model for a much loved childrens favourite ( Luke Hayseed from his father's Hayseed chronicles). But the rather bloodless Luke is for the most part a mere observer and much of the book is taken up by the rather maladjusted character of Laurie an American tourist who encounters Luke's father at his moment of death and develops an obsession with him and his books. She becomes an American TV star because of the Hayseed books - a kind of monstrous Oprah Winfrey and the novel scores a few telling satirical points. Eventually the book settles on the fragile Rachel whose mental illness and drug addiction it is hinted are linked to her fathers books and there are some tender touches towards the books close.
The problem is that these sections do not convincingly link up - the Hayseed Chronicles and the symbolic Mr Toppit make for a little colour here and there but are not really at the heart of the book.
Rachel was not a victim because of her absence from the books, nor is she destroyed by Laurie's world. Her illness is beyond pat answers.
Mr Elton can write and write well. I think he will write better books than this. The character of Laurie is a fine creation and the novel has some very enjoyable moments, but in the end it did not convince me.
Initially the book appears to be the story of Luke Hayman the narrator (of portions of the book anyway - the point of view does tend to veer all over the place), a kind of Christopher Milne character, unhappy at being the model for a much loved childrens favourite ( Luke Hayseed from his father's Hayseed chronicles). But the rather bloodless Luke is for the most part a mere observer and much of the book is taken up by the rather maladjusted character of Laurie an American tourist who encounters Luke's father at his moment of death and develops an obsession with him and his books. She becomes an American TV star because of the Hayseed books - a kind of monstrous Oprah Winfrey and the novel scores a few telling satirical points. Eventually the book settles on the fragile Rachel whose mental illness and drug addiction it is hinted are linked to her fathers books and there are some tender touches towards the books close.
The problem is that these sections do not convincingly link up - the Hayseed Chronicles and the symbolic Mr Toppit make for a little colour here and there but are not really at the heart of the book.
Rachel was not a victim because of her absence from the books, nor is she destroyed by Laurie's world. Her illness is beyond pat answers.
Mr Elton can write and write well. I think he will write better books than this. The character of Laurie is a fine creation and the novel has some very enjoyable moments, but in the end it did not convince me.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A fantastic book!
I cannot recommend this book enough... well written, and very funny in places I found I was immediately swept up in these well defined, interesting characters and this fascinating,... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Naomi
Enjoyable but not satisfying
There's no need for me to repeat what many other reviewers have already said but I agree that this promised more than it delivered. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Fiction Fanatic
AN ESTIMABLE DEBUT SUPERBLY READ
What a treat - an estimable debut novel read by multi-award winning narrator SimonVance! His voice is, as always, resonant, compelling, and he clearly distinguishes each... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Gail Cooke
Christopher Robert Milne vs Harry Potter fandom?
This is a very interesting novel. For those who don't know, Christopher Robin Milne (the Christopher Robin of Winnie the Pooh) ended up becoming a very strange and estranged (from... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Mr. A. D. H. Lowe
Great idea but.......
The idea for this book is original and promising - but the book doesn't deliver. The first half is intriguing but after that the premise for the book seems to be left behind and... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Paul B
Fizzles out somewhat
This debut novel explores what happens to the family of an author of a series of children's books after he dies and the books achieve success and wide recognition. Read more
Published 22 months ago by S. Pawley
A book of two halves
I loved the first half of this book. I thought the idea was really interesting - a debut novel from an author about a successful author and the effects of his success on his family... Read more
Published on 20 April 2010 by Janie U
Gripping stuff
I was immediately seduced by the world the author created and I found the characters totally believable. My only qualification is I found the ending a little neat. Read more
Published on 29 Mar 2010 by C. L. Lee
Oh dear. I feel cheated!
A great Title & Cover (& I was sucked in)
What could be great characters were left to rot. What could be been a great story, was never more than a thought in the readers... Read more
What could be great characters were left to rot. What could be been a great story, was never more than a thought in the readers... Read more
Published on 21 Mar 2010 by PEEL
Toppit and Tidyup
An unusual novel this, it deals with a family whose head - Arthur Hayman - writes a series of childrens' books called The Hayseed Chronicles. Read more
Published on 19 Feb 2010 by Captain Pugwash
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