Review: 'Daddy' by Emma Cline
Pub. Date: 03/09/2020
Publisher: Chatto & Windus; Vintage
The eagerly-awaited new book by Emma Cline, author of the global phenomenon The Girls
The stories in Emma Cline’s stunning first collection consider the dark corners of human experience, exploring the fault lines of power between men and women, parents and children, past and present. A man travels to his son’s school to deal with the fallout of a violent attack and to make sure his son will not lose his college place. But what exactly has his son done? And who is to blame? A young woman trying to make it in LA, working in a clothes shop while taking acting classes, turns to a riskier way of making money but will be forced to confront the danger of the game she’s playing. And a family coming together for Christmas struggle to skate over the lingering darkness caused by the very ordinary brutality of a troubled husband and father.
These outstanding stories examine masculinity, male power and broken relationships, while revealing – with astonishing insight and clarity – those moments of misunderstanding that can have life-changing consequences. And there is an unexpected violence, ever-present but unseen, in the depiction of the complicated interactions between men and women, and families. Subtle, sophisticated and displaying an extraordinary understanding of human behaviour, these stories are unforgettable.
There is a sense of humiliation to every story in Daddy. Although this might not sound like fun, it is a fascinating reading experience. All of the characters feel like they're on the defensive, trying to shield themselves from the (occasionally righteous) accusations from the people around them. But they are unable to shield themselves from the reader and, with razor-sharp attention, Cline opens them up for us. Nothing is quite hidden, we see their shame, their sadness, their anger, their inability to understand. And it is all so painfully human! And that, I guess, is what I enjoyed about Daddy. We're a flawed bunch, but somehow everyone in Cline's stories is still, kind of, trying to understand why, to figure out if there's something they can do about their circumstances. This may not be the right collection for everyone, even if you loved The Girls. Despite its heavy topic, Cline's debut novel had its light, beautiful moments and there was some solid hope here or there. The stories in Daddy are different. They are bleak and misery isn't just around the corner, it is also with you right now. In the year that 2020 was and in the year that 2021 is shaping up to be, that may not be the mood you want to go for. In that case, I'd recommend waiting for brighter skies but not forgetting about Daddy. It is a great collection and once you're ready, there will be plenty for you to gain from reading it.
The collection starts with 'What Can You Do with a General' in which an elderly father reflects on family as his grown children return for the Christmas holidays. Cline slowly but surely reveals the fractured family dynamics at the heart of his discontent. In 'Los Angeles' a young woman, hoping to be an actress, ends up disenchanted and, while trying to earn money, finds herself in dangerous situations. Next is 'Menlo Park', a truly fascinating story. We meet a man who has lost seemingly everything to abuse allegations, editing the biography of an eccentric billionaire. 'Son of Friedman' is a heartbreaking tale of a father and son, utterly disconnected as the latter tries to follow in his father's directorial footsteps. 'The Nanny' is a tale you'll recognize very quickly from the tabloids and a summary is almost not necessary. Cline manages to get into the nanny's mind and show both the confusion and warped sense of hurt that drives her, how her own
In 'Arcadia' we switch to farm-life, where a young man wonders how much longer he can continue life at the farm of his pregnant girlfriend and her brother. Things are changing around him, not for the better, and, just like his girlfriend, he is now stuck. In 'Northeast Regional', perhaps the story that most set me on edge, a father hurries to his son's private school to address an incident, while confronting issues in his own life. The image of privilege and lack of accountability was horrifying and Cline doesn't shy away from revealing it in its full horror. 'Marion' was probably my favourite story, perhaps because it slightly reminded me of The Girls. Barefoot and wild, Marion and our protagonist spend their childhood summer running around the countryside, until the first stirrings of puberty bring it all to an end. The collection ends with 'Mack the Knife', which follows a woman entering rehab and continues her obsession once a male celebrity enters after a Weinstein-esque reveal.
What to say about Cline's writing that hasn't already been said? Daddy is a moody collection, but the stories will capture you from the very start. Rather than "complete" tales, the stories in Daddy felt like vignettes. We pop in to characters' lives and Cline presents them sharply and vividly. Whether it is the nature in 'Marion' or the paranoia of 'Menlo Park', Cline puts the reader right in the middle of it all. There are many instances from these stories that have stuck with me, whether it is particular settings or the moments on which everything depended. What Cline does with Daddy is make you wonder what regrets you're hiding from yourself, whether you've set yourself down a certain path that will end up in misery. That's not as gloomy as it sounds! In a way Daddy is like a reminder to check in with yourself, allowing you to course-correct while you still can.
I give this collection...
4 Universes!
The darkness of Daddy might not be for everyone, but it is a fascinating collection of stories. Emma Cline lays her characters bare before the reader, warts, mistakes and all. Even if right now isn't the time, keep this collection in mind for when you're ready for it.
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