London SYP Book Club Reads 'The Artificial Anatomy of Parks', debut novel by Kat Gordan

Posted on October 7, 2015 in Uncategorized

      Written by Blogger Laura Pietrobon, SYP member and regular SYP book clubber @misslpietrobon

Welcome to the life of Tallulah Park. She’s basically been alone for the last five years, living in a cramped bedsit and working a crappy job for a horrendous boss. Suddenly, her past comes calling – a phone call from the hospital tells her that her estranged father has just had a heart attack and is currently in a coma.
In this way, Tallulah’s past comes roaring back and she’s forced to confront the chain of events that were set off all those years ago, when previously-unknown Uncle Jack came knocking on the door of her family home. SYP Book Club’s August book, The Artificial Anatomy of Parks, has nothing to do with nature – rather, it’s the story of the inner-workings of the Park family, and Tallulah trying to work out why her family acts the way it does.
It’s your quintessential family drama, where secrets of the past are slowly revealed. Who is Uncle Jack? Why was Tallulah’s mum scared of him? Why does Aunt Vivienne seem to hate Tallulah’s mum? Why can’t the family get together without an argument breaking out? What secrets are the family keeping from Tallulah and her cousins?
Kat Gordon’s debut novel is a well-written piece – once you start the novel, you’ll want to see it through to the end. The book is divided into four sections – heart, skin, bone and blood – which provide a general guiding hand to the direction of the narrative within those parts. The story flows easily, and the first person narrative is the perfect fit for this kind of story, allowing the reader to muddle through Tallulah’s mind and come to understand why she felt she needed to leave her family.
When discussed at the London SYP Book Club September meet, the group as a whole agreed that there are some stand-out parts to the novel, such as when Tallulah stays with her grandmother, or Tallulah’s recounting of her time at boarding school. However, there are also parts that, to some, felt superfluous – the romance between Tallulah and Toby at boarding school that is rekindled towards the end of the novel for example. One reader suggested that it could have been better to spend the page space on Tallulah’s aunts and uncles, who make their presence felt whenever gathered together. The big reveal at the end of the narrative was caught sooner by some than others, but it was felt that this didn’t diminish the storytelling journey. On the other hand, other readers (myself included) felt the clues offered are ambiguous enough that you can keep guessing until the end – members even offered several suggestions that could just as easily have worked within the context of the novel.
Overall, Gordon’s story is a good addition to the family drama genre. Tallulah and the Parks have a way of making themselves and their story one that you want to listen to. Perhaps the perfect read over the upcoming Christmas break, as a reminder your family probably isn’t that bad after all.

‘The Artificial Anatomy of Parks’ is Kat Gordan’s debut novel, published by Legend Press Ltd. It has been longlisted for the 2015 ‘Not the Booker Award’. For more information on the book please see here.
The London SYP Book Club meets on a monthly basis in central London, reading varied books in different genres. We welcome all/any prospective members and enjoy reading books, meeting authors and hosting literary events. To learn more about the bookclub please see here.