Girlfriend
in a Coma
 By
Douglas Coupland
I
must confess that it’s a while since I read this book, so it might
lack detail in places!
I do remember really enjoying this book and giving up noting things down
because I might as well have copied the whole book! As I mentioned before,
Coupland has such an insight into postmodernity, he climbs into peoples
mind and what he describes is just fascinating. This book is quite bizarre
at times. Some of the characters go beyond this world to the afterlife
or the future. The way Coupland writes draws you in and almost makes you
believe it!
The story starts with Jared giving us a little background information.
Jared is a ghost. I quote how he introduces the story:
“So here follows the story of friends of mine who finally learnt
their lesson: Karen, Richard, Pam, Hamilton, Wendy and Linus. Richard’s
the best talker of the group so in the beginning the story is mostly his.
Karen would have been better but Karen wasn’t around Earth much
in the beginning. C’est la vie. But then Richard’s story only
takes us so far. The story gets bigger than him. It includes them all.
And in the end it becomes my story. But we’ll get to that.
Destiny is what we work toward. The future doesn’t exist yet. Fate
is for losers.”
 During
a skiing holiday Karen and Richard have sex together for the first time.
Karen gives him a note which she makes him promise to give back to him
the next day. She is talking about dreams and visions she has had the
night before. She knows something none of her friends know. He is never
able to give her back her note, because the next day, at a party, she
enters a coma.
Her friends carry on living their lives, Richard never stops loving her
and is totally committed to her, even though there is not much hope of
her recovering. After 17 years, she wakes up.
The story has lots of twists and turns and is very difficult to put down.
It has profound insights into people’s lives, what makes them enjoy
life, what they put their hopes in. Then everybody falls asleep, apart
from 'the gang', what are they going to do?
"December
15….6 Days to Hawaii!!!
Note: Call Pammie about beads for cornrowing hair. Also arrange streaking.
Hi Beb. Karen here.
If you’re reading thi snote you’re either a) the World’s
Biggest Sleazebag and I hate you for peeking at this or b) there’s
been some very bad news and it’s a day later. I hope neither of
these is true!!
Why am I writing this? I’m asking myself that. I feel like I’m
buying insurance before getting on a plane.
I’ve been having these visions this week. I may even have told you
about them. Whatever. Normally my dreams are no wilder than,
say, riding horses or swimming or arguing with Mom (and I win) but these
new things I saw-they’re not dreams.
On TV when somebody sees the bank robber’s face they get shot o
taken hostage, right? I hate this feeling I’m going to be taken
hostage-I saw more than I was supposed to have seen. I don’t know
how it’s going to happen. These voices-they’re arguing-one
even sounds like Jared-and these voices are arguing while I get to see
bits of (this sounds so bad) the Future!!
It’s dark there-on the Future, I mean. It’s not a good place.
Everybody looks so old and the neighboorhood looks like shit (pardon my
French)
I’m writing this note because I’m scared. It’s corny.
I’m stupid. I feel like sleeping for a thousand years-that wat I’ll
never have to be around for this weird new future.
Tell Mom and Dad that I’ll miss them. And say good-bye to the gang.
Also Richard, could I ask you a favor? Could you wait or me? I’ll
be back from wherever it is I’m going. I don’t know when,
but I will.
I don’t think my heart is clean, but neither is it soiled. I can’t
remember the last time I even lied. I’m off to Christmas shop at
Park Royal with Wendy and Pammie. Tonight I’m skiing with you.
I’ll rip this up tomorrow when you return it to me UNOPENED. God’s
looking
xox
Karen (p143)"
READ
THIS BOOK!
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