The Cactus

Seemed like a cross between Eleanor Oliphant is Fine and A Man Called Ove, but nothing like as good as either of those books. Long time since I read a book where I actually disliked the main character. Susan seemed an arrogant stand-offish person who was incredibly judgemental about everyone - her neighbours, her work colleagues, her family members etc etc.
She had embarked on a rather unusual relationship with a man some years previously, and to her surprise finds herself pregnant, just as her mother dies. And that provides the lynch pin of the plot - her mother's will and the contest between her and her younger brother who she despises. It goes on and on, and then at the end, when the baby is born it all the problems are miraculously show more solved and it all comes together - oh yeah? - and then everyone is happy. ( ) show less

4.5 stars.

The Cactus by Sarah Haywood is a wonderful character-driven novel that is both humorous and poignant.

Forty-five year old Susan Green's unexpected pregnancy is not the only thing turning her well-ordered life upside down. The recent death of her mother is upsetting but it is the reading of the will that really infuriates Susan. After learning their mom left the family home to her drunken, unemployed brother Edward, Susan blocks probate as she tries to prove that Edward unduly influenced their mom into leaving him the house. In order to prove her theory, she befriends Edward's mate Rob Rhys in an effort to uncover the truth. With both her due date and the hearing looming ever closer, Susan begins to realize that control is an show more illusion and vulnerability is not necessarily a bad thing.

Susan is not exactly a warm and inviting person and she does not believe in sugarcoating the truth. She does not suffer fools gladly nor is she overly tactful in her business or personal relationships. She has a very pragmatic, logical and unemotional approach to all aspects of her life and she is fairly rigid in her beliefs. Her dysfunctional, unhappy childhood is at the root of her rigid and controlling behavior and honestly, the more Susan reveals about her unhappy past, the easier it is to empathize with her need to micromanage her environment and dispassionately analyze every situation.

Susan's viewpoints on motherhood are unexpectedly funny (and obviously somewhat ill-formed) and she is quite uncomfortable with letting people into her personal space. She gradually forms friendships with people who accept her as she is although they do smooth over some of her rougher edges. It is easy to recognize that Susan's standoffish persona is designed to protect her from being hurt by anyone. After learning about her horrible childhood, it is completely understandable that Susan would do everything possible to shield herself from further pain.

The Cactus is an absolute gem that is chock full of witty observations, pithy interactions and a lead protagonist who is impossible not to root for. Susan is a prickly character who undergoes spectacular growth while still retaining the unique qualities that are a reaction to her life experiences. The secondary characters are very endearing with the exception of Edward whom readers will most likely want to throttle every time he appears. Late in the novel, Sarah Haywood throws in a shocking plot twist that forces Susan to re-examine and reassess much of her life both past and present. The novel's conclusion is incredibly satisfying and ultimately, quite healing. show less

The digested review is, it's a lot like A Man Named Ove except (for me at least) not quite so effective at being charming. Susan's mother has died, and she has to handle the funeral with her brother: they don't get on. She is a bit of an odd bod, with very determined Views, but determined that she is happy with her (largely) solitary life. However, a Big Change is about to happen, heralded by nausea. Nausea in the mornings.
Some very funny lines.
"The women all looked youthful and radiant, glowing with the delight of appropriately timed procreation. I was at a loss to see what these instinctive breeders had in common with me; I felt like someone attempting to infiltradte a fundamentalist group with a less-than-believable cover story."

I wish that people would stop comparing every book with an even remotely difficult or socially challenged main character to Eleanor Oliphant. IMHO, that's a poor comparison. Don from the Rosie series *might* be a better comparison. But why compare? Haywood does better than most at revealing Susan's rationale for her decisions. Still, I would have liked to have read *even more* of that.

Well, I absolutely loved this book, when I first started it and the protagonist was moaning about being contacted about her mother’s death I thought it was going to be a load of drivel with superficial characters, I persevered and before 1/4 way through I was really enjoying it.
The book was a pleasure to read, I loved the characters and the plot.
All in all a good end to the year.

Susan is a self-possessed person, she has had to be. Growing up with a dysfunctional family, her father died of alcoholism and her mother doted on her younger brother, Susan left home and now, at the age of forty-five, finds herself in a dead-end civil service job and pregnant. Susan has controlled her life to protect her self from the outside world and emotional ties but when her mother dies she realises that maybe something has to change.
I found this book strangely endearing despite myself. Susan is a complex character and, whilst sone plot turns defy logic, the reader is longing for her to find love and contentment. The story is bouncily written and the final 'twist' is flagged up and really obvious but no less welcome for that. One show more step up from chick lit, this is an undemanding but enjoyable read. show less

If you enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, you'll probably love The Cactus, another Reese's Book Club pick. Susan, the main character, is as prickly as her favorite cactus plant. As several major life changes occur at the same time, Susan navigates through these with her particular brand of personality. There is a funny mention in Chapter 15 concerning The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie which aptly describes the character of Susan in the novel: Susan isn't very likeable, but she is interesting. I listened to the audio book and the narration was fabulous.