Critical Article Summaries

Critical Article Summary #1

A book review done by Jeff Zaleski of Publishers Weekly introduces Hey Nostradamus! author Douglas Coupland’s writing styles and common genres to his work. Zaleski recognizes Hey Nostradamus! as having a familiar template of “sardonic humor and sharp cultural observation” (Zaleski 193) relating to his other books, but what makes this story different from his others is that it is narrated through four perspectives. Varying perspectives make “[Coupland’s] lack of narrative control...particularly evident....” (Zaleski 193) Previous fans of Coupland’s work are more likely to enjoy Hey Nostradamus! than those who have not yet entered “Coupland-world”. (Zaleski 193) The beginning of the story is promising with Cheryl’s side of the story being told, but “the novel unravels when Jason reappears...” (Zaleski 193) in Part Two 1999: Jason.

Zaleski, Jeff. "EBSCOhost: Hey Nostradamus." Hey Nostradamus! Book Review 250.18 (2003): 193. Web. 3 Mar 2011. <http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?hid=21&sid=2b58348b-c195-4a29-a4a6-104b2fdfb3f0%40sessionmgr12&vid=4&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=ehh&AN=9685162>.

Critical Article Summary #2

(pictured: Columbine school shooting)Hey Nostradamus! has a fictional plot centered around a school massacre which is similar to the Columbine school shooting. Coupland presents this plot in two ways: one looks at it in a quirky and dark humorous way, and the other slightly more haunting, referring to the graphic nature of a massacre. (Johnston 60) Adding to the eeriness of the school shooting, Cheryl leaves a legacy, centered on the mysterious coincidence of her notebook scribble “God is nowhere God is now here” (Coupland 9) written before the shooting. Coupland’s dark humour approach to a story surrounding a school shooting is only partly successful because the grip and

excitement of the first two parts of the story (Cheryl and Jason) falls apart leading into the parts involving Heather and Reg. “The novel begins to lose some of its narrative coherence [after Cheryl and Jason’s parts]” and we cease to care as much about what happens after that. (Johnston 60) Despite the confusion and lack of interest that switching perspectives from Cheryl and Jason creates, the story has its fascinating points and will be most enjoyed by fans of Coupland’s novels. (Johnston 60)

Johnston, Ingrid. "Document Page: Hey Nostradamus." eLibrary Hey Nostradamus 10.1 (2004): 60. Web. 5 Mar 2011. <http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/elibweb/curriculumca/do/document?set=search&dictionaryClick=&secondaryNav=&groupid=1&requestid=lib_canada&resultid=2&edition=&ts=CE1E263A780DAB0CB32288B775E68936_1299363985334&start=1&publicationId=&urn=urn%3Abigchalk%3AUS%3BBCLib%3Bdocument%3B120180868#citation>.

Critical Article Summary #3

The beginning of the novel starts in a charming way, with the perspective of the school shooting through the narration of Cheryl. Most of the best highlights of the book come from Part One: Cheryl, and declines in interest as the story progresses through the stories of Jason, Heather and Reg. “The use of multiple first-person narrators ill befits the sketchily similar characters...” and poorly reflects Coupland’s usual brand of pop culture commentary. (Wright 123) Hey Nostradamus! lacks the enjoyment of some of Coupland’s earlier works, including Generation X and Shampoo Planet. Wright recommends that fans should move on to new authors because Coupland’s more recent works like Hey Nostradamus! do not compare to his greater, earlier works. (Wright 123)

            Wright, David. "Library Journal: Hey Nostradamus." EBSCOhost 128.9 (2003): 123. Web. 3 Mar 2011. <http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?hid=21&sid=2b58348b-c195-4a29-a4a6-104b2fdfb3f0%40sessionmgr12&vid=4&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=ehh&AN=9740846>.

A common theme among these critical articles is that Coupland lost his narrative coherence by transitioning through new perspectives. A fascinating part came when the story spread across 15 years following the school shooting, so the reader could see how humans react to tragedy and how long something so devastating can affect you. Among the three authors of the articles, it is a common belief that Coupland’s earlier works were better than Hey Nostradamus! and that diehard Coupland fans will be the main readers of his newer works.