Scott Barron is an accomplished London poet with an attractive girlfriend. His married brother Jes is a fat, unpublished writer. Scott has more honors, but Jes seems happier. A series of unfortunate and tragic events forces Scott to re-evaluate his priorities and consider the possibility that Jes has the more successful life.
Men and Other Mammals follows Scott and Jes through their painful family past while presenting sibling rivalry in a humorous light. Jim Keeble's debut novel is compared to the work of Nick Hornby (How to Be Good, About a Boy). The story revolves around the deteriorating brotherly bond and Scott's reckless attempts to save their relationship.
Keeble successfully mixes the heartfelt difficulty of strong family bonds with the light comedy found in current "guy-lit" novels. Scott, who narrates Men and Other Mammals, often appears arrogant and self-absorbed. Keeble adds two penguin encounters in a bizarre subplot that adds nothing to the story except desperation on the part of one brother.
Certain big-name reviewers include too much plot detail in their pieces about Keeble's book. This review is intentionally vague so readers can discover can discover the story's surprises for themselves. Men and Other Mammals is a more heartfelt Bridget Jones-type of tale from the male perspective. If that sounds appealing, then you are encouraged to check out Jim Keeble's debut work.
