I absolutely loved the entire experience of reading Whistler by Ann Patchett. I read it slowly, savoring every page-ful, every episode, every inch of type. I also loved the relationships among characters. And who couldn't or wouldn't love Eddie Triplett? And I admired all of his imperfections, but they weren't many and weren't terrible, not to my mind, because I couldn't help but see him only through step-daughter Daphne's eyes.
So, about Ian McEwan's latest novel, What We Can Know, published in the fall of 2025: The book is divided into two parts. I enjoyed the keen inventiveness supporting the world McEwan creates in the 22nd century in the first 200 pages of the novel. I was into it all the way.
Then Part II reared its head. I am loathing it, and laughing to myself in spite of it, because I recognize that the last time I was this angry at a book and its author was when I read Ian McEwan's novel Atonement!!
Mind you, in the interim (since 2003 or so) I've read many of McEwan's books and admired them all. I read On Chesil Beach, Saturday, Amsterdam, The Children Act, Sweet Tooth and more, BUT, [and this should probably be considered a spoiler comment here, so stop reading now if you have plans to read What We Can Know], I have to ask, why oh why is McEwan so hung up on cursing a major character with bottomless, unredemptive, punishing guilt and then wax on and on about it? Part II forms the last 100 pages or so of What We Can Know. I would really appreciate being able to finish the book, but I can see that I have 60 more pages of dragging this character through the bogs of hell.
So rather than drag fellow bloggers through hell, I will try to get a grip on myself and either stop reading or just finish it.
And now I am very curious: Have you ever been incensed by a book and its author? It has happened very rarely to me. The only other time was when I read The Silent Woman: Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes by Janet Malcolm. In that book, really a very long essay, Malcolm was being deliberately provocative and she succeeded in provoking me. It actually was very well done, but I've never quite recovered, and I read it in the late 1990s.
I am about 60% through Whistler and loving every minute of it.
ReplyDeleteI found your comment about Janet Malcolm's The Silent Woman interesting. I had to go back and reread my post about it because I don't remember feeling so negative about it as you did, but both the approach and the subject matter were upsetting. I still don't feel I have a handle on Plath. Here is my review of the book: https://janegs.blogspot.com/2009/10/silent-woman-biography-and-fossils-of.html
I'm sorry for being so late to post and reply to your fascinating response! I was enrapt by your response to The Silent Woman! How interesting I found it.
DeleteI totally disagree with Malcolm that a biographer needs to "choose sides." As I see it, from the biographical works of Plath that I have read, I've been able to see that in no way was Hughes responsible for Plath's suicide. Plath had a psychological vulnerability--she definitely had a mood disorder--and stress in her life, which she had in her relationship w. Hughes, exacerbated her condition.
From all the facts available, both Plath and Hughes contributed to their marital distress at the end.
Given all the facts, which has to include Hughes's infidelity at the least, I don't see how Malcolm can take Hughes's side, like there's a side to be taken in this marital dispute.
I could wax on and on about this, especially about the role of the biographer, but Malcolm is not a biographer, in my view and as the facts speak for themselves.
I do have a bias. I grew up in the same town as Sylvia Plath. Her English teacher was my English teacher my junior year. He had been close to her, especially during the summer of her first breakdown, long before she ever met Ted Hughes. My mother and her mother attended the same church.
Anyway, although I have a bias, I have to say in support of my viewpoint, that I'm not on "Sylvia's side." There is no side here--although the Hughes's appropriation of her literary estate was heinous, in my view.
Your connection to Plath is so interesting. Sharing an English teacher gives you an insight and bias that is inarguable. I did think it odd that Malcolm felt that a biographer needed to take sides--the fact that Plath's work and life was censored through the Hughes family is definitely problematic.
DeleteThank you so much for your thoughtful response. The student in my class, who pressed and pressed our English teacher to share his remembrances of Sylvia, led to his sharing some wonderful details of her and the class she was a part of. I could wax on! But this classmate of mine, who was also a close friend, later spent a year at Oxford, and during that time toured the country doing interviews and compiling data for a biography of Sylvia. This classmate was a brilliant writer, and after a year of research in England, and a year of writing, landed a contract with Little Brown. Then the troubles began, as you might expect. The Hughes's lawyers and the so-called estate blocked the publication of this biography. It was in litigation for several years, in fact, but LB was unable to publish in the end.
DeleteWhat a fascinating situation, and heartbreaking for you classmate.
DeleteYes I liked Whistler much too this summer. A kind Eddie Triplett comes only once in a great while. I was also interested to hear your talk about What We Can Know as I have it on my Summer List but haven't gotten to it yet. There have been novels that go well in Part I and then become derailed in Part II, though the examples don't come to me at the moment. Long ago I remember my sister saying she threw Smilla's Sense of Snow against the wall because of the ending. Ha. Things were going well until they weren't. I plan to read the McEwan novel sometime ... but right now I'm enjoying Land by Maggie O'Farrell. Hope all is well there ... avoid the heat & happy reading.
ReplyDeleteI am trying like crazy to finally get to O'Farrell's Land! It's next up, I think!! Really looking forward to digging into it.
DeleteI laughed at your sister's reaction to Smilla's--sounds like me. My husband read it, but I did not.
So far we have been avoiding the heat. We've had a beautiful stretch of weather followed by days of rain, which were much needed. Thanks for visiting!
I've never been a big McEwan fan but I have Whistler from the library and am looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteSorry to be so late to respond! I'm so happy! to hear you have Whistler in your hands. I think it's my favorite book of the summer along with The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout.
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