In Jennie Erdal's brilliant memoir Ghosting (2004) she 'came out' as the ghostwriter for the flamboyant, larger than life Naim Attallah. I remember loving this book and telling everyone to read it. So when Peregrinations mentioned The Missing Shade of Blue to me, Erdal's first novel under her own name, I was intrigued, but with my mother having been ill it took me even longer than usual to finish, my customary stopping and starting more stopping and stopping.
And I confess I have mixed feelings about this one.
I loved the reflections on the role of fiction and the art of translation, and the gems of information on David Hume - I didn't know about 'the missing shade of blue' - but I found Edgar, the rather limp half French, half Scottish translator who narrates the novel, unconvincing and prone to some terribly clunky sentences - perhaps because English is supposed to be his second language - I'm not sure - but 'a worm of panic wriggled in my gut' is hard to forgive. I also found the main female characters - Carrie and Alice - two-dimensional, and Carrie's 'dramatic' secret feels wholly contrived (as well as there being too much telling and not enough showing).
However, I loved Sanderson, Carrie's husband, the philosopher academic, whom we come to know entirely through Edgar - he's a big, colourful, rude presence and you want more of him, he lights up the book. And in spite of not really caring about Edgar, I did find myself wishing him happiness as the novel gathered pace, I must've been more engaged than I thought. So I give this 7 out of 10. Definitely worth reading. And a gorgeous cover.
And I confess I have mixed feelings about this one.
I loved the reflections on the role of fiction and the art of translation, and the gems of information on David Hume - I didn't know about 'the missing shade of blue' - but I found Edgar, the rather limp half French, half Scottish translator who narrates the novel, unconvincing and prone to some terribly clunky sentences - perhaps because English is supposed to be his second language - I'm not sure - but 'a worm of panic wriggled in my gut' is hard to forgive. I also found the main female characters - Carrie and Alice - two-dimensional, and Carrie's 'dramatic' secret feels wholly contrived (as well as there being too much telling and not enough showing).
However, I loved Sanderson, Carrie's husband, the philosopher academic, whom we come to know entirely through Edgar - he's a big, colourful, rude presence and you want more of him, he lights up the book. And in spite of not really caring about Edgar, I did find myself wishing him happiness as the novel gathered pace, I must've been more engaged than I thought. So I give this 7 out of 10. Definitely worth reading. And a gorgeous cover.
3 comments:
Yes, I think I agree with you. Edgar was limp as well as limpid. I especially liked the references to well-kent bits of Edinburgh and especially the decaying David Hume Tower. I did wonder, though, if perhaps I was missing some important allusions to Hume's philosophy through pure ignorance.
Hey Lesley, Damn, I meant limp, glad you said this, that's my crappy concentration - I will change to limp! Also, I think local references can be a little annoying unless you are living away, then they are more fun. Most of Hume was new to me, and I enjoyed those aspects but as a novel it just didn't work entirely, esp the women, who are for the most part rather dull and cliched. I was going to give it 6, but have found myself thinking about the characters after finishing, so am giving it 7 instead. A good summer read though!
..and I just realised where I prob got limpid from, in my own book there is a woman with limpid blue eyes early on, and I have blue in my head with this title!
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