Gerald Candless is a famous British writer who dies suddenly much to the
sorrow of his daughters and puzzlement of his wife. Their marriage has
always been odd to say the least. She has functioned more as a typist
and sometimes muse than a wife. However the girls adore him and the
oldest decides to write a biography about him.
This proves to be a difficult task as there are many blind alleys in his life. Is he even Gerald Candless?
And the reader is left with mysteries of her own at the book's end. Why
did a man so mistreated by society mistreat his wife. Why did he
undermine his daughter's relationship with their mother. Yes, we feel
sorry for Gerald, but we also loathe many things about him.
This is a complex, complicated book, which I could not put down. Rendell
does a wonderful job of showing what life was like in various time
periods. Not one character is a cliche. Truly a terrific book. And she
integrates his writing wonderfully into both his life and that of his
wife's.
For me Rendell is the master of writing a literary, psychologically- rich mystery.
7 comments:
True, her Barbara Vine books were always interesting and worth reading. I liked ANNA'S BOOK (originally ASTA'S BOOK in England), which was written in the form of a diary, started in 1905 by a Danish woman come to London.
I am pretty sure I read that one but will have to look it up.
I enjoy "Barbara Vine" books, too. Ruth Rendell isn't afraid the challenge the reader with unusual characters, plots, and drama.
Just so happens that yesterday in the rearranging the post- roof-leak/ceiling-collapse boxes. and emptying the attic bedroom closets for the laying down of new carpet in that large room, at least one "Vine" novel I haven't yet read popped up. Synchronicity in its most micromeasured form.
Oooo, new carpet!
Amazing how often that happens, Todd.
Oh, what a great choice, Patti! Vine/Rendell did do some truly excellent psychological suspense novels and this is one of them.
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