332. The Last September

The Last September
Elizabeth Bowen
1929
Around 310 pages

 

It pains me a bit that I read a book called The Last September, when it is not, in fact, September. What can I say? I love me my themes. But the List is above such petty things as timing, so I must soldier on and read this inappropriately scheduled novel.

The story takes place during the Irish War of Independence. It's not a subject I know that much about, my public school thought it was more important to go over the French and Indian War fifty times (I forget what that was about too). Not knowing the background does rob the plot of some of its tension, but Elizabeth Bowen did a wonderful job giving us the information we needed and building an atmosphere where everybody is on edge.

Lois Farquar is in her own coming of age novel, unfortunately, the war keeps getting in the way. It's nice to see a novel that gives the female lead something to do other than fussing over the main male character. It really shows that life is relentless. I do think she is still perfecting her voice as a writer, but this was still a powerful introduction to her work.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

John Banville wrote a screenplay of this novel.

The film stars Fiona Shaw (Aunt Petunia), Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall), and Michael Gambon (the worst version of Dumbledore imaginable). 

UP NEXT: Berlin Alexanderplatz by Alfred Doblin

331. Harriet Hume

Harriet Hume
Rebecca West
1929
Around 290 pages

I think if your novel doesn't have a Wikipedia page, it officially counts as underrated. I feel that way about Rebecca West in general, although I know she was appreciated in her time. It's like modernism done right.

Harriet Hume is a beautiful piano player. If you've read The Piano Teacher, you know those ladies are freaks in the sheets. She has an affair with Arnold Condorex, who leaves her to pursue a career in politics. Harriet has some unusual powers that allow Arnold to see what a disaster his life is without her. Hopefully my exes can manage that without me. 

This was a magical story. I hesitate to label it magic realism, because it's so gosh darn English. Often female characters exist in stories for the sole purpose of motivating our hero, whether he wants to bang her or avenge her death.  West leans into this concept with interesting results.

Worth reading for how unusual it is. I'm glad there are more West novels coming!

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

West had an affair with H.G. Wells. So many of our writers are boning.

UP NEXT: The Last September by Elizabeth Bowen

330. The Sound and the Fury

The Sound and the Fury
William Faulkner
1929
Around 325 pages

I once dated a guy who had Faulkner and Melville tattoos. Even though I hate both writers[', literary tats still do something for me. So I tried to impress him by reading Faulkner, but I couldn't stop talking about how much I hated it.  I haven't heard from him in a year, so I don't think he was very impressed. 

I can't believe this was adapted into film by James Franco of all people. It's like if Seth MacFarlane took on a Henry James novel. The story follows the Compson family, former southern aristocrats now on the brink of ruin. This wacky clan includes the intellectually disabled Benjy, and Quentin, who has an unhealthy relationship with his sister. A lot of that going around lately.

The frequent shifts in narration give me motion sickness. He does the stream of consciousness thing, and tops it off with terrible grammar and dialects just to make the novel as unreadable as possible. Put on your big boy pants and edit.

An incoherent story told by an idiot, signifying nothing.

RATING: *----

Interesting Facts:

Title is from Act V of MacBeth.

Only became popular after the success of his later novel, Sanctuary. 

UP NEXT: Harriet Hume by Rebecca West

329. Les Infants terribles

Les Infants terribles
The Holy Terrors
Jean Cocteau
1929
Around 180 pages

This may be the only time we've had an overlap of an author on the 1001 List and a director on the 1001 movie list. I've always loved crossover episodes. I made plenty of enemies on the 1001 movie list, who I would be horrified to have show up on this blog. The thought of Fellini with a pen makes me feel faint with terror. But Jean Cocteau is a welcome recurring character.

Elisabeth cares for her ailing mother and her younger brother Paul, who takes a stone snowball to the chest early on in the novel. European schoolchildren are so mean. Elisabeth and Paul have a strange relationship, where they both try to get under each other's skin and have the last word. Elisabeth is strangely jealous when Paul falls in love with Agathe, who, incidentally, bears a strong resemblance to the stone snowball thrower. 

I sensed Cocteau was building up to an action-packed climax but I have to say, I did not expect that. I suppose it falls under the category of surrealism, which I typically dislike. But I really enjoyed this. Who knew surrealism would allow for such a coherent story? Paul and Elisabeth were both fascinating characters, Elisabeth a little more so. She walked so Cersei Lannister could run.

Short and strange, like yours truly.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Illustrated by the author's own drawings.

UP NEXT: The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. Warning, I fucking hate this guy.

328. Story of the Eye

Story of the Eye
Georges Bataille
1928
Around 50 pages

It's 1928 and people really don't give a shit anymore. This new, freer expression of sexuality leads to great works, in the hands of people like Virginia Woolf. Other authors are like children who have to recite all the dirty words they know when the teacher leaves the room. Guess which kind this is!

The male narrator would like us to know that he is having lots of sex. Fair enough. But we have to hear the details, which unfortunately involves some pretty kinky things, starting with golden showers.  And apparently George R.R. Martin didn't invent the having sex next to a dead body thing. And the final scene is absolutely revolting.

A story I could have done without, but at least it was short.

RATING: *----

Interesting Facts:

Bjork was inspired by this novel. My only love sprung from my only hate.

UP NEXT: The Holy Terrors by Jean Cocteau