Marguerite Duras
1965
Around 170 pages
Almost at the big 6 hundo. I'm looking forward to the reaching that milestone, even if we have to get through some dreck first. Ahem. Georges Perec.
The novel is set in Calcutta, and Duras does an excellent job making us feel that steamy monsoon heat that would make me completely miserable. Our main squeezes here are Anne-Marie Stretter, the beautiful wife of a French ambassador, and the former Vice-Consul of Lahore, an awkward, loner guy who likes to throw tantrums. Oh, and there's a mysterious beggar whose presence in India intrigues all the Europeans.
I wasn't that impressed with The Ravishing of Lol Stein, and I felt similarly here. It felt like the book promised more than it delivered, although like I said, she nailed the setting very well. Not offensive, just not particularly memorable.
RATING: **---
Interesting Facts:
Interesting Facts:
Duras signed the Manifesto of the 343, thereby publicly announcing that she had had an abortion.
UP NEXT: The Magus by John Fowles
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