798. Oscar and Lucinda

Oscar and Lucinda
Peter Carey
1988
Around 530 pages

I found this novel in a smallish bookshop in upstate New York, where there were angry placards everywhere demanding that you put novels back where you find them. This was lucky, because my library pretends Peter Carey doesn't exist. Which is a shame, because I like him a lot.

Oscar Hopkins becomes an Anglican priest, and Lucinda Leplastrier is a young Australian heiress who buys a glass factory. They meet on the ship over to Australia, and discover that they are both gamblers. Lucinda bets Oscar that he cannot transport a glass church from Sydney to a remote settlement in Wales. 

Prince Rupert's drops are significant to the story. For those that don't know, these are drops of glasses that can withstand the blow of a hammer, but will explode if their tail end is slightly damaged. This is an excellent motif to frame a novel around. Oscar and Lucinda were great characters, even if Oscar was annoying.

A solid narrative, maybe a little too long and melodramatic. 

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Won the 1988 Booker Prize.

Adapted into a 1997 film.

UP NEXT: The Swimming Pool Library by Alan Hollinghurst