Graham Greene
1948
Around 300 pages
Graham Greene is one of my favorite regulars on the List, and he will always have a place on my bursting shelves. I respect him as a storyteller and a philosopher, even if he is way too supportive of the Catholic Church.
Major Scobie is a repressed Catholic living in West Africa with his equally repressed wife. Greene uses the heat of the setting in an Orwellian way to add to the oppressive atmosphere. Major Scobie wants to make his wife happy, but doesn't really know how. His duties as an official during World War II lead to having a moral crisis or two.
I will maintain my strict code of honor regarding spoilers, but I will say, damn, what an ending. Greene really knows how to twist the knife. This one isn't quite as memorable to me as some of our other Greene reads, but still very enjoyable.
RATING: ****-
Interesting Facts:
Interesting Facts:
In 2005, Time magazine named it as one of 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present.
Adapted into a movie in 1953.
George Orwell called the plot of this novel ridiculous.
UP NEXT: Death Sentence by Maurice Blanchot
1 comment:
This sounds worth checking out--great review, as always!
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