496. Under the Net

Under the Net
Iris Murdoch
1954
Around 250 pages

She's here, she's finally here! Iris Murdoch is one of my favorite authors/philosophers and unlike ordinary mortals, she does not need a few novels to find her footing. I do find comfort in the fact that she was 35 when she wrote her first novel, otherwise I would really feel hopeless. 

Jake Donaghue is a struggling writer (aren't we all) who suddenly finds himself out of a living situation. He reaches out to his ex girlfriend, Anna, and meets her sister, Sadie, who is a movie star. Through Sadie, Jake reconnects with Hugo, a stoic philosopher whose ideas Jake used without permission for his book The Silencer. The four characters are in a love square of sorts, but Jake's desperation to succeed artistically and financially are what drives the narrative.

This is a very funny novel, and much of my enjoyment came from Jake's interactions with his roommate/ridiculously loyal friend Finn. Jake is a sympathetic character despite his selfishness, and all of his mishaps are hilarious. 

A novel doesn't have to be optimistic for me to love it, but it certainly helps. This is a good read for anybody who feels like they are floundering.  

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Dedicated to Raymond Queneau.

In 2005, the novel was one of Time magazine's one hundred best English-language novels since 1923.

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