995. The Master

The Master
Colm Toibin
2004

Around 340 pages

If I were going to choose an author as a subject of a 340 page story, it would certainly not be Henry James. I enjoyed some of his works, but his personality didn't seem all that fascinating to me. Another 19th century repressed homosexual with mommy issues. Next! This was still a well laid out story though.

The eleven chapters of this novel are labeled from January 1895 to October 1899. We get his early failure in theater, and follow him to his seclusion in East Sussex, which is when he produces his best works. Writers really seem to thrive in isolation.

Like most brilliant and complex men, Henry James seems like he was pretty insufferable in real life. It was a well crafted story, but I just didn't find our protagonist that intriguing, like I have with similar works focusing on Flaubert or Dostoyevsky. 

And I sort of like James' novels, so I imagine if you hate his work as well, this would be utterly unreadable.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

Shortlisted for the 2004 Booker Prize.

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