Alan Warner
1995
Around 240 pages
Well, that's a relief. We were in a definitive slump, and on my birth year no less. Thank you Alan Warner for writing an unusual and entertaining novel.
This is such a strange one that I don't want to give almost anything away. Suffice to say, Movern's boyfriend kills himself and she uses it as an opportunity to change her boring life as a supermarket clerk. Apparently, Warner originally conceived this as a narrative from the point of view of Movern's boyfriend, but decided that POV was too limiting. Which is a good lesson to us aspiring writers out there. Sometimes changing the POV is all you need to jumpstart a stalled story.
This is an atmospheric novel that follows a very strange character. It reminded me of The Driver's Seat by Muriel Spark, although the ending wasn't quite as satisfying. Still a welcome change of pace and I wish we saw more of him on this List.
RATING: ****-
Interesting Facts:
Interesting Facts:
Adapted to film in 2002.
Won the Somerset Maugham Award in 1996.
UP NEXT: The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro
