English Literature
students will have much to learn from Stephen Swartz’s books, that draw from
his long expertise as an English professor.
Characters
Two protagonists
immersed in their own despair discover one another in more ways than one. Their
inner turmoil equals the pressure that the world around them – relatives,
colleagues and friends – who wield subtle and not-so-subtle influences over
them. Both of them would make highly interesting psychological studies.
All the other
characters gain importance as and when they come along and add their crucial
bits, into the equation brewing between the Eric and Iris. Even the minor
characters assume importance in how they change or affect the processes going
on within the minds of the two main characters. Each character is powerful, in
the way he or she affects the thinking on one or both the key players in the
story.
Storyline
Eric’s self-doubts
make our hearts go out to him as much as they do for Iris’s childhood trauma. How
her trauma refuses to let go of her, until it becomes irreversible forms the
crux of the story.
Eric’s inner
struggles with respect to how people around him would perceive him are compelling.
His passionate speech about the loneliness of a single middle-aged man in a
hormone-challenging environment are eye-openers to the society, that is often
blind to the human aspect of the male populace.
The fragile
equation between a middle-aged son and his parents put to test when his
carefree girlfriend meets them, is dealt with in its ridiculously humourous,
yet completely serious finesse.
The Wicca rituals,
witch references add a mythical touch, even as the Icelandic legends weave
themselves into the story. This makes it a rare enmeshing of ancient myth into
modern reality, minus any supernatural or paranormal inclusions.
It takes some
psychological knowhow to comprehend the erratic (especially sexual and sometimes
nudist) behaviour of a character like Iris. The various interpretations by
other characters may either add new dimensions or further confuse a clueless
reader, thus augmenting the depth in her character.
What remains a
strong motif throughout the story is the theme of reversal or opposites – the
typical dating ritual in reverse, the female, rather than male promiscuity,
perceived strength or weakness of the male species, the blatant lack of secrecy
of the woman in a gossip-riddled judgmental environment, and many more.
It is also interesting
to read the tendency for often malicious gossip, that seems to perforate even
the supposed modern, or culturally advanced university environment of America.
It underlines the fact that the innate character of human beings essentially
remains quite the same, irrespective of where they exist in the world.
Narrative
The matter-of-fact,
non-judgmental narration works well for topics that are as sensitive as this
one. There is absolutely no hint of narrator’s ‘voice’ to be gleaned from even
the most ludicrous behavioural/thinking processes of the characters.
I completely loved
the references to Shakespeare, especially his plays. The analyses of some of
the Bard’s plays woven neatly into the story’s narrative are brilliant and add a
realistic turn to the University classroom setting and sequences.
Conclusion
I rate the book 4.6
out of 5. Extra points for the brilliant insightful analyses of English and
intriguing Icelandic Literature woven into the story and narrative.
Do follow my blog if my reviews are interesting. Happy reading, readers!
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