Reviews

‘A Single Man’ is an integral work in queer theory, and its likeabillty speaks to how well its aged. There is no doubt there is some beautiful prose and deeply reflective on human nature and the loss of companionship. Isherwood’s novel is very short, and readable, which I give credit for creating such an outstanding piece of work that is very accessible to others.

The novel depicts George, who is heartbroken from the recent death of his long-term lover, Jim. His inability to come to terms with this is assumed by the fact Jim’s family didn’t allow George to come to his funeral, and thus, George’s grieving process is in a limbo. He describes his university, where he works, his mundane interactions with his colleges and friend, Charlotte who regularly checks up on him. The brief novel ends when one of his brightest students, Kenny, had set out to find George: they flirt for a little, and later George dies in his sleep peacefully.

I neither loved or hated the novel, and I feel indifferent towards this piece of literature after I read it, nothing Isherwood had really said really struck me (apart from a long-winded self-projecting speech about minorities). I normally gravitate towards books that have a strong plot, or have exceptional characters with enormous depth, while I agree it is a challenge to loving construct a character in less than 182 pages - having neither made this reading dull and uninteresting. The writing, for the most part, didn’t capture me, and I understand the main atmosphere of the novel is supposed to be monotonous, but it just felt tiresome to read this book, especially If it felt like it was going nowhere.

Again, I could be misinterpreting this book a lot, and perhaps I will reread in the near future to gain a better understanding, as I know how widely loved this novel is. Books that can create a visceral reaction out of me, I know the writing is persuasive and compelling, and Isherwood’s ‘A Single Man’ didn’t do this for me. I could be the wrong target audience, perhaps, as I don’t know anyone personally who I have mourned for, so already, grief isn’t a topic which I would normally gravitate to in books, compared to mental illnesses. Despite the lack of personal attachment, the writing just did not move me in the slightest, and I am not apologetic over it. I can appreciate the impact the novel has had in certain parts of the literature canon and engage others, but it just fell short for me.

Edit: I was reading this at work, and my manager came by and saw me reading this novel, and completely raved about the movie. From what I understand, the movie is a cult classic directed by Tom Ford (which completely makes sense at the start of the novel, when Tom Ford has written an introduction to the novel! I was so confused, I thought, the fashion designer beauty expert Tom Ford? What an odd choice haha). Online, the movie has positive critical reception, praising for its amazing cinematography, so I will definitely be sure to put it on my list of things to watch.

gadicohen93's review against another edition

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5.0

An honest and simple meditation on a day in the life of George. This book is so beautiful that I feel like I read it too quickly, without losing myself in its depth, and without taking out of it as much as I should've. It's definitely a quick read. George seems so cynical and resigned that it totally shocked me how much I liked him as a character. This book's reflections on life and on the way people lead their lives were so full of thought and vigor. I have to re-read this again sometime.