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William di Canzio's Alec recounts E.M. Forster’s Maurice from Alec’s perspective, and then attempts the impossible - trying to give Maurice and Alex a functional happy ending.
The first part, the retelling of Maurice, is probably the most successful part, although I didn’t agree with di Canzio's characterisation decisions and I found some parts, like the inclusion of Forster himself (and later other real-life figures) as a character to be rather trite. Still, I think there is still a lot worthwhile in attempting to give Alec a rounder character and in imagining the events of Maurice from his perspective. And I do think di Canzio writes romantic tension well, at least. But a lot of this book really is just everyone going on and on about how Alec is the most wonderful man in the world and everyone is in love with him and ugh. An attempt to make Alec more developed resulted in a character that somehow still seemed incredibly flat. I also found the examination of class prejudice and dynamics underwhelming.
The rest of the book is a bit of a let-down. Mostly, I think the overall bleakness undercuts the hopefulness and blind optimism of the ending of Maurice. It really underlines why Forster was never able to write a satisfying epilogue to the original novel. There is also a decision at the very end which I found infuriating -while not necessarily realistic, I think the ending of the Maurice, where Alec and Maurice are able to stay and have their happy ending in England instead of having to move abroad, while unrealistic is an important part of what makes the ending important. At the end of this book, they move to the United States.
The author's note on the end, where the author writes about what Maurice meant to him, did warm me to the book somewhat - until he declares that he understood Alec better than Forster did. I'm sorry, but this book absolutely did not convince me of that.
The first part, the retelling of Maurice, is probably the most successful part, although I didn’t agree with di Canzio's characterisation decisions and I found some parts, like the inclusion of Forster himself (and later other real-life figures) as a character to be rather trite. Still, I think there is still a lot worthwhile in attempting to give Alec a rounder character and in imagining the events of Maurice from his perspective. And I do think di Canzio writes romantic tension well, at least. But a lot of this book really is just everyone going on and on about how Alec is the most wonderful man in the world and everyone is in love with him and ugh. An attempt to make Alec more developed resulted in a character that somehow still seemed incredibly flat. I also found the examination of class prejudice and dynamics underwhelming.
The rest of the book is a bit of a let-down. Mostly, I think the overall bleakness undercuts the hopefulness and blind optimism of the ending of Maurice. It really underlines why Forster was never able to write a satisfying epilogue to the original novel. There is also a decision at the very end which I found infuriating -
The author's note on the end, where the author writes about what Maurice meant to him, did warm me to the book somewhat - until he declares that he understood Alec better than Forster did. I'm sorry, but this book absolutely did not convince me of that.