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A review by jennyyates
The Debut by Anita Brookner
4.0
This is a novel about a woman who spends her early years imbibing literature, and then discovers that everything she had learned from it was wrong. She discovers that goodness doesn’t equal happiness, and that what looks like happiness generally isn’t.
It’s not exactly a cynical novel, but it’s very realistic, and none of the characters are spared. The central dynamic is between Ruth Weiss and her eccentric and basically narcissistic parents, George and Helen. George is pompous and passive, while Helen is a successful actress until age catches up with her. There are quite a few periphery characters, all vividly drawn, sometimes with just a few strokes.
I recommend this to anyone who enjoys sharp, clear writing and incisive character studies.
It’s not exactly a cynical novel, but it’s very realistic, and none of the characters are spared. The central dynamic is between Ruth Weiss and her eccentric and basically narcissistic parents, George and Helen. George is pompous and passive, while Helen is a successful actress until age catches up with her. There are quite a few periphery characters, all vividly drawn, sometimes with just a few strokes.
I recommend this to anyone who enjoys sharp, clear writing and incisive character studies.