A review by constantlymaya
The Volcano Lover by Susan Sontag

4.0

This is one of the most interesting pieces of historical fiction I’ve ever read. It details the lives of the Hamiltons and Admiral Nelson in the time of the Napoleonic Wars. Before starting the book I thought it might be primarily focussed on the affair between Emma Hamilton and Nelson, but it is really only a small part of the story, for example, the first part of the book is entirely devoted to William Hamilton’s diplomatic career in Naples and his first marriage (the title of the book even refers to his obsession with amount Vesuvius, which is a constant presence throughout the book just as it is over the city of Naples). If anything, the book is about the larger ideas of the psychology of collection and possession, and more particularly, the gendered politics of ownership and belonging. Full of reflections on different works of art, professors would love this book as a very complete example of ekphrasis. Sontag loves getting all postmodernist and and metafictive by breaking the fourth wall with 20th century references and an overt authorial presence. It’s a thought-provoking read, and I appreciated the complex feminist lens, but it can get ponderous and a little exasperating. Sontag’s prose is almost self-consciously cool and intellectual, and her writing style can seem forced and heavy at certain times. However, this is definitely a unique book that will make you think, as well as learning some interesting history at the same time.