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A review by cheryl6of8
A Far Cry from Kensington by Muriel Spark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This book came into my hands recently and it fulfilled one of the prompts for my 2022 reading challenge, as my paternal grandmother was named Muriel. I found it appropriate that this book was set in England, because my grandmother was born there and maintained a strong thread of Englishness despite being wholeheartedly American. When I selected the book to read, it was based entirely on the desire to fulfill the prompt with a shorter read; I was indifferent to the storyline.
Throughout most of the book I cannot say that I was that invested in the storyline or the characters. At first I thought that Mrs. Hawkins was a bit blunt and detached, but had no real feeling for her. The further I got, though, the more easy it was to identify with her point of view if not with her personality. I felt she was a little harsh with her assessment of Hector Bartlett in the beginning, thinking that he was annoying but harmless and she should not care so much or pay him so much attention. But I came to see that she was correct in calling him a pisseur de copie and he became much more of an ominous, lurking, malevelolent presence in the book. I was quite pleased with the ending and how the "bill" was "settled", because he deserved that much at least.
The world of publishing and the petty intrigues and scandals, the monotony of daily life as a working woman in 1950s London, were interesting but not dynamic. In fact, I would say that is a good summary for the story itself. I may not remember much about it in a few weeks, despite having developed an interest in the characters whilst I read the book. However, ironically, I think the memory and impact of Hector Bartlett, a man who's writing was neither memorable nor impactful, will stick with me the longest. It can be bitterly sad what petty self-absorbed can do to others without conscience.
Throughout most of the book I cannot say that I was that invested in the storyline or the characters. At first I thought that Mrs. Hawkins was a bit blunt and detached, but had no real feeling for her. The further I got, though, the more easy it was to identify with her point of view if not with her personality. I felt she was a little harsh with her assessment of Hector Bartlett in the beginning, thinking that he was annoying but harmless and she should not care so much or pay him so much attention. But I came to see that she was correct in calling him a pisseur de copie and he became much more of an ominous, lurking, malevelolent presence in the book. I was quite pleased with the ending and how the "bill" was "settled", because he deserved that much at least.
The world of publishing and the petty intrigues and scandals, the monotony of daily life as a working woman in 1950s London, were interesting but not dynamic. In fact, I would say that is a good summary for the story itself. I may not remember much about it in a few weeks, despite having developed an interest in the characters whilst I read the book. However, ironically, I think the memory and impact of Hector Bartlett, a man who's writing was neither memorable nor impactful, will stick with me the longest. It can be bitterly sad what petty self-absorbed can do to others without conscience.