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A review by megmcardle
The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld
2.0
The premise of this historical first novel is that Sigmund Freud visited America in 1909 to deliver a famous series of lectures (all true). This was his only visit to America, and supposedly he did not form a favorable opinion of the country. The author imagines that while visiting, Freud and his party get involved in a murder investigation, using the still relatively young discipline of psychoanalysis to investigate the crime. Using actual historical figures in literature is a tricky business, especially when a great deal is known about them. The author wisely uses Freud sparingly, as an advisor to his protagonist, who is a young American psychoanalyst. As Freud's party (which includes his protege Carl Jung) arrives in New York, there is a sensational murder of a young socialist. Another woman was found alive, but with no memory of the attack. As the young psychologist begins to work with this woman, with the guidance of Freud, we get a glimpse of the working methods of early psychologists, including Freud's then very controversial ideas that all adult neuroses have their roots in inappropriate sexual feelings, i.e. his Oedipal Complex theory.
The books narration alternates between the first person narration of psychologist Stratham Younger, and the third person, which is a suppressions jarring technique. Suspects to the sadistic attacks pile up, most promisingly a viscous but wealthy business man who supposedly beats his wife and was obsessed with the victim. But there are far too many others, including even the mentally unbalanced Carl Jung who gets very strange treatment here. All of the suspects and misdirections that the author strews about are ultimately distracting. I was dodging red herrings like I was in the middle of a Seattle fish market! The period detail is good, especially in the authors description of the building of the Manhattan Bridge. There is also an interesting running sidebar about the psychology of Hamlet and the meaning of the "To be or not to be" soliloquy. Still, it could not make up for the lack of strong narration and the too convenient solution to the mystery. If a reader wants to read something like Carr's The Alienist, they would be better served by Anne Perry or Iain Pears, or better yet, re-reading The Alienist.
The books narration alternates between the first person narration of psychologist Stratham Younger, and the third person, which is a suppressions jarring technique. Suspects to the sadistic attacks pile up, most promisingly a viscous but wealthy business man who supposedly beats his wife and was obsessed with the victim. But there are far too many others, including even the mentally unbalanced Carl Jung who gets very strange treatment here. All of the suspects and misdirections that the author strews about are ultimately distracting. I was dodging red herrings like I was in the middle of a Seattle fish market! The period detail is good, especially in the authors description of the building of the Manhattan Bridge. There is also an interesting running sidebar about the psychology of Hamlet and the meaning of the "To be or not to be" soliloquy. Still, it could not make up for the lack of strong narration and the too convenient solution to the mystery. If a reader wants to read something like Carr's The Alienist, they would be better served by Anne Perry or Iain Pears, or better yet, re-reading The Alienist.