Nine short stories, seven of which are very short, another of 50 pages and the longest approaching that of a novella. All quite interesting, all written with the usual Boyd wit and panache, but none outstanding. One is written with a backwards timeline, and one as extracts from different character's diaries about the same event. This seems to be Boyd experimenting.
The longest story, that is used as the book's title, follows a year in the life of a muddled 24 year old as she embarks upon job after job, boyfriend after boyfriend. Enjoyable if not rewarding. The final story is a potted thriller, the ultimate UK road trip. "How many Stellas was I going to meet on this journey".
Again, the author is having fun, sometimes at our expense. I know the short story game means that it has an open ended or unexpected finish, and we have to make up our own minds about what happens next. But please, Mr Boyd, gives us more clues!
A poignant novel about being old. Laura Palfrey ponders about why time goes so much slower now she is in her eighties. She struggles to find things to fill her day. (Fortunately, in my seventies, I don't have this problem). "The walk had taken her out of herself, as well as out". This is typical of Taylor's sweet prose. Laura talks about the life she had with her husband: "If I had known at the time how happy I was, she decoded now, it would only have spoiled it. I took it for granted. That was much better. I don't regret that".
The Claremont Hotel, on Cromwell Road, where Mrs Palfrey now resides, has just a few long term residents, all ancient and all with their annoying habits. The manager would rather do without their custom. I was going to say that this was a sad little book, but getting old is not sad, it's just getting old. As a meditation on old age, this is a classic.
What an extraordinary book. Michael Owen is a writer and his first person narration alternates with (perhaps) the chapters he has written about each member of the terrible Winshaw family. He has been commissioned by one of them to delve into the family's recent history. I realise now that you need a good memory to remember events that are important later (e.g. the smell of jasmine) but more importantly certain characters who make a brief appearance but also appear much later. It would have been good to make notes!
This is therefore quite a complex novel, masquerading as a black comedy. The title of the book is taken from that of a 1961 comedy horror film starring Sid James, Kenneth Connor and Shirley Eaton. I have never seen it, but Michael did see part as a child until his mother realised it was not appropriate. However it made a huge impression on our narrator and events from that movie have a habit of encroaching into his life.
"I was more like Kenneth Connor - and always would be - forcing myself not to look in the mirror at a gorgeous, terrifying reality disclosing itself only a few inches behind my back". (Shirley Eaton changing clothes).
There is one particular character who was superb. Phoebe (then an artist) first appears in the chapter about Roddy Winshaw and in fact upstages the man who should have taken Michael's attention. Why, I have now only realised writing this piece. The book is also a political commentary on the 1980's. The NHS comes under fire, so no change there then.
The first half of the book is especially good, I just thought it sagged a little two third through. Saddam Hussein's Iraq bubbles to the surface with lots of boring detail about arms deals etc. But then there is the final section written with short chapters, each with their own title and Michael now in the third person. Absolutely worth waiting for. Remember this is a black comedy or, in this case, more a farcical horror.
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