Literature
Clever. That is the one word that I would use to best describe the writing of Muriel Spark. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is a wickedly clever little novel that took me by a complete surprise and marks my first exposure to Muriel Spark, an author who up until now, remained unknown to me. I never would have thought a story revolving around a female Scottish teacher and her students during the 1930's would interest me at all but Spark really captured my attention with her irreverent style and dark humor. She is unconventional when it comes to narrative form, undermining the reader's expectation at every turn. For instance, the big revelation, which would usually occur at the climax of a novel, is presented here to the reader at the very beginning. Next, she weaves together the past, present and future simultaneously; presenting an intricate narrative that walks a fine line between satire and seriousness. The way she plays around with time, memory and perspective is ingenious, providing the narrative with a rich complexity. However, she isn't a experimental prose stylist in the modernist sense; on the contrary, her writing is crisp, direct and razor sharp. Muriel Spark reminds me of a female version of Evelyn Waugh without the haughtiness, racism or blatant misogyny.
Spark's witty and economical prose is a pure joy to read. She has a great ear for dialogue and her writing is entertaining as much as it intellectually stimulating. She uses irony with such deft precision, evoking a caustic sense of humor that is funny as much as it is unexpectedly poignant. A strong social commentary also lingers in the background but the feminist and anti-establishment leanings are not heavy handed; rather, the social, political and religious commentary is subtly layered which makes story more powerful and emotionally resonant. Miss Jean Brodie is a fascinating and vivid character that is not easy to forget. She is both mesmerizing and terrifying to behold. The novel was even adapted into a film starring a young Maggie Smith that I really need to watch soon.
- Deal Me In Challenge: Oh! He's Charming! By Dorothy Parker
Card Drawn: 7 of Spades. Penguin Classic editions tend to have some of the most well-designed and evocative covers around. Dorothy Parker's Complete Stories is one of them--a cartoon drawing of a woman peeking out of a men's washroom. Simple,...
- Memento Mori By Muriel Spark
?Final perseverance is the doctrine that wins the eternal victory in small things as in great.? When Muriel Spark is on the ball, she is an absolute pleasure to read and Memento Mori showcases the author in top form. It's hard to believe that...
- Book Beginnings On Friday: Memento Mori By Muriel Spark
I can't believe its Friday already. This week has gone by exceptionally fast but that means it is time for another Book Beginnings on Friday held by Rose City Reader. To participate, share the first line or two of the book you are currently...
- Teaser Tuesdays: The Ballad Of Peckham Rye By Muriel Spark
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. The idea is to open your current read to a random page and share a few sentences. And try not to include spoilers! Trevor was seen to approach Humphrey and hit him on...
- The Comforters By Muriel Spark
Muriel Spark's debut novel The Comforters is an utterly bizarre and whimsically ambitious meta-fiction that is structured around the literary equivalent of the Chinese box technique: a novel within a novel, within a novel. Paradoxically, Spark is...
Literature
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
"Allow me, in conclusion, to congratulate you warmly upon your sexual intercourse, as well as your singing."
Clever. That is the one word that I would use to best describe the writing of Muriel Spark. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is a wickedly clever little novel that took me by a complete surprise and marks my first exposure to Muriel Spark, an author who up until now, remained unknown to me. I never would have thought a story revolving around a female Scottish teacher and her students during the 1930's would interest me at all but Spark really captured my attention with her irreverent style and dark humor. She is unconventional when it comes to narrative form, undermining the reader's expectation at every turn. For instance, the big revelation, which would usually occur at the climax of a novel, is presented here to the reader at the very beginning. Next, she weaves together the past, present and future simultaneously; presenting an intricate narrative that walks a fine line between satire and seriousness. The way she plays around with time, memory and perspective is ingenious, providing the narrative with a rich complexity. However, she isn't a experimental prose stylist in the modernist sense; on the contrary, her writing is crisp, direct and razor sharp. Muriel Spark reminds me of a female version of Evelyn Waugh without the haughtiness, racism or blatant misogyny.
Spark's witty and economical prose is a pure joy to read. She has a great ear for dialogue and her writing is entertaining as much as it intellectually stimulating. She uses irony with such deft precision, evoking a caustic sense of humor that is funny as much as it is unexpectedly poignant. A strong social commentary also lingers in the background but the feminist and anti-establishment leanings are not heavy handed; rather, the social, political and religious commentary is subtly layered which makes story more powerful and emotionally resonant. Miss Jean Brodie is a fascinating and vivid character that is not easy to forget. She is both mesmerizing and terrifying to behold. The novel was even adapted into a film starring a young Maggie Smith that I really need to watch soon.
Read on April 24, 2011
- Deal Me In Challenge: Oh! He's Charming! By Dorothy Parker
Card Drawn: 7 of Spades. Penguin Classic editions tend to have some of the most well-designed and evocative covers around. Dorothy Parker's Complete Stories is one of them--a cartoon drawing of a woman peeking out of a men's washroom. Simple,...
- Memento Mori By Muriel Spark
?Final perseverance is the doctrine that wins the eternal victory in small things as in great.? When Muriel Spark is on the ball, she is an absolute pleasure to read and Memento Mori showcases the author in top form. It's hard to believe that...
- Book Beginnings On Friday: Memento Mori By Muriel Spark
I can't believe its Friday already. This week has gone by exceptionally fast but that means it is time for another Book Beginnings on Friday held by Rose City Reader. To participate, share the first line or two of the book you are currently...
- Teaser Tuesdays: The Ballad Of Peckham Rye By Muriel Spark
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. The idea is to open your current read to a random page and share a few sentences. And try not to include spoilers! Trevor was seen to approach Humphrey and hit him on...
- The Comforters By Muriel Spark
Muriel Spark's debut novel The Comforters is an utterly bizarre and whimsically ambitious meta-fiction that is structured around the literary equivalent of the Chinese box technique: a novel within a novel, within a novel. Paradoxically, Spark is...