
Enough about me. The great Sebastian Faulks was not concerning himself with my sense of identity, but that of his central character, Robert Hendricks. The novel opens in a hotel room in America and an encounter with a hooker. This is rapidly followed by a party with much younger people in the flat above his own in London. On first appearance, Hendricks is unsettled and unsatisfied. Still in chapter one, he receives a letter from Alexander Pereira "apparently offering [him] a job." This is the catalyst for reflection. The letter-writer, heretofore unknown by Hendricks, states that he served with Hendricks' father in the first world war. He also explains that he has spent much of his working life as a neurologist, forming another connection with the central character who is a doctor and psychiatrist. Thus the two key threads of the story are set up:warfare and mental health.
I really enjoyed the connection between past and present in this book. It is an amazing feat as the combined memories of Pereira and Hendrick form the sweep of the twentieth century. It encourages the reader to reflect on worldwide events and politics but see them personally, react morally and seek introspection. The heart of the novel is a wartime romance that flourished in Italy in World War Two between Luisa and Hendricks. Hendrick recalls this relationship with tenderness, and it is clear that this love is the pivot for much of his adult decision-making.
Through the Birdsong trilogy, Faulks has revealed himself to be master of the war story and so Hendricks' retelling of his own war is unsurprisingly convincing and empathetic. But it becomes clear that one of the most interesting things about his story are the gaps, what he chooses to leave out. Even when coerced by Pereira,there are things he does not reveal.
Hendricks' privacy is interesting. His life's work has been to try to reach and understand psychiatric patients, to reach into their gaps and help them to find some meaning or relief. He resists such counselling himself however, and holds information back even as he opens up his memories to Pereira. I found the psychological aspect of the story compelling, and would really like to see Faulks extend and explore this strand in future novels.
Juxtaposed against Hendricks' laudable aim to reach the unreachable is the fact that he states so clearly that, "All the connections I've made with people over more than sixty years of living cannot conceal the fact that I am utterly alone." This hooked me from the outset. To feel so isolated after a life many would regard as successful and full of humanity seems bleak and cruel. Faulks creates in Hendricks a sympathetic protagonist who helps us to examine what it means to be human, and perhaps leads us to question what we need to make us feel that we are leading lives worth living.
Finally, there is a twist in this book that is not revealed until the closing chapters. It was something that I had not anticipated and, as I said at the end of my last blog, has made this novel a definite on my re-read list.
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I met Sebastian Faulks at a reading at Henley Literary Festival in 2016 |
Sebastian Faulks is a modern author who stands out amongst those who have achieved contemporary success. This novel is original and will not disappoint.
I loved it when I read it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the blog - there's always grief to leave things even when it is our choice and exciting things are ahead. x