Name: Patrick White
Year Won: 1973
Read: The Hanging Garden
Original Language: English
Reason: "for an epic and psychological narrative art, which has introduced a new continent into literature"
About: "The Hanging Garden" is about...well, I'm not 100% sure what it's about, seeing as it's unfinished and mostly seems like a series of (very well written) vignettes about a bunch of children and later teenagers. I suppose, maybe, it was supposed to eventually gather a plot. But in its scant 200 pages, it really doesn't.
What I liked: The imagery is sublime. I have literally never read descriptions as innovative as some of them within this book. And the characters are brilliantly crafted.
What I Disliked: There is no plot. None. In one way, I suppose maybe that's a blessing (since otherwise there might be a cliffhanger, seeing as the work is unfinished). But it means that the story just sort of is...there's nothing that propels it forward. (And, in case you're wondering even most psychological novels have some kind of plot. "Mother" had a fairly strong one and "The Old Man and the Sea" at least had some semblance of one. I could at least say what both were about beyond "um, existing, I guess?"
Should it have won a Nobel: For this, no. But really, he was awarded the Nobel for other novels that I'm assuming are more engaging? And his writing is delightful.
Next Up: "Dreams of Roses and Fire" by Eyvind Johnson
No comments:
Post a Comment