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The Swimming Pool Library
The Swimming Pool Library, by Alan Hollinghurst, takes place London during the early eighties before the AIDS epidemic; the main character, Will Beckwith, is a privileged heir to a viscountcy in his mid-twenties. Blond, gorgeous, and mostly idle, he spends much of his time hanging out at the Corinthian swimming club (which is frequented by many gay men) or going to night clubs. One day, he happens to save an elderly man has a heart attack while cottaging in a rest room. Serendipitously, this man, Charles Nantwich, is a titled lord who takes it into his head that Will should write his biography, though Will himself is ambivalent. However, Will's best friend James, a doctor (and also gay) urges him to take on the project, so Will pages through Charles's diaries, while discovering correspondences and connections between his life and that of the older man, in the context of the history of gay life in Britain. (Especially the author Ronald Firbank)
At first, this novel proved quite uninteresting, perhaps because I found Will himself unentertaining. Looking through the Amazon reviews, I found that some readers felt that Will was unlikable or irritating; however, I tend not to mind this as much in characters. But the main problem was that Will's life isn't very interesting. He has some sinecure job where he occasionally writes articles, but otherwise he devotes himself to his personal life. However, I found his relationships with both Arthur and Phil to be less interesting than his odd friendship with Charles, and Charles's diaries, which appear mostly in the second half. James is probably the most likable character, so I also wish we saw more of him.
I think the problem is that Will's life is kind of aimless, and so a 'slice of life' plot is going to feel somewhat plotless. I also get the feeling that this is the sort of literary novel which works more by creating a pattern and having repeating echoes rather than having a more linear structure. Yet, linear structure is what I generally prefer, and I became irritated at things like "Okay, that thing with Arthur was totally inconclusive" or "Well, Will walking in on Phil with Bill would in some books be dramatic, but it kind of lacks impact here for some reason." Maybe it's because for all Will says that he loves Arthur and Phil, and does feel generous towards them, he seems to get over them quickly, and in both relationships, the inequities of race/class disturbed me (it's even remarked on by other characters that Will tends to go for lovers who are of a lower social class than his). Perhaps this is intended to be an echo of Charles's ambiguous status as patron towards some of the other characters, as well as his career as colonial administrator in Sudan.
At first, this novel proved quite uninteresting, perhaps because I found Will himself unentertaining. Looking through the Amazon reviews, I found that some readers felt that Will was unlikable or irritating; however, I tend not to mind this as much in characters. But the main problem was that Will's life isn't very interesting. He has some sinecure job where he occasionally writes articles, but otherwise he devotes himself to his personal life. However, I found his relationships with both Arthur and Phil to be less interesting than his odd friendship with Charles, and Charles's diaries, which appear mostly in the second half. James is probably the most likable character, so I also wish we saw more of him.
I think the problem is that Will's life is kind of aimless, and so a 'slice of life' plot is going to feel somewhat plotless. I also get the feeling that this is the sort of literary novel which works more by creating a pattern and having repeating echoes rather than having a more linear structure. Yet, linear structure is what I generally prefer, and I became irritated at things like "Okay, that thing with Arthur was totally inconclusive" or "Well, Will walking in on Phil with Bill would in some books be dramatic, but it kind of lacks impact here for some reason." Maybe it's because for all Will says that he loves Arthur and Phil, and does feel generous towards them, he seems to get over them quickly, and in both relationships, the inequities of race/class disturbed me (it's even remarked on by other characters that Will tends to go for lovers who are of a lower social class than his). Perhaps this is intended to be an echo of Charles's ambiguous status as patron towards some of the other characters, as well as his career as colonial administrator in Sudan.