This is the second American classic I’ve read in a month; the third if we’re counting discrete works rather than volumes. There must be something in the publishing air. This one’s very different from Nella Larsens’s Quicksand and Passing which explore race and identity in the 1920s in a very personal way. Written in 1959, John Knowles’ novel is set in a New England boarding school during the Second World War.
Gene, our narrator, has come back to Devon School fifteen years after he left. It’s not a reunion, nor is it the kind of visit when you’re held up as an example to the current inmates – he has an urgent need to revisit the site of events which have left an indelible mark on him. His story of the summer of 1943 and the events that ensue from it is set against the background of America at war. Gene and Phineas are unlikely roommates: Gene is the A-student both flattered and awed by the friendship of the athletic, impulsive and charismatic Phineas. Phineas involves the slightly nerdy Gene in all his shenanigans – inventing ridiculous games, engaging the summer school teachers in surprising conversations, seemingly unaware of the impression his impulsive behaviour has on anyone else. The dark turn events take during – and after – the ‘gypsy summer’ when the usual rules are barely enforced or flagrantly flouted, is the crux of this novel but their full shocking extent is not revealed until the final few pages.
Knowles paints a picture of an idyllic New England summer in which only a few shortages and the knowledge that ‘seniors’, just a year older than Gene and Phineas, have gone to war impinge. He tells his story in simple direct language, powerfully summoning up the claustrophobia of a small institution which thinks itself important: personalities which might otherwise be diminished in the outside world loom dangerously large. Gene’s insecurity and his failure to understand Phineas are deftly drawn – the schoolboy’s impression of the excitement of war and its reality powerfully conveyed. The final chapters of the novel are extraordinarily tense as Gene begins to understand the consequences of his misunderstanding. It’s a slim book but it packs quite a punch.
Oooo I have this to read !!!!
It’s a fine piece of writing, Helen. Just a tiny addition to your TBR, too!
This is such a beautiful and haunting work. So much is said in so few words.
I was very struck by it, Fariba. Just as relevant today as when it was first published.
This sounds right up my street – a definite must read for me. I do love the way, Susan, that you convey so much about the spirit and the content of the story in a relatively short post.
Thank you, Victoria, such kind words! It’s been a pleasure to stumble on three interesting classics in the past month. I’m delighted that publishers are seeking them out.
This does sound interesting, Susan. Would it suit book groups, do you think? I’m wondering about the library work I’m involved with as we sometimes receive requests for recommendations of lesser-known classics.
I think it would, Jacqui, there’s lots to talk about here. I also think it might suit some young adults at the upper end of the age group.
Thanks, Susan; that’s very useful to know. A worthwhile book from a number of different perspectives.
We had to read this in high school and i loved it. I read it again in university and it stood the test of time. I’m glad you enjoyed it as well. As a teenager it just spoke to me.
I thought it was a brilliant piece of publishing, Tanya. I suspect that very few UK readers knew anything about it yet I was delighted to see it racked on WH Smith’s bestseller shelves a few weeks back. A very moving book with universal, timeless themes.