Six Degrees of Separation is a meme hosted by Kate over at Books Are My Favourite and Best. It works like this: each month a book is chosen as a starting point and linked to six others to form a chain. A book doesn’t need to be connected to all the titles on the list, only to the one next to it in the chain.
This month we’re starting with Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw which, given that it’s a ghost story, seems appropriate as we enter Halloween month. Although I was impressed by James’ novel about two apparently possessed young children and their governess it was the film starring Deborah Kerr that scared me witless.
Which leads me to quite possibly the most terrifying piece of fiction I’ve read, Helen Oyeyemi‘s The Icarus Girl in which a little girl has a particularly malicious imaginary friend. Admittedly, I’m a coward but Lesley Glaister, no slouch at putting the frighteners on her readers, described it as ‘the most haunting and disturbing novel I’ve ever read’.
Oyeyemi secured a place at Corpus Christi, Cambridge despite producing her first novel while studying for her A-levels. Not quite so young but still something of a prodigy, Téa Obreht was barely twenty-five when she won what was then the Orange Prize with The Tiger’s Wife, the story of a young woman whose grandfather dies in mysterious circumstances which she feels compelled to investigate.
Sticking with both prize-winners and tigers, Aravind Adfiga’s Man Booker Prize-winning The White Tiger follows a bright young boy from his village to the glitzier parts of Delhi as he chauffeurs his wealthy boss who he decides to murder.
Zadie Smith’s White Teeth was one of those much-hyped debuts it was impossible to ignore back in 2001. Set against the vivid backdrop of multicultural London, Smith’s novel tells the story of one family spanning three generations. It more than lived up to all the brouhaha for me.
Smith’s On Beauty was an homage to E M Forster’s Howard’s End which could be a link in itself but I’m choosing to go with the teeth stuck in the tree outside the eponymous house belonging to the wealthy Wilcox family in this sad story of economic and social division.
My final link is to a book I’ve been meaning to read for quite some time, Susan Hill’s Howard’s End Is on the Landing about the author’s year of reading the books on her shelves rather than buying any new ones. Haven’t we all decided to do that now and again?
This month’s Six Degrees has taken me from a ghost story to a year’s book-buying ban. Part of the fun of this meme is comparing the very different routes other bloggers take from each month’s starting point. If you’re interested, you can follow it on Twitter with the hashtag #6Degrees, check out the links over at Kate’s blog or perhaps even join in.
You and me both re The Innocents and Deborah Kerr! I ought to try The Icarus Girl. I’ve only read one Oyeyemi (White is for Witching) and wasn’t entirely sure about it. I didn’t take to the Obrecht either, but I did love Hill’s gossipy HEIOTL.
I watched the film again not so long ago and it still has the same effect as when I saw it as a teenager! I must get my hands on a copy of the Hill. Somehow it’s slipped through the net.
Lovely links. And I’ve read 5 of them for a change! I’ve never tried any Adiga or Oyeyemi; do you think I’d like their work? You’ll enjoy the Susan Hill. A very cosy choice for this rainy week.
Not sure about the Adiga and I’ve not enjoyed all of Oyeyemi’s writing but this one and Mr Fox should suit you. I must get to the Hill this winter!
Loved your leap from White Teeth to Howard’s End! The Susan Hill would make fir an interesting contrast to Dear Reader which You read recently. Hill can be rather scathing of certain authors particularly Jane Austen. Shes more conservative in her tastes than Retzenbrink.
Thank you, Karen. I love that tree image. I thought that might be the case with Hill but I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.
Oh, I enjoyed your chain, Susan, and not only because I know and/or have read several of the books! (In other words, the links were interesting too!) One of those I know but haven’t read is On beauty. Having reread Howard’s end in the last year or so, I told myself I’d finally pull On beauty off the pile, but somehow time has marched on and I still haven’t.
Thank you. Isn’t that so often the case! I enjoyed On Beauty although it hasn’t stayed with me as long as White Teeth. entirely different book, of course.
White teeth was a great read, I agree.
White Teeth is one of the first books I tried to get as an ARC and was declined to get!
Oh, that’s a shame. I hope it hasn’t put you off reading the book for ever.
No, but I keep asking for ARCs by her and I never get approved. I really want to read one of her books some day!
Fingers crossed you get the next you ask for.
I’ll keep trying!
So much to love in this chain!
I haven’t seen the Kerr version of Turn of the Screw – I’m not great with horror/ suspense movies…
Still haven’t read Icarus Girl (but it’s on the list, I think on the strength of your recommendation).
Howard’s End not my favourite Forster but have enjoyed the movie, and the 2018 miniseries, even more so.
And it seems like I’ll need to add the Hill to the TBR stack – continues the trend of books about reading/books.
Thank you! I watched that film, aged around 14, alone. Never forgotten it. Just as scared when I repeated the experience a few years ago. I’m already thinking about next month’s 6 degrees. Given my starting point there maybe a few more books about books…
Great links Susan, I’ve yet to try Oyeyemi.
Thanks, Cathy. I’m not a fan of everything she’s written but this one was extraordinary. I’m still amused that a seventeen-year-old, which she must have been at the time of writing it, could scare the wits out of two middle-aged women!
All fascinating reads – great chain of books
Thank you!
I’m with you on the film version starring Deborah Kerr. She was very nearly going to provide the next link in my chain… I shall save that for another time
That’s three off us she’s scared half to death! Annabel felt the same.
Like you I think the variety of chains is part of the fun in this meme. I enjoyed reading yours -mostly books I haven’t read. I liked The Turn of the Screw but have no wish to watch a film version. The only other book in your chain that I’ve read is Hill’s book – I went to a talk she did on it, which was interesting although she mainly just read out extracts and seemed rather grumpy.
Thank you. Oh dear, that’s a shame. I hope the book was enjoyable enough to make up for it.
Very nicely done! I am a total wimp when it comes to anything remotely scary so I doubt that I will ever read the James and definitely won’t watch the film. I don’t think I knew about the Smith-Howard link, so am pleased to find that out. And I love Susan Hill’s book – I was reminded of this when reading your review of Dear Reader.
Thanks, Liz. Funnily enough the other adaptation that’s scared the life out of me is Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black which I suspect you’ve also avoided.
Ha – we once saw it at the theatre and I don’t think I have ever recovered!
I saw it at the theatre after watching the TV adaptation. You’d have thought I’d have been prepared but I still jumped out of my skin along with the rest of the audience at the crucial moment.
We didn’t really know the story before we went. Our friends who booked the tickets thought it would be ‘an Agatha Christie kind of thing’ so none of us were prepared for the full horror of the evening!!
Oh dear…
I know exactly what you mean by book-buying bans. I’ve certainly slowed down with the book buying in September but have found it impossible to stop completely…
Over the years I’ve learned that there’s far too much temptation to even try but I do aim to keep it to only six a month, not something I always manage to do.
I have read The Turn of the Screw but haven’t seen the film and don’t think I would be brave enough to watch it! I’ve also read The Tiger’s Wife and Howards End and have been meaning to try the Susan Hill book too.
I’m not usually a fan of being scared to death either! I’m hoping to get to Susan Hill’s book sometime this winter.
wow, great books here!
https://wordsandpeace.com/2020/10/03/six-degrees-of-separation-from-the-screw-to-the-deerstalker/
Thank you!
Great work! Tea Obreht is beyond my ken, but I love how you wove her book into your chain. Zadie, on the other had–love her work!! Excellent chain!
Thank you! Ms Smith was also something of a prodigy at a young age, wasn’t she.
Terrific. Thank you.
You’re welcome, and thanks!
I’m trying to read the books I already have, so perhaps I need to read Howards End is on the Landing for inspiration.
I’m sure we could all do with a bit of encouragement when trying to restrain our book buying!
OK, teeth stuck in a tree wins this month’s Most Original and Frankly Weirdest Link Award… 😀
Ha! I’ll take that honour. Thank you.
I might just read the Icarus Girl….. The Tiger’s Wife was brilliant! I’ve read it years ago and I can still remember it so vividly.
Your chain sure made a few interesting twists. Mine was just boring old ghosts… 6 Degrees of Separation – The Ghost Edition
Thank you, and not boring at all! Thanks for the link.
I can’t see a mention of On Beauty without thinking about the final episodes of Vicar of Dibley!
I’ve never seen that but now will have to look it up!
I love these covers! Great list!
Thank you!
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