An innocent mistake. Innocent, then progressively less so. I acted immorally, but what did literature have to do with morality?
Our narrator published several acclaimed short stories some time ago but has been struggling to write a novel since, whatever reputation he had dwindling to nothing. His partner, Ruth, has a successful career as an essayist, making him feel even smaller. The putative sighting of Brenda offers him a golden opportunity. He tracks her down to a care home, inveigles his way to her room, choosing not to correct a nurse’s assumption that he’s her grandson. Brenda is delighted with this young man, the son of the child she was forced to give up, happy to tell her story so that he can write it. Over the next month, she shares with him shocking secrets about the debut that made her name and the second novel which brought her notoriety and hate culminating in a lawsuit. Our narrator can hardly believe his luck, squashing niggling doubts about the original deception which led him to become Brenda’s confidant, lies piling up until he’s painted himself into a corner, dreams of the prize-winning biography that will solve Australia’s greatest literary puzzle fading fast. After a dinner party when he’s unmasked in front of Ruth, he thinks the game must be up until he conducts one last interview with Brenda.
But in fact the end, when it came, was nothing like that. Of all the scenarios I’d imagined, this one had never occurred to me. It was, truly, the last thing I expected.
Amerena’s novel is a wonderfully twisty tale about authorship and literary ambition. Our thin-skinned narrator is willing to involve himself in subterfuge and deceit, squirming more at the thought of being found out than the rights and wrongs of what he’s doing, all to see a book with his name on it. There’s much humour to be enjoyed at the expense of writers, portrayed as self-absorbed, touchy and often unscrupulous. Ruth does struggle with her conscience about a piece she wrote on her relationship with her mother but manages to overcome it, reaping the viral reward. An entertaining, smartly structured satire whose final sentence is the cherry on the cake.
Scribner: London 9781398547469 240 pages Hardback (read via NetGalley)
Discover more from A Life in Books
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Oh, this is right up my street as well! I loved the Lipstein and the Korelitz, and Lee Cole’s Groundskeeping, a more literary take on the same themes. On the TBR it goes.
Excellent! Groundskeeping was a favourite for me, too. You might also like Antoine Wilson’s Mouth to Mouth on a similar theme.
Well, I’ve read none of the books you mention, and sense I am missing out. The only book I’ve read recently that covers some of the same ground is Yellowface by R F Kuang. I’d be interested in this take on an apparently somewhat similar theme.
It does seem to be quite a popular theme. I avoided Yellowface thanks to all the brouhaha surrounding it. Would you recommend?
Here’s the final paragraph of my review. Only you can decide … ‘It’s a melodrama. It’s a thriller. It’s a window on racial diversity as seen through the eyes of a social media and publishing world totally lacking in nuance. It’s a comic novel. It’s clever, leaving you with lots to think about as you flip-flop from ‘getting’ Juniper’s take on her theft , and finding her morally indefensible, It’s entertaining too. Shall I read more by Kuang? Much as I raced through this book, eager to find how the story ends – probably not. I’m exhausted’.
Thank you. It sounds like a good holiday read. I see she has a new one out that’s even more hyped.
Holiday reading? Yes, perfect!
Oh this sounds wonderfully twisty! Will have to look out for it
Highly recommended if you enjoy a clever plot!
Now this does sound very intriguing.
Perfect if you enjoy a good plot turn.
This sounds so entertaining! It sounds like it could be adapted well too, Brenda would be a great role for someone.
Excellent idea!
Sounds good! The whole subject of using other people’s stories is so full of potential for satire!
It does, I deed. This one’s very cleverly done.
The language in your selections seems SO clean and spare. It appeals. But maybe it was just those bits you could share without revealing any spoilers?
I had to be careful not to reveal too much with this one but the quotes are quite representative of his writing style.