This is a strange book about escaping reality and about deceit--deceiving others and self deceit. It could be read as a straight mystery, perhaps, although the solution to the puzzle is easily anticipated. The dream-like first-person narration quickly alerts the reader that this book contains undercurrents that don't fit the mystery genre.
Mr. Fox travels from America to the fictionalized country of Andorra to live, when he is "compelled by circumstances to begin my life again in some new place." From his room at the top of the Excelsior Hotel, he sees a picture-perfect seaside town, and his room, according to his first guest, is "God's room," complete with an antique alter. But he does not live for long in these perfect heights, and when he descends to the town he quickly becomes enmeshed in a downward spiral.
He becomes acquainted with an unusual assortment of people, all with secrets from which they wish to escape. Then a mutilated dead body is found at the harbor, and both the narrator and one of his new friends are suspect--that's the on-the-surface mystery part.
The real mystery lies in the hidden lives and troubled souls of the characters. All, most particularly the narrator, seem to be attempting to create a dream world where everything will be perfect.
I found this novel to be almost very good, but not quite. It is subtle, but not enough so, perhaps. It was certainly interesting.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment