Opening to An Experiment in Love by Hilary Mantel.
Reading An Experiment in Love by Hilary Mantel I soon began to wonder why the book's characters spend time together. They don't like each other very much. They are not very nice to each other either.
The narrator, Carmel, comes from a working class, Irish Catholic family. Her mother pushes her to gain a scholarship to the local convent school and then to sit for examinations to London University. Along the way Carmel is forced to befriend Karina, the daughter of immigrant parents. Carmel's mother knows something about Karina's family that justifies forcing Carmel to befriend her, though her mother never tells Carmel what it is.
The narrator, Carmel, comes from a working class, Irish Catholic family. Her mother pushes her to gain a scholarship to the local convent school and then to sit for examinations to London University. Along the way Carmel is forced to befriend Karina, the daughter of immigrant parents. Carmel's mother knows something about Karina's family that justifies forcing Carmel to befriend her, though her mother never tells Carmel what it is.
Karina is not a sympathetic character in spite of the un-named tragedy she has survived. She reminded my of Tsugumi in Banana Yoshimoto's novel Goodbye Tsugumi. Carmel is saddled with Karina throughout childhood and on into the dormitory at London University though she longs to dump her in favor of Julienne, the daughter of wealthy parents who befriends her at the convent school. But even Julienne' friendship becomes problematic by the novel's end. Why do these girls spend so much time together when they basically do not like each other?
Midway through the novel, I remembered my own experience at college, living in the dorms, forced to befriend the people I lived with though we had little in common. We thought more profound things drew us together, but proximity was the strongest factor at play. I became friends with people who lived on the same floor and a few more that I shared classes with. The friendships of youth did not last beyond it, with but a handful of exceptions.
Ms. Mantel gets much of it right in An Experiment in Love: friendship, first love, moving on and away from family. However, towards the end the novel takes several dramatic turns and finally loses its way. First, we realize that what looked like extreme frugality brought on by lack of funds was really a developing case of anorexia. Ms. Mantel's narrator doesn't realize this until she becomes ill from it, and it's a tribute to Ms. Mantel's narrative that the reader does not either. It's difficult for me to understand why one becomes anorexic, but after reading An Experiment in Love I can see how it happens. Carmel's illness surprised me as much as it did her, but it was entirely believable.
There are two very dramatic events at the end of the novel that I won't reveal. One of them was believable, but the second was so over the top it made me chuckle when I should have been horrified. Really, some editor out there should have said no, you can't do that. I don't care if it really did happen in real life, it's just too much for a novel. And it wasn't necessary. Know when to say when.
There are two very dramatic events at the end of the novel that I won't reveal. One of them was believable, but the second was so over the top it made me chuckle when I should have been horrified. Really, some editor out there should have said no, you can't do that. I don't care if it really did happen in real life, it's just too much for a novel. And it wasn't necessary. Know when to say when.
An Experiment in Love is one of Ms. Mantel's earlier books. Based on the strength of her writing, and her understanding of human behavior, I'll be looking forward to more of her work.
7 comments:
I just added this one to my wish list after reading your review. I did enjoy Mudbound by her recently.
I am really keen to read more of Mantel and this sounds interesting.
What you say about proximity being a large factor in a lot of friendships is so true, we have less control over the people we spend our lives with than we like to think. Perhaps it is quite realistic then that no one in this novel seems to get along?
after all the fuss over Walk Hall I have to admit I had no idea she wrote straight fiction. I must look into more of her work as the sheer size of Walk Hall completely puts me off.
Diane, I will be reading more of her work. While I did find flaws with this one, I was also very impressed.
tea lady, I think you're right. I came to that conclusion by the end of the book. But it's also true that after college ends, we can take much more control of our lives and of who we come into contact with. If we're willing to take that control.
Jessica, the size and the fact that it's historical fiction have kept me from reading Wolf Hall. But, maybe someday...
I suspect we all could come up with roommate nightmares. I had a couple myself. It is an important lesson in life, for sure, but you get the hell out of the relationship as soon as politely possible. Your description of the ending has me intrigued.
Your description of the book really me draws me into it. It will be a great alternative to Wolf Hall, which has been a slog for me. That the mother didn't tell her daughter the justification in pursuing the friendship is a teaser.
This sounds interesting I have to say. I have only read Wolf Hall of Mantel and do want to read much more. I think Beyond Black will be my next foray into her work.
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