Muriel Spark (1918–2006)

Oh my what fun! a stalwart heroine, nasty villains, intrigue, class structure, friendship and art all told with that extraordinary articulateness that gifted writers mastered in 20th century UK. Spark’s style and wonderful prose is related to that of Penelope Lively, and our heroine also, but the story and its twists are very different. Our narrator’s interesting and unique views on people and events is constantly amusing and intriguing. An example is horrible people. Fleur delights in them as their debilitations are simply wonderful for her to observe, they don’t bother her in the slightest and if anything she seeks them out. A wonderful read I couldn’t put down.… (mer)

The eponymous "Only Problem" is that of how a benevolent omnipotent God allows suffering in the world, as epitomised in the Book Of Job, which is the obsession of the central character, Harvey. There is some interesting discussion of The Problem, but the story is more about Harvey's more modern-day (and somewhat self-inflicted) sufferings. These are almost insignificant by most definitions of suffering, which gives the book a satiric edge, although the humour is bone dry.

Spark doesn't tend to describe transitions - rather she narrates vignettes from different points in the plot. (I also noticed this in The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie). It's an interesting and distinctive approach, and one that perhaps mirrors life.

An enjoyable and idiosyncratic book, though a little unsatisfying.… (mer)

This was an instant reread for me, for pleasure and necessity. The complete disregard to time and order threw me the first time around and it was only upon the reread that I could fully appreciate Spark 's deftness. She doesn't care about catering to her readers. If you're going to read her, the onus is on you. She doesn't have time to spell out everything for you but all the details are there as long as you take care to pick them out. The reader is dropped in to the middle of the story, the middle of a conversation, and must be willing to just be carried away by the current and grab onto any passing clues for an easier and more pleasurable journey. The most important thing I learnt from this book is to trust the (Spark) process.… (mer)

I thought (until moments ago) that this was Spark's first novel because it has all the Sparkian elements that, unfortunately, aren't as finely tuned in this work as they are in many of her other novels. A preoccupation with religious identity set against the backdrop of a very specific time and place? Most definitely. A variety of eccentric characters? Yes, but several seem to betray their own characters in contrived ways. (Spark gives us a latently lesbian headmistress who somewhat unaccountably ends up hopping into bed with a pro-Nasser Muslim communist. The possibly latently homosexual, staid British F.O. dogsbody ends hopping into bed with the rogue-ish, girlish tour guide. The protagonist who goes through a lot of trouble to fulfill her Catholic pilgrimage to the Holy Lands decides 3/4 of the way through that she'll abandon the Church if need be to marry the man she loves. The young Muslim-turned Catholic-turned I forget what is in love with his sister but...well, you get the idea...) Brevity of style? No, this one drags by Sparkian standards. Incisiveness? Yes, but again, it's still blunted by Sparkian standards. Flashbacks *and* flashforwards? Yes, but not nearly as deftly done as in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.

In short, this isn't one of Spark's standouts, but Spark at her worst outshines many at their best. It's unfortunate that the books' thoughtful ruminations on the protagonist's divided religious identity amongst the unease of a divided city devolves into farce. The last half of the book turns into an espionage thriller that is less John le Carre and more Benny Hill, which isn't an entirely terrible thing.

Recommended for Spark completists.… (mer)