The Unfinished Novel and Other Stories |
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| Author:
| Martin, Valerie |
| ISBN: | 978-0-297-84855-4 |
| Publication Date: | Jun 2006 |
| Publisher: | Orion Publishing Group, Limited
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| Imprint: | Weidenfeld & Nicolson |
| Book Format: | Hardback |
| List Price: | AUD $45.00 |
Book Description:
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'There's more to life than good weather and coffee,' Edith said dryly. 'And I don't want to be a flower.' So responds the American poet to her Latino dancer lover. The Open Door sees the title story following Edith and her partner to Rome, where Edith realises she needs to make some choices, but in a world now so alien to her that she risks losing more than just the translation of her poetry. The nine stories presented here contemplate from various angles the cruel tyranny of Art, the...
More Description'There's more to life than good weather and coffee,' Edith said dryly. 'And I don't want to be a flower.' So responds the American poet to her Latino dancer lover. The Open Door sees the title story following Edith and her partner to Rome, where Edith realises she needs to make some choices, but in a world now so alien to her that she risks losing more than just the translation of her poetry. The nine stories presented here contemplate from various angles the cruel tyranny of Art, the demon lover who both saves and ruins every life it claims for its own. There is the teacher struggling with the guilt that after an affair with a young actor 20 years ago, his promising career mysteriously vaporised; then there is the printmaker, who has reached a certain age and finds herself entering so deeply into the world of her imagination that she can no longer find her way back. These are engaging tales, told in the smooth and sophisticated prose we have come to expect from Valerie Martin. Along with Jane Eyre; who wrote with such reason and clarity, and Emily Bronte; the epitome of Romanticism, Martin incorporates powerful elements of both eras, combined with an infallible perception of modern life and love, to share a common denominator: if you were born to write, it doesn't matter what decade you're in - you can only hope that as a genius, you will be appreciated in your own lifetime. This latest work from the Orange Prize winner confirms an increasing appreciation for what is considered to be amongst the finest literary fiction ever produced.