Catch-22
by Joseph Heller
Synopsis: Set on the fictional island of Pianosa during the American campaign to liberate Nazi-occupied Italy during the Second World War, Yossarian, a 28 year-old bombardier grows increasingly paranoid that he'll NEVER be sent back home, as Colonel Cathcart keeps raising the number of missions his men have to fly before they can take leave. His methods to stand his ground and save his life grow ever more inventive, but there's no doubting that the longer he stays on duty, the more creative and imaginative his would-be assassins become... As dangers reveal themselves from above, below and even from his own circle of acquaintances, Yossarian will slowly discover that "death-by-Nazi" will be the very least of his concerns...
Review: Some con artist tailors came to town, and offered to make the Emperor a set of new clothes. He agreed, and they got to work... doing nothing. After weeks of them sitting around idly, the Emperor came to collect his new threads. When he asked the tailors why he couldn't see or feel the clothes, they told him "They're made of the finest silk- so fine and unique, that only the wise and sophisticated can see and feel them..."... Suddenly, the Emperor decided that actually, he COULD both see and feel them... He had messengers sent throughout the kingdom, telling his subjects that only the wise would be able to see his clothes. Convinced that he must be wearing his new suit simply because he'd been tricked into thinking that it was real, the Emperor walked out naked in front of the entire kingdom. The crowd cheered and applauded his minimalist fashion show, boasting to each other about how beautiful the Emperor's new wardrobe appeared to them...
This is the same with Catch-22. When it first came out, apparently it was slated by critics for being simply awful. However, soon, certain people started saying "It's not awful- it's cult. It's subtle and dry- a wonderful satirical delight that I guess is something that only us sophisticated readers can truly appreciate..."... Suddenly, people started responding, "Oh...! Wait a second... Now that I take a CLOSER look, I can see that, actually, it is a really good cult classic... how wrong I was before. Yes- very sophisticated humour, which I DEFINITELY understand"... a forced and uneasy smile on their faces...
Don't get me wrong; undoubtedly there will be some genuine fans of Catch-22 out there... but I suspect that a lot of people who say they like this book say so simply because they feel they should. It honestly wouldn't surprise me if Joseph Heller sat down one day and thought to himself, "As a social experiment, I'm going to write a mediocre book, and then see how many people will be convinced by peer pressure that it's actually really good..."...
Well, the original critics had it right. This book is not great literature. The characters are unlikeable, under-developed, and uninteresting... to the point where, on the rare occasions when things actually DO happen to them, you're so far from any emotional investment in them, that you just think, "Who even cares?".
If you want a rough outline of what to expect: imagine a book which takes the social awkwardness and hilarity in misunderstandings of "The Importance Of Being Ernest", mix it in with the complete madness and ludicrousy of "Alice in Wonderland", and then place it on a similar 1940's Mediterranean island to that of "Captain Corelli's Mandolin", and you'll start to get an outline of "Catch-22". And, to its credit, there are times when reading it where it does make you chuckle, it does make you think about the absurdity of it all, and you do dream of the clear blue ocean stretching under a glistening sun, the peace aggressively torn apart by American bomber squadrons. But, for such a LONG book, these occasions are strikingly rare. Take, for example, its main message- that war is complete madness. That the people who start it and run it are all mental, and that the sane, innocent people who get dragged into it start to lose their minds, eventually. An important message, yes, but hardly ground-breaking, even for the time. And you could appreciate that fact in a fraction of the time, and with much more impact simply by watching an episode of "Blackadder Goes Forth".
All is NOT lost, though: the failed efforts of the young Nately to tame both his prostitute girlfriend and the other members of his squadron into "settling down" are predictably and comically shot down, and the running joke at the end of that same prostitute appearing cunningly and in disguise to try to assassinate Yossarian doesn't grow old (in fact, it lifts the tempo towards the end of the book, in a morbid, black-humour kind of way)...
But even these fun parts aren't enough to justify the book's reputation.
I really don't like writing negative reviews. But this kind of trickery has to be called out. There is probably some young person out there who wants to get into reading great books. In which case, I have a responsibility to save them a few quid, along with a number of reading hours they could be spending engaged in genuinely fantastic literature. It doesn't take a scholar to see that the reputation that Catch-22 has gained is a scam; a trick played on society to expose its conceited mindset. All it takes is that one uninhibited little boy to suddenly shout;
"The Emperor's got no clothes on!"
Score: 4/10
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Great Expectations
by Charles Dickens
Synopsis: Pip, a poor orphaned boy who's being raised by his sister "by hand", falls unwittingly into favourable
economic circumstances that promise to lift him out of his rustic
routes, and "make a gentleman" out of him. Funded by a mysterious and
elusive benefactor, he discovers that the road towards supposed success
and wealth in this world is a treacherous one, that life has a habit of
being unpredictable, and that in following one path instead of another,
he's in danger of losing the treasures that he's been looking for all
along.
Review:
Often sighted as Dickens's best novel, it certainly has the qualities
to be in the running for such a title. A compromise between a compelling
page-turning storyline, a series of thinking points and life lessons
(the foolishness of taking life on face value alone, and the lie of
financial security being just two), and the hum-drum normality of
everyday descriptions (which allow the reader to be able to hear the
stagecoaches passing on the cobblestone streets, and the chiming bells
over a smoggy Victorian London) await the reader.
Character
development is (as you would expect from such a large book) rife
within. There's the young, impressionable Pip, his ever-loyal and loving
friend Joe (unwavering throughout), the proud siren Estella (the
temptress who drives Pip semi-mad with her flirtatious ways and
dismissal of him)... the list could continue for a long time, but the
point is that these are all real people we know. To such an extent, that
it's difficult to read this book without casting each character as a
person you're acquainted with in your own life! (Be careful when doing
this- you may accidentally ruin some friendships!). REAL, BELIEVABLE
characters and human reactions to true(ish) circumstances- this is as
much Dickens's strong suit as it is Victor Hugo's.
A
further testament that this could only have been written by Dickens is
the darkness that you don't see, but that you can feel (aided, no doubt,
by the London smog previously mentioned). The world described is a
misty one- full of crime, deceit and secrets. The streets are dirty and
smoky, the clothes are ragged and unwashed for days... everything just
feels a little bit grimy. The flickers of light in Great Expectations
are brought sparingly by the charming quirks of the side-characters.
Notable examples include Herbert, who upon meeting Pip affably invites
him to fight (for a reason that is never explained), only to be
thoroughly beaten... and yet decides to go easy on Pip, despite being
put on his back more than once. Or Mr Pumblechook who, strongly
convinced over a weak claim that he is the sole reason for Pip finding
his fortune, and believes himself to be the steadfast stone bridge to
his better life, takes every opportunity to ride the wave of fortune to
improve his status in front of his peers (again- we all know this
person!).
Right from the off, Dickens lays out little
threads of storyline for the reader to pick up and follow, only to find
that they lead to a supposed dead end. While your mind is working on the
new, apparently more reliable thread, the original lead will stay
silent and content to be irrelevant until it's forgotten... all the
while making his cunning plan to come storming back into the forefront
of the narrative, changing the character's perception of reality
forever. It's in this picking up, losing and returning (much later on)
of character's plots that leave the reader on edge, and never quite
convinced that they've seen the last of anyone. An example (Go on- just
one! Indulge yourself!)- the desperate yet appealing (and almost heroic)
escaped criminal at the beginning. As he's re-arrested, he leaves a
cryptic message to his captors within earshot of Pip, only to be rowed
off by the authorities over the dark waters into the thick mist... If
the reader is disappointed that this thread leads nowhere, then they
won't be by the time they finish the book! It seems a shame to compare
this book to a soap-opera, as Dickens was a master of surprise- a
puppeteer of suspense. But, if it WERE a soap-opera, his characters
would be bursting through doors to the shock of everyone with impressive
frequency.
Dickens likes his goodies good, and his
villains bad. Everyone in this book fits either into one column or the
other, and receives their reward or punishment justly. Taking no
prisoners (after all- he had Fagin hanged in Oliver Twist!), Dickens is a
clear believer that they just will rise, and the dark will be consumed
by the darkness. With this knowledge, rest assured that he will not
abandon his heroes, but also that villains will not be spared.
Why
is Great Expectations such a classic? Simply put, it's for the
following reason- because it takes uncomfortable truths that any
experienced adult should know (namely, money doesn't make a man, that
wealth is a treacherous and unreliable friend, and that, as David Brent
from "The Office" puts it, "You should never assume, as it makes an ass
our of you and me!"), and turns these well known yet often denied or
forgotten lessons into a piece of literature. Add some fictional yet
genuine characters to gravely carry these truths along, like funeral
bearers to their inevitable end, add a single twist (make it a big one,
and all the little surprises will follow), and there you have a truly
spectacular read.
Score: 9/10
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Les Miserables
by Victor Hugo
Review: It's difficult to read this book without spontaneously bursting into song, so legendary is the theatre production/movie based on the book. And, while mentioning those, it's fair to say that, considering the sheer enormity of this novel (you would break your leg if you fell off of the paperback version!), they did an admirable job of getting the basics in there. You read the book, then watch the film, and you can confidently say "Yep- that's pretty much the gist of it!".
In terms of gained information about the characters when reading the book (which there obviously isn't time for in the play), it is largely on an emotional basis, rather than a superficial one. For example, in the play, (conforming to time restrictions), Jean Valjean has a mini soliloquy as he struggles with his conscience as to whether or not to admit to the court that he's the convict they're looking for. In the book, this is much more stretched out, and one feels the intensified moral anguish stirring within him. Far from gallantly striding as fast as he can towards the proceedings, he looks for any excuse not to go, and there's a brilliant bit where his cart breaks halfway between the town and the courtroom. After trying to do everything possible to fix it, he says "Well, it must be fate!", and heads back home... only to be stopped by a child who says that his mum can lend him a cart. He reluctantly accepts, and heads towards the courtroom, where he confronts his past and his conscience.
Hugo has a talent for the following- dismantling, brick by brick, the tower of each character's soul, and then slowly (or sometimes, immediately) rebuilding it, according to the trials they've endured and the present circumstances. At first, the heroes (Marius) are pure, the villains (the Thernadiers) are true rouges, and the law is inflexible (the police officer Javert)... and of course, Jean Valjean is a man on the path to redemption. However, despite their clear positions as heroes, rogues and the law, none of them remain pure manifestations of what they symbolise for long and (as in life), with the progress of the story comes a change within the soul. All sin against their former self- all act out of rebellion against what they "should be". Rightly or wrongly, in breaking out of the mould that they were cast in (the hero, the law, the convict), they grow. The book's length is largely due to an in-depth exploration of human emotional development (a complex and lengthy topic at the best of times!) at the very moment of the conflict between the old and new. Will Marius the pure save Thernadier the rogue? Will Javier the strict release Jean Valjean the criminal? Will Jean Valjean the liar reveal the truth? It is at these points of growth, the precipice between what was and what will be, that these questions are answered. Either side of each answer are great pools in which the reader can explore the caverns of the human psyche, and in these pools lie the grandeur of this book.
For these characters, a quote from Christ himself seems appropriate (Hugo, according to the evident theme of God-like forgiveness throughout the book, would hopefully agree!), and that is this:
"Love your enemies. Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you. And pray for those who persecute you".
Essentially, it is the characters who applied this policy who (even though they died), lived greatly, as they found that their enemy was confused, lost, confounded by this upside down response. Thernadier is the only one who's character remains completely unaltered unto the end and, like many a rascal, is one of the only characters who doesn't meet a tragic or premature demise. Yet, as he was incapable of doing good, he lived foully, and it was not a life to envy.
There are countless examples throughout for a reader to ponder over and to put each character up for the "But who's my FAVOURITE?" elections....
But a personal preference of mine is Eponine. Tragic and lost from the start, at first complicit towards Thernadier (her father) and his wishes, as she matures and grows wise both to her love for Marius and the robbery that her father and his thugs are looking to pull on him, she valiantly stands up to the whole gang in front of his house, eventually forcing them to retreat. A vivacious and rebellious spirit, which epitomises the very emotion of the imminent rebellion itself, one can see that she is destined to die in battle...
(SPOILER ALERT!)
... which she does, while defending Marius.
Obviously, this is a classic of epic proportions. More than just a book, it is SEVERAL books in one- a mountain range of giant themes- philosophy, social commentary, religion, history... with the story line weaving it's way past these monuments. With it's greatness, however, comes a necessity of patience when traversing this novel- the side-themes are simply huge. For example, a full account of the history of the Battle of Waterloo means you'll never have to read a single book on Napoleon in your life. However, it is all highly interesting and adds to the experience of the book... with one exception. Hugo, in my opinion, spends an excessively large amount of time describing the convent in which Jean Valjean and Cossette take refuge, detailing not only the history of the sisterhood, but also every quirk and ritual that they practice. This, in itself, lends little to the story, and could easily have been summarised in a couple of pages (instead of what felt like nearly 200).
It is amazing how much one can learn about real life from reading fiction, and I think Les Miserables is the best example I've come across of that. Real life lessons- the importance of bravery, forgiveness, and the development of the spirit- they vibrate right on the surface throughout. In another way, this is more than a book- it's a life experience. Surely, in years to come, upon the deathbed of anyone who has held this book in their hands from beginning to end, upon receiving the question "What were your greatest experiences in life?", the answer "... reading Victor Hugo's masterpiece..." will surely make the list.
I think the best way to summarise the underlying message of Les Miserables is with a quote from the Swiss Catholic priest, Hans Urs von Balthasar:
"What you are is God's gift to you. What you become is your gift to God".
Score: 9/10
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The picture of Dorian Gray
by Oscar Wilde
Synopsis:
Oscar Wilde's only novel, it describes the young and handsome Dorian
Gray who, after having a picture painted of him, is advised by a friend
that he will not always have his good looks. Troubled by his fate to
age, he wishes that the painting could bear the weight of his frivolous
lifestyle, and he could stay young... a wish which is granted. He's then
plagued forever by the shame of the painting, as every sin he commits
ages and disfigures the painting a little, until his soul is laid bare
on the canvas, and his attempts to conceal it from the eyes of the world
become more desperate...Review: Although not as good as his short stories ("The selfish giant" and "The happy prince" come to mind), it is still full of the intellect and whit that Wilde was known for. Sadly, though, it lacks the variety of themes to be called a truly great novel- essentially, the folly of youth, the desire to be at the peak of beauty forever, and the fact that the soul is damaged by every sin we commit are where the insights end (more on that shortly)...
The characters are vaguely likeable, but not especially memorable (to the point where I'm starting even now to forget their names!)... with the possible exception of Lord Henry Wotton. The friend of both the artist (Basil Hallward) and Dorian Gray, he is essentially the catalyst for the proceeding story-line. It's him who reveals to Dorian that his looks are temporary, and any attempts to avoid his fate are futile. By far the most intellectual of the group, from whose mind and speech Wilde projects his own philosophies of life, his rants and monologues lend an appealing tangent to the story. Combined with the fact that he's the proverbial sh*t stirrer throughout, delighting in provoking both characters with his philosophical "wisdom" and knowledge gained from life, he's without a doubt the most appealing feature of the book (despite the fact that he's a Lord, and even though you get the feeling that, if you were to meet him in real life, you'd scarcely be able to resist the temptation to punch him in his smarmy, "know-it-all" face).
Back to the message- never before has this moral been so applicable, in this "vacuous" and "superficial" generation, with "selfies", "facebook" and "instragram" being the current buzzwords (we'll see for how long!). We live in a time in which unless something has photographic evidence to accompany it, be it going to the gym, flexing your muscles in front of the mirror having been to the gym, or a home-made sushi roll, then it DIDN'T happen. Am I saying that, by reading this book, the youth of our time will be snapped out of a spell upon closing the back cover, and receive a spiritual washing, in which they look at a person's soul and character before looking at their facebook page? Probably not- greater writers have tried and failed before, and it would take more than the scribings of even the sharpest literary intellect to alter that route even slightly...
And yet, I realize already that I've been too harsh on this generation, so let me make a mends. The point of this book is that society has always been vain; humans have always feared aging (a precursor to our eventual death), and have consistently gone to extreme lengths to delay the process. This attitude is no more abundant today than it was in Wilde's time. It's possible that one could argue that nowadays, it's closer to the surface, more accessible and publicly available than in previous times, but that makes it no more or less real, or more or less of a vice. No Western civilization, ever since Western civilization has existed, can honestly say that they truly revere and rejoice in gradually deepening facial wrinkles.
The point being- is there any truly great philosophy inter-twined within the book? Not especially. As already mentioned, it really only has one theme, which is maybe a little over-stretched throughout a whole novel. Which brings me back to my original point- that Wilde's strongest hand is in the art of short-story writing.
Score: 6/10
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The Metamorphosis
by Franz Kafka
Review: "The Metamorphosis" (or "What not to do if you one day wake up and find you're a giant beetle handbook") is a true original. Firstly, it's a mini-novella, meaning you can read it withing the space of an afternoon (which I did, quite comfortably).
So, what's it all about? Well, on the surface, as the synopsis describes, it's the nightmare we all secretly fear of turning into a human-sized insect overnight. However, even the most novice of bookworms will be able to spot a subtext here- it's really an exposure of the very human reaction to one of your loved ones being a giant beetle or, more generally and realistically, losing their aesthetic normality and even being deprived of the ability to communicate properly.
Kafka's analysis throughout is "How will the family react to this sudden change in circumstance?". As the author, he plays the early-twentieth century version of "Big Brother" (the T.V. show, not the overlord in "1984"), or that weird, backwards-wearing-hat guy from "The Truman Show". Kafka asked himself, "What will happen if I take an ordinary, hardworking family, and introduce a provocative variable, namely: turning their main brother and son into a burdensome monster? Will I get entertaining, shocking reactions from the remaining parties?" For anyone who knows people well enough, the answer is obvious- "You will, sir... but at what cost?".
And so, from the book we learn something that we all secretly know inside, and yet try to convince ourselves isn't true- that we are affected by appearances. Nothing new here, although what IS new (and was no doubt shocking at the time) is the frankness around which the story takes place. Firstly, Kafka offers no explanation as to WHY Gregor becomes a beetle... which is unsettling enough. Then the speed at which Gregor becomes a burden to his family. Rather like watching an episode of "Big Brother", or reading "Lord of the Flies", one realizes with what ease ordinary, upstanding people crack under pressure, they themselves turning hideous under the watchful, giggling jeer of the author of their fate.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that "The Metamorphosis" feels like the literary version of those curious, entertaining and novelty "science experiments" you used to do as a teenager. "What will happen if I burn my arm hair with a bunson burner?" (Answer: It stinks). "What will happen if I freeze my bottle of coke?" (Answer: If you're lucky, it won't explode... and all you'll be left with when it thaws is cold, flat coke.). "Will a giant beetle in the family create an uproar?" (Answer: Undoubtedly).
Score: 8/10
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