The first book review.
After films and comicbooks we go on to real life books. (I do have one other comic book to review, but I want to read it again before I do this)
The Line of Beauty is a 2004 Booker Prize winning novel by Alan Hollingshurst. I honestly didn’t know very much about the book before I got it, I’d heard of the drama a few years back but hadn’t watched it, and from what I remembered it seemed like a very Poliakoffy sort of story (I love Poliakoff). So when I was looking for books to ask for for Christmas, I went with this, having seen Hollinghurst’s new novel around in book shops. I knew basically nothing about it going in, which is an unusual starting position for me, and something I quite enjoy.
The novel tells the story of Nick Guest an Oxford graduate who moves in with the family of one of his best friends from uni, Toby Fedden upon whom Nick has a huge crush. Toby’s sister, Catherine suffers from bipolar disorder and Nick becomes something of a carer to her. Toby’s father is Gerald, a newly elected Tory MP and through him Nick becomes wrapped up in the true blue Tory scene of the 1980s. Simultaneously, Nick starts dating.
Now, my main feeling about The Line of Beauty was focused entirely upon the writing. Generally writing is like acting for me, I don’t notice it unless it’s particularly good or bad and it’s been a while since I noticed writing in a good way. Now, the Line of Beauty is just stunningly written. It’s the kind of writing that almost defies description, the best word is some kind of ridiculously sibilant word that doesn’t exist that’s a combination of sensitive, sinuous, sensual and possibly a few others that sounds absolutely gorgeous to say, but it also bewilderingly pretentious. The writing is just beautiful, there are multiple moments where you end up having to pause to just appreciate how lovely it is. (if you’re me) He also does a very good job of pacing the novel, it’s not an incredibly pacy page turner, but it’s always moving, it never drags.
Nick is a fantastic character, and the story is largely from his perspective, so much so that I frequently found myself surprised that it wasn’t written in the first person. Nick manages to be an outsider in almost every situation he finds himself in throughout the novel. He’s out of place visiting the working class family of his first lover, Leo and he’s a little out of place amidst the landed gentry and nouvea riche who surround the Feddens. He remains out of place when we see him at home later in the book and it’s this outsider status allows him to be a great observer of people throughout the novel.
I’d say the main point of The Line of Beauty is the writing. The story is interesting, the characters read like people, they’re flawed but likeable enough for you to want to spend 500 pages with but, for me at least, the writing did overshadow everything because it was so damn good. I honestly cannot remember the last book I read where I adored the writing so much and I cannot recommend it enough.
My Feelings on Things 