What I love about this book is the complexity of the characters, because although based on true events, the character of Arthur Conan Doyle could easily be seen as a Superman figure, impervious to doing wrong and rescuing poor victims from evil super villains, but he has flaws that not only make him human, but could be judged to be ‘unbecoming’ of an English gentleman. George, also, escapes being pigeon-holed as a victim: you are brought to an understanding of his strength of character he is not helpless or unable to make the arguments Doyle is and he is without friends whom will defend him, but he needed Doyle’s help. These work to lend a different light to the case and to the characters, viewing the others from different perspectives. but the narrative works over time to make it very clear that this is not a hero and villains story. The book is split into chapters that concentrate on Arthur and George mostly, with a couple of chapters from the perspective of other characters.
For example, Barnes could easily have interpreted the events as a case of opposites: oriental vs white, good vs evil, conservative vs liberal, etc. His writing style is so easy to read: it is effortlessly gripping, subtle, and beautiful, which work together to take you on a journey from Arthur and George’s childhood to their encounter and beyond.īarnes deals with some very complex and delicate issues, like race and justice, with nuanced sensitivity. Julian Barnes has won numerous awards for his writing, including the Man Booker Prize, for which this book was short-listed. Available at: Amazon and Waterstone’sĪrthur and George is Julian Barnes’ well-researched, dramatised version of the events surrounding George Edalji’s arrest, release and the fight to be pardoned. Julian Barnes, Arthur and George (London: Vintage, 2012) ISBN: 9780099492733.
0 kommentar(er)
