A Trio of Interesting Books of the Murderous and Gothic Sort
In recent months I’ve enjoyed several excellent mystery and Gothic novels, which I hereby bring to your attention, dear reader.
Devices and Desires – P.D. James
P.D. James has become one of my favorite mystery novelists. Her prose is finely crafted, yielding pleasure in the reading as well as in the narrative. Her detective character, the policeman-poet Adam Dalgliesh, is both interesting and three-dimensional, and, what’s more, over the course of the various Dalgliesh novels, she manages to show him growing and changing without any extreme twists or manipulative moments. Her plots are intriguing and intelligent, often based on rich psychological insight into the characters. Lastly, James’ work has a deep moral character to it. She explores the darker side of human nature, unflinching as she looks at what people are capable of doing, yet always revealing (subtly, but surely) that the decisions we make are morally weighted, that we are responsible for our actions, that life has meaning even in suffering and death. Her books are sometimes deeply disturbing – I can’t read them immediately before going to bed – but at the same time, they show a sense of the fundamental moral order. Dalgliesh is fairly non-judgmental as a protagonist, but he is no relativist.
The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins
I love a good Victorian novel, and The Woman in White pulls out all the Gothic stops. Mysteries, dark secrets, love, hatred, and a sinister yet jovial Italian count who keeps white mice as pets. It’s a page-turner and a lot of fun. However, I beg my readers to avoid reading the introduction to any classic edition of this book, for fear of spoiling the unabashed fun of the book with musings from an academic trained to find sexual themes everywhere, preferably transgressive ones (look! there’s some sublimated post-colonial homoeroticism hiding under the sofa! no, wait, that’s just a dust bunny.) It’s true that Collins himself was apparently a rather unsavory character in his personal life and in his ideas about sexual morality, but in The Woman in White, the artist was better than the man; it is an honest book and can be honestly read. Hony soit qui mal y pense. Just read the mystery, and enjoy. Just read the mystery, and enjoy.
Northanger Abbey – Jane Austen
If you overdose on Victorian (or modern) melodrama (as I did), Jane Austen provides the perfect antidote. The clever and highly amusing Northanger Abbey pokes fun at the entire Gothic genre, and does so in a story that has characters for whom you’ll soon develop quite an affection. Note, though, that if you haven’t overdosed on Gothic fiction, you won’t appreciate the zing of Northanger Abbey, so I suggest reading Woman in White first, followed by Austen as a palate-cleanser, as it were. Note: my edition came packaged a short story (“Lady Susan”) and also several unfinished stories by Austen. I recommend skipping the unfinished stories unless you are a true Austenophile (Austenoholic?). They’re good enough to be deeply frustrating when they come to an unceremonious end.
Read and enjoy!
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3 Responses to “A Trio of Interesting Books of the Murderous and Gothic Sort”
Dr Holly Ordway came to Christ through reason, in the pursuit of truth. "In your hearts honor Christ as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 15).
She writes about her journey from atheism to orthodox Christian faith in her book "Not God's Type: A Rational Academic Finds a Radical Faith" (Moody Publishers).
You know I have to comment on your book posts! I love them! I need to try some of P.D. James’ novels. And I started The Woman in White years ago and never finished it; I only read about 50 pages. I think it is time for me to try again. I find that when I start books and don’t give them a chance (particularly Victorian novels or novels written in the nineteenth century), I give up too soon. That is what happened to me with Middlemarch. I must have started that book three times before really delving into it–and it is one of my all-time favorite books. And I need to pick up some Jane Austen as I have not read her lately.
I usually prefer fiction over fiction, but lately I have been on a nonfiction kick and have been reading some wonderful nonfiction with Christian themes. I am reading a fantastic book called The Beauty of God: Theology and the Arts, which is a collection of essays compiled from a conference at Wheaton College about the intersection of God and art. It is a challenging read, and I am learning a great deal. I also want to start Lewis’ book Christianity and Culture as well as Stratford Coldecott’s book Beauty for Truth’s Sake: The Re-Enchantment of Education.
Dear Holly: I came to P.D. James after reading and listening to many other detective novels. Hers are the best–especially since Adam Dalgleish is such a complex character. Have you read the title with Holy Orders in it? Right now can’t remember the whole thing, but it’s terrific. Right now, when we use the confession with the statement “We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts” her novel pops up before me. Her autobiography, published about five years ago, reveals a woman of faith with an orthodox bent no surprise). Her comments on the Prayer Book are priceless. I love all the the Jane Austen novels–but on film. I guess I just csn’t get into the rhythm of her writing but her sense of humor is one to treasure.
Ooh, I’ll have to read her autobiography sometime!
I haven’t read Death in Holy Orders… yet! In fact, after you mentioned it here, I decided to start it, so I’m reading it now. (Ironically, given your comment, I just finished reading Sense and Sensibility. I enjoyed it much more on this reading than the first time I read it — I think I’ve developed a better ear for her humor and satire.)