Subtle Bodies

This, for me, was quite an unusual novel. Written in two voices, Ned and Nina - a husband and wife, about the funeral arrangements of the husband's friend Douglas who had been the ringleader of a small group of 4, 3 of whom are now reunitied at an event that also hosts a world of others, also coming for the event. Meanwhile life goes on around them: Nina has pursued Ned to the event because they need to keep trying to get pregnant, Ned has left behind the arrangements he is making for a big antiwar rally in 2003, and both think from time to time about their families, Nina phoning her mum a couple of times.The writing is alert, the plot developments and revelations about the friends - in time past, in the more recent past, and in the present - are subtle and convincing; and in so far as the novel is asking the question 'are they still the same people?' it's also persuasive and though-provoking Ned's eulogy for Douglas does seem to hit the right tone in the denouement, and the final chapter returning Ned to his day to day life is also really well judged. For all that I felt slightly dissatisfied at the end of the novel - I just wonder if these talents should not have been put the use of something more serious - and perhaps in the other novels of Norman Rush (which I haven't - yet - read at all) they have been....

An entertaining read. While the set-up is far-fetched, the characters are warmly drawn and despite the serious subjects of friendship and relationships, there are some snort-out-loud moments too.

a great read

OK, not his best.

There are 1000 desperately signalled jokes in this book, and every one a complete dud. Also 1000 narcissistic glimpses of cosy uxuriousness and friendship. Oh what a humour and irony free zone, and we're all going to save the world too.And yet underneath it all there's a decent readable novel trying to get out, but we don't ever learn enough about the interesting characters, only about odious up-themselves Nina and Ned.

A gathering of middle-aged university friends to celebrate the sudden death of their colleague and mentor, Douglas, does little to disguise the witticism and humorous dialogue that is lacking in the ensuing meeting at a remote house. Ned is a charity worker whose wife, Nina, has an obsession to become pregnant. The tensions between the previous friendships become frayed as their true feelings and recollections are brought into the present day. Douglas's wife and son begin to bark with their opinions on his friends. This is the spark that fires a breakdown in communication and a more realistic appreciation of past and present relationships that are somewhat predictably erudite and unfulfilling. The narrative carries the characters along but lacks depth in their development. Reasonable read with the caveats.