December 18, 2002

"The Death of the Heart" by Elizabeth Bowen: Portia Quayne, still grieving the loss of her mother, is having a hard time adjusting to domestic life in 1930s London. See, Portia has never known much of an ordinary family life. She was the child of an illicit affair between the wealthy Mr. Quayne and her actress mother. When Mr. Quayne's wife learned of the liaison, she calmly sent him away to go live with his lover and new baby. The trio existed in exile, bouncing from city to city, for the rest of Mr. Quayne's days.

It was only after her father's death, and the subsequent death of her mother, that it was revealed in Mr. Quayne's will that Portia was to go live with her half-brother Thomas for the period of one year before being passed along to another relative. Oddly enough, my family had a similar arrangement for me except they all faked their deaths. It's a good thing I looked in those coffins or who knows where I'd be. But I digress...

Portia's arrival at her new home causes quite the stir. It's not that Thomas doesn't like her, for he honestly does and Portia is a wonderfully polite, quiet, thoughtful girl of 16. It's just that her mere presence reminds him of his father's weakness and the mistake that tore apart his family. It's no picnic for Portia, either. She senses how uncomfortable Thomas is around her, despite his best efforts, and feels as though she is lost in the world without a place of her own. Thomas' wife Anna doesn't make things any easier. Although she puts on a happy face when Portia is around, she never liked the idea from the very start. She doesn't trust the innocent young girl act and is convinced Portia is spying on her; a paranoia that is at least partially supported by the discovery of Portia's diary.

Of course, what better soil for love than loneliness? It is in Eddie that Portia's life finds meaning. Eddie is a 23-year-old writer/ne'er-do-well friend of Anna's that also happens to work for Thomas. Eddie is friends with Anna in the most elastic of terms. Their relationship goes a little beyond friendship. But when Anna insists that they no longer see each other, or at least not as often, Eddie can't help but dally with the fair Portia. While to him she is nothing more than a passing fancy, Portia finds herself truly in love with Eddie. He's the first man she's ever loved. And it's through Eddie that Portia learns all the mysteries of love, like lying, betrayal, manipulation, and pain. Ah, memories...

While this book won't change anyone's life, it is an extraordinary piece of literature. Ms. Bowen is a talent to behold. She does some things here that are quite remarkable. The story opens with Anna and a friend on a winter evening's stroll discussing Portia's diary. Ms. Bowen uses this casual conversation to introduce all the major characters and conflicts without ever forcing the issue. Just when it seems as though a speech might run too long or be in danger of losing the authenticity of an informal chat, she always leads it back with a gentle hand. That was the first sign this book was something special. And it just gets better from there.

"The Death of the Heart" has it all. The characters are real and memorable. The work Ms. Bowen put into Major Brutt, an old acquaintance of Anna's and a part that could have easily been wasted by a lesser writer, is one of the strengths of the novel. The pacing is flawless. Ms. Bowen also livens up the structure by mixing in journal entries and letters to help drive the plot. Then there's a wonderful closing chapter that is both profound and beautiful in its subtlety.

The work of Elizabeth Bowen must be read.

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"Death in Venice" by Thomas Mann: "Lolita" for the gay man, "Death in Venice focuses on Gustave Aschenbach and his admiration for the young Tadzio. However, much like its heterosexual counterpart, "Death in Venice" is more about obsession than it is pedophilia.

Aschenbach, an aging businessman desperate to escape the daily grind, elects to holiday in Venice. Yes, Venice... the Italian city of love, water, and young Polish boys. One day while lounging around the hotel, Aschenbach spies the 14-year-old Tadzio and falls madly in love. Well, he doesn't admit that he's in love with the lad, but it's either that or he got hold of some bad chili.

Soon Aschenbach is following Tadzio's family to the beach, around town, and anywhere else he can steal a glance of his youthful love. The idea of actually speaking to the boy sends Aschenbach into a fit of hysteria. So engrossed in the pursuit, Aschenbach almost doesn't even notice that the resort town is preparing for the arrival of Asiatic Cholera. Damn those pesky plagues. Always getting in the way of man-boy love. Of course, the presence of the disease is symbolic of the "sickness" within Aschenbach that would allow him to fall prey to such thoughts. God bless symbolism.

"Death in Venice" is really short, so it's got that goin' for it. There can be no question that it is extremely well written, although it comes dangerously close to being overwritten. It's kind of in the Henry James school of literature. And prepare yourself for lots of references to ancient Greece. Who would have guessed?

Unless you have to read it for a class or you like little boys, and I mean really like little boys, go ahead and skip it. Libraries are big.

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