These three short stories are linked by fleeting references to the French artist I know for his use of colour, and love of women, and I guess that’s fitting for Byatt, whose stories here are light on plot but heavy on character.
Normally I would run from such a literary approach, but I found the lack of plot liberating — the pages turned because I wanted to find out more, not to find out what happend next, so much as to discover more about the characters’ motivations. I didn’t realise an author could do that so effectively until I read this, my first book by her.
Medusa’s Ankles concerns aging, ambition and love all from the chair of a swanky hairdresser’s, Art Work deals with what constitutes good art, a good marriage and a bit of the class system thrown in, Chinese Lobster looks at the role of men and women, teacher and student in art, and our obligations to each other, all during a meal at a Chinese restaurant.
Rich fare.
I googled A.S. Byatt and found she had just died last month. Hmmm. Quite a plot twist after all?
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No. 10 of 50 books I intend to read and review in 2023. (yeah, I’m a bit behind)
I’m Patrick Sherriff, an Englishman who survived 13 years working for newspapers in the US, UK and Japan. Between teaching English lessons at my conversation school in Abiko, Japan, I write and illustrate textbooks for non-native speakers of English, release Hana Walker mystery novels, short stories, paint, sketch and write essays and Our Man in Abiko, a monthly newsletter highlighting good writing in English, often about about Japan, art, crime fiction and teaching.
Patrick Sherriff 