- Paperback: 272 pages
- Publisher: Picador USA; Reprint edition (May 2002)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0312291663
- ISBN-13: 978-0312291662
- Product Dimensions: 20.8 x 14 x 1.9 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 5,121,315 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Reminiscent of Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Malcolm Knox's Summerland has the same notional geographic divide (this time North v South Sydney rather than the US East and West coasts), centres on an elite group of spoilt, beautiful people, contains the death of the chief protagonist and has a narrator who stands on the sidelines--a one-man Greek chorus.
Through its documentary style and the narrator's rambling but contained style, Knox controls the narrative tension, building up to the dramatic denouement. It is not only successful where it emulates The Great Gatsby but also where it diverges from the original. Hugh Buchanan is the fierce descendant of Tom Buchanan, Richard the progeny of Nick Carraway, Hugh's wife Helen is the indolent, spoilt Daisy reincarnate and Richard's wife Pup is the masculine, independent-minded modern woman. However, it is strongest where it departs from the original: Hugh's adulterous affair with a prostitute has one unique detail, which firmly updates it, and Richard is no mere observer but a fleshed out, fallible human being. Inevitably, comparisons will be made between the two narrators; Knox's Richard assumes the same detached and sartorial tone as Fitzgerald's cynical observer Nick Carraway but whereas the latter had the luxury of distance and perspective, Richard is too deeply involved to escape judgement. That he is a mere participant in his own story, not a player like Hugh Bowman or even their wives Helen and Pup, makes the reader less indulgent of Richard, a fact of which he is only too aware:
"Smug, rich and inert, we fall below the means test for pity"Summerland is a poised, assured debut novel that may suffer harsh comparisons for setting itself up alongside one of the great American novels of the century. However, Knox has succeeded in fleshing out character, contemporising a modern classic and widening the debate questioning which one is more culpable: the surviving cold-blooded, sexless spectator or the doomed hot-blooded adulterer, embezzler and philanderer. --Nicola Perry --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
'Assured and gripping... a compelling novel with a sinister undertow... Impressive' TLS; '[Knox's] clear-eyed wisdom and startling, depth-charged prose constitute a novel that should become as much of a classic as the one he has remoulded... Astoundingly accomplished' Guardian
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is set in Australia and could turn out to be beautiful movie material actually.
I was captured from the word go. Meticiously narrated by Richard one of the characters, I would be delighted to see this fine piece of work on the big screen some day with these wondefully rich (in every sense of the word) characters. These were societies golden ones with the prvilleges of beauty, youth and wealth.
Richard, now suffering from insomnia plays back the details of the lives of his friends Hugh, Helen and he Richard and his wife Pup from the ages of seventeen to the present age; thirty seven.
He has lost his wife Pup and his best friend Hugh, and on his thirty seventh birthday and with a bit of help from a few bottles of whisky as his aid he uncovers their long ago charmed existence.
From prefects at schools they come into adulthood as partners in the firms they work with. This quartet travels to Palm Beach every year after Christmas and live their lives to the hilt as social butterflies, oblivious of the danger around each corner, and the still waters which run a touch too deep.
Mr Knox writes with such elucidation, I could see the scenes played out before me in this well crafted and fine work of art.
Thanks to the first review from England's Guardian Newspaper and thanks to my sister Jan who ordered it for me from Amazon pronto.
If you haven't read a book that touches your heart in a long while, this book Summerland is highly reccommended. See for yourself the wonderful art of this first novelist Mr. Knox, and order from Amazon today. I hope I will see Summerland on the big screen soon. I really do.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I just finished reading "SUMMERLAND" by Malcolm Knox this morning and I must say that after struggling through the beginning of this book that in the end I really did enjoy it. Summerland is not an action packed novel of lies and deceit, rather it is a story that is slowly unwound by a man who missed the entire thing. Richard is telling the story of the affair of his wife and his best friend.
Richard and Pup, Hugh and Helen were best friends since their teenage years, which is when Hugh and Pup actually began their affair that lasted well over a decade. The four of them had a yearly tradition of summering at Palm Beach a tradition that unbeknownst to Richard, was built on lies from the very beginning. Even Helen the beautiful wife of Hugh knew of the affair and in many ways had a hand in controlling it. Now years later after the whole story has been revealed to him by Helen, Richard attempts to recant the stories of his friendship with Hugh, his marriage to Pup, the marriage of Hugh and Helen and the affair that ultimately ruined all of them.
Richard and Pup, Hugh and Helen were best friends since their teenage years, which is when Hugh and Pup actually began their affair that lasted well over a decade. The four of them had a yearly tradition of summering at Palm Beach a tradition that unbeknownst to Richard, was built on lies from the very beginning. Even Helen the beautiful wife of Hugh knew of the affair and in many ways had a hand in controlling it. Now years later after the whole story has been revealed to him by Helen, Richard attempts to recant the stories of his friendship with Hugh, his marriage to Pup, the marriage of Hugh and Helen and the affair that ultimately ruined all of them.
As I said, and I cannot emphasize this enough, I struggled through the first few chapters of this book. I thought it was over written and a bit slow but as I read on I became more engrossed in these four lives and very interested to see how, in the end, everything played out. I can honestly say that I am glad that I did not give up on this book in the beginning because I would have missed out on a really entertaining novel.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Summerland is a good read. This novel is Malcolm Knox's debut and I will definately look out for future offerings.
Focusing on two couples and their intimate inter relationships, the story is told by Richard as he relives the past that haunts him. Contrary to expectation the 'plot' is not predictable and moves at a pace through the quartet's hectic and bizarre lives.
Knox has created four interesting characters - I was compelled to know what became of them.
Definate shades of F. Scott Fitzgerald here - Knox himself refers to Gatsby at some point but the book also has flavours of The Beautiful and Damned.
Dark and witty - recommended!
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