- Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: Picador (1 May 1997)
- Language German
- ISBN-10: 0330354760
- ISBN-13: 978-0330354769
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,318,473 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Untouchable
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Amazon.co.uk Review
A brilliant, engaging and highly literate espionage-cum-existential novel, John Banville's The Untouchable concerns the suddenly-exposed double agent Victor Maskell, a character based on the real Cambridge intellectual elites who famously spied on the United Kingdom in the middle of the 20th century. But Maskell--scholar, adventurer, soldier, art curator and more--respected and still living in England well past his retirement from espionage, looked like he was going to get away with it when unexpectedly, in his 70s and sick with cancer, he is unmasked. The question of why, and by whom assumes less importance for Maskell than the soul-searching questions of who, ultimately, he really is, why he spied in the first place, and whether his many-faceted existence adds up to an authentic life.
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
Review
“The exquisitely tired note which which Callow injects into the voice of the elder Victor Maskell is particularly memorable.”
Irish Times 30/8/97
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Victor Maskell takes us step by (often debauched) step through what passes for his life. Maskell, a thinly disguised Anthony Blunt, is one of several by now well-known Cambridge spies from the thirties and forties. Banville vividly recreates not only the political and social turmoil of the period but also the intellectual experimentation and the search for values spawned by these turbulent times.
The depiction of decadence, drunkenness, sexual depravity, and social snobbery, combined with intellectual arrogance and political naivete, all show the reader how someone could have been seduced into becoming a willing spy. Though it is difficult to feel any real sympathy for Maskell, one can understand his need for significance--for something bigger in his life--and equally, his eventual need to reject that role. In prose that is astonishing in its facility and virtuosity, Banville sweeps away the fustiness of previous journalistic accounts of the Cambridge spies and creates flawed, breathing humans. Mary Whipple
29 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I enjoyed this book tremendously. The character of Victor Maskell (the "mask" in Maskell representing a persona of Anthony Blunt) is complex and believable; the story is suspenseful, and Banville's prose can only be described as both luminous and effortless: "A huge, bone-white moon hung above the prostrate sea, and the ship's wake flashed and writhed like a great silver rope unravelling behind us." [p. 57]
And yet, since I have read biographies of Anthony Blunt and Louis MacNeice's autobiographical "The Strings are False" (not to mention every available book on the Cambridge Spies), I feel rather like Dorothy of Oz, who has glimpsed "that man behind the curtain" who should be ignored, if the magic is to be believed.
Those who have not read the literature on the Cambridge Spies will enjoy the book without reservation. Those who have will discover that "The Untouchable" represents a fascinating roman à clef. The boisterous Boy Bannister, who haunts the Gryphon [read Gargoyle] club, can only be Guy Burgess; Philip MacLeish, the "dour Scot" code named Castor [read Homer] can only represent Donald Maclean. Other characters are more equivocal. For instance, one detects a bit of MacNeice not only in Maskell but also in the character of Nick Brevoort. Furthermore, Banville's use of names of actual people who figured in Blunt's real Cambridge life (e.g. Leo, Victor, Sykes, Alistair) as ingredients mixed into his narrative, from which they emerge reborn into new characters, contributes to the verisimilitude of Maskell's character. Except for Boy Bannister, however, the other spies are composites. For instance, Alistair Sykes (who seems to be puffing on Kim Philby's pipe) is given a job at what passes for Bletchley Park, and he suffers Alan Turing's tragic demise. One is not so naïve, however, as to suppose that any resemblance between the "department" bureaucrat Querell, who finds Catholicism and writes "The Orient Express," the first of many "overrated Balkan thrillers" [p. 76], and SIS officer Graham Greene, who underwent a similar religious enlightenment and wrote "Stamboul Express," is strictly coincidental.
In Victor Maskell, Banville has portrayed a tragic anti-hero, grafting the life and persona of poet Louis MacNeice onto that of the art historian and (need one mention?) Soviet agent Anthony Blunt; both of their fathers were clergymen. Furthermore, Banvile has given Victor Maskell not only MacNeice's mentally challenged brother but also his stepmother, and his domineering governess; he has likewise provided him with MacNeice's Irish nationality, and he has even given him MacNeice's wife, Mariette, whom we meet in Maskell's wife, the enigmatically perverse "Vivienne." Banville also takes Maskell and Brevoort on a pre-war trip to Spain, a journey that Blunt actually took with Louis MacNeice. Banville's literary transplant, however, results in a beautifully rounded characterization that Blunt, whose personality was severely compartmentalized, could never have hoped to achieve in real life. Since MacNeice and Blunt were such close friends at Marlborough School, one can only imagine that as far as the character of Victor Maskell is concerned, Anthony Blunt would have been rather pleased with Banville's finished product.
And yet, since I have read biographies of Anthony Blunt and Louis MacNeice's autobiographical "The Strings are False" (not to mention every available book on the Cambridge Spies), I feel rather like Dorothy of Oz, who has glimpsed "that man behind the curtain" who should be ignored, if the magic is to be believed.
Those who have not read the literature on the Cambridge Spies will enjoy the book without reservation. Those who have will discover that "The Untouchable" represents a fascinating roman à clef. The boisterous Boy Bannister, who haunts the Gryphon [read Gargoyle] club, can only be Guy Burgess; Philip MacLeish, the "dour Scot" code named Castor [read Homer] can only represent Donald Maclean. Other characters are more equivocal. For instance, one detects a bit of MacNeice not only in Maskell but also in the character of Nick Brevoort. Furthermore, Banville's use of names of actual people who figured in Blunt's real Cambridge life (e.g. Leo, Victor, Sykes, Alistair) as ingredients mixed into his narrative, from which they emerge reborn into new characters, contributes to the verisimilitude of Maskell's character. Except for Boy Bannister, however, the other spies are composites. For instance, Alistair Sykes (who seems to be puffing on Kim Philby's pipe) is given a job at what passes for Bletchley Park, and he suffers Alan Turing's tragic demise. One is not so naïve, however, as to suppose that any resemblance between the "department" bureaucrat Querell, who finds Catholicism and writes "The Orient Express," the first of many "overrated Balkan thrillers" [p. 76], and SIS officer Graham Greene, who underwent a similar religious enlightenment and wrote "Stamboul Express," is strictly coincidental.
In Victor Maskell, Banville has portrayed a tragic anti-hero, grafting the life and persona of poet Louis MacNeice onto that of the art historian and (need one mention?) Soviet agent Anthony Blunt; both of their fathers were clergymen. Furthermore, Banvile has given Victor Maskell not only MacNeice's mentally challenged brother but also his stepmother, and his domineering governess; he has likewise provided him with MacNeice's Irish nationality, and he has even given him MacNeice's wife, Mariette, whom we meet in Maskell's wife, the enigmatically perverse "Vivienne." Banville also takes Maskell and Brevoort on a pre-war trip to Spain, a journey that Blunt actually took with Louis MacNeice. Banville's literary transplant, however, results in a beautifully rounded characterization that Blunt, whose personality was severely compartmentalized, could never have hoped to achieve in real life. Since MacNeice and Blunt were such close friends at Marlborough School, one can only imagine that as far as the character of Victor Maskell is concerned, Anthony Blunt would have been rather pleased with Banville's finished product.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Considering this book was first published in 1997, I have come to it rather late - however I am glad I finally got around to reading it, as it was well worth the read.
This novel is based on the real life Anthony Blunt, the knighted curator of the Queen's pictures who admitted in 1979 that he had been a Soviet spy for decades. It is interesting to note that lovers of art often appear in the pages of John Banville's books. One of his earlier books, 'The Book of Evidence', was narrated by an art thief who later reappeared in 'Ghosts', and another of his novels: 'Athena' revolves around a man who has been employed to take part in a conspiracy to authenticate a series of fake paintings. In 'The Untouchable', Banville's Blunt is rechristened Victor Maskell, the narrator of his own story. Providing we are in the hands of a good writer (and, in John Banville, we are) I often find first person narrated fiction really draws the reader in and within the first few pages of the novel I found I had entered Victor Maskell's world. And what a world it is, as Victor moves from the heady days of his life at Cambridge into a world of art, parties, alcohol, espionage, gay sex, love and betrayal.
If you already know something about the Cambridge spies, I should imagine you would have an entertaining time reading this novel, deciding which character is meant to represent whom. I must admit that I knew only a little about the Cambridge spies before I read this book and, as one of the reviews in my edition states that "The Untouchable is no more about Anthony Blunt than 'Henry V' is about Henry V", I still may not know a huge amount more about what actually happened and to whom. But, that said, I found this to be a fascinating novel written with stunning, seductive prose that is fluent, articulate and perfectly judged. Although the subject matter in this novel is serious, this is a story that works on several levels and is, in some ways, a comic masterpiece. If you want an amusing, intelligent and inspired literary novel, then you have it here in 'The Untouchable'.
Recommended.
4 Stars.
This novel is based on the real life Anthony Blunt, the knighted curator of the Queen's pictures who admitted in 1979 that he had been a Soviet spy for decades. It is interesting to note that lovers of art often appear in the pages of John Banville's books. One of his earlier books, 'The Book of Evidence', was narrated by an art thief who later reappeared in 'Ghosts', and another of his novels: 'Athena' revolves around a man who has been employed to take part in a conspiracy to authenticate a series of fake paintings. In 'The Untouchable', Banville's Blunt is rechristened Victor Maskell, the narrator of his own story. Providing we are in the hands of a good writer (and, in John Banville, we are) I often find first person narrated fiction really draws the reader in and within the first few pages of the novel I found I had entered Victor Maskell's world. And what a world it is, as Victor moves from the heady days of his life at Cambridge into a world of art, parties, alcohol, espionage, gay sex, love and betrayal.
If you already know something about the Cambridge spies, I should imagine you would have an entertaining time reading this novel, deciding which character is meant to represent whom. I must admit that I knew only a little about the Cambridge spies before I read this book and, as one of the reviews in my edition states that "The Untouchable is no more about Anthony Blunt than 'Henry V' is about Henry V", I still may not know a huge amount more about what actually happened and to whom. But, that said, I found this to be a fascinating novel written with stunning, seductive prose that is fluent, articulate and perfectly judged. Although the subject matter in this novel is serious, this is a story that works on several levels and is, in some ways, a comic masterpiece. If you want an amusing, intelligent and inspired literary novel, then you have it here in 'The Untouchable'.
Recommended.
4 Stars.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Justifies its approaoch - just
Freddie Montgomery, the central character of John Banville's The Book Of Evidence, is an apparently complex man. Read more
Published on 16 May 2009 by Philip Spires
Tiresome
The characters of Victor Maskell aka Anthony Blunt and all his arrogant mates are so deeply unsympathetic, that after the first hundred pages the story turns tedious. Read more
Published on 19 Jan 2008 by Banuta Rubess
The Cambridge camp
I haven't read the biographies of the people this novel includes under fictional names but as someone interested in spies and in the nineteen thirties and forties this seemed to me... Read more
Published on 5 May 2007 by Mr. David Cheshire
A fine piece of biographical fiction
I don't know what the official name of this genre is, probably general fiction. But there is no doubt that this is the story of the Cambridge spy ring as told in the words of... Read more
Published on 16 Jan 2002
Buy this book!
In my (humble) opinion Banville is a surprise - i don't know of any living English writer of this quality- i think the 'The Untouchable' could be compared to such masterpieces... Read more
Published on 8 Jun 1999
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