Booker Prize winning novelist John Banville describes himself as a ‘slow’ writer, a writer more concerned with his prose than his characters and stories. So, writing under his pen name, Benjamin Black, represents a massive change for him stylistically. Banville describes his alter ego as a fluid writer who loves telling stories; he treats him almost like a fictional character going so far as to ‘confront’ him in a revealing interview on Black's website.
I’ve almost finished reading Christine Falls, the debut novel from Benjamin Black. Set in 1950s Dublin, this crime novel follows the pathologist, Quirke, a single, 40-something widower living in a small apartment in Mount Street (the very same apartment building that John Banville lived in as a ‘struggling young writer’ in the 1960s). After an office party one night, Quirke stumbles on his brother-in-law altering the file for a body that has arrived in the morgue that evening. His consequent investigation opens up a can of worms leading to discoveries about Dublin’s powerful Catholic network and his own family.
I thought I was going to enjoy this book more than I did. I was looking forward to a more literary take on the crime novel, something that offers the page-turning suspense of an airport novel but with writing of a more bookish style. But the start of this book felt a little clumsy to me. I wasn’t really attracted to any of the characters, certainly not Quirke (whose physical attraction to his 19 year-old niece just felt creepy), and the writing also felt uncomfortable in a way. Here’s a description of Quirke’s brother in law, pediatrician Malachy Griffin:
“Husbands at visiting time sighed when their wives began to speak of Mr Griffin, and many a boy-child born here at the Holy Family Hospital was obliged to venture out upon the obstacle course of life bearing what Quirke was sure would be the not inconsiderable handicap of being called Malachy.”
Try saying that ten times quickly.
But it does improve in later chapters, almost like Black was just warming up in the early stages and found his rhythm later on. It never quite gets there in terms of suspense, but it is an engaging story and I think that’s more important to the author. I still have a few chapters to go (yes, I know – it’s taking me forever to get through these books), and it all seems to be coming together now. Who knows, maybe once I’ve finished it I’ll take it all back and write a glowing rant next week!
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