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A review by laurapk
A Fairly Honourable Defeat by Iris Murdoch
3.0
I struggled to maintain focus for the first half of the book, despite the fact that the audiobook was skillfully narrated. Part of the problem may be that the majority of the novel is carried by dialogue, and I have learned to tune dialogue out if it goes on for too long (open office workspace habit). My inattentiveness may have also been caused by the fact that the dialogue was repetitive to a fault, in an attempt to immerse the audience in the scenes. There is very little description, and a lot is conveyed through dialogue - something I found both refreshing and a bit too much at the same time.
Toward the end, once Julius' evil climaxes and all hell breaks loose, I was able to follow without losing focus.
I know the book is described as a comedy of errors, but the only true comedic moments for me where when Morgan is left without clothes by Julius in his apartment, and the subsequent entrapment of poor Simon in the same apartment. Simon was actually the most lovable character for me, with just enough imperfections to make him human, but enough heart to make me ache for him. His relationship with Axel was touching and sweet and saved Axel in my eyes (Axel which seemed too stiff and a tad unlikable in the beginning). Tallis was also unexpectedly kind and sympathetic, but his placidity confused me in this cast. Some argue that he is meant to be a Christ figure, which would make his non-judgemental, turn-the-other-cheek reactions more logical. But then there is the contradiction at the end of the novel, where he withholds a cancer diagnosis from his dad. I do agree however that Julius is very much a satanic figure, and the comparison with Mephisto immediately came to my mind.
While I found the story entertaining, there were some things that didn't sit well with me regarding the instigator of the novel. Julius, the evil mastermind, is described as having a stutter - disability being a classical sign of evil in Balzacian novels, and a trope I truly wish would die. He is also a biochemist, so once again the purely analytical is portrayed as evil and wanting to destroy the philosophical. And to complete the trinity - he is also a scheming Jew.
Toward the end, once Julius' evil climaxes and all hell breaks loose, I was able to follow without losing focus.
I know the book is described as a comedy of errors, but the only true comedic moments for me where when Morgan is left without clothes by Julius in his apartment, and the subsequent entrapment of poor Simon in the same apartment. Simon was actually the most lovable character for me, with just enough imperfections to make him human, but enough heart to make me ache for him. His relationship with Axel was touching and sweet and saved Axel in my eyes (Axel which seemed too stiff and a tad unlikable in the beginning). Tallis was also unexpectedly kind and sympathetic, but his placidity confused me in this cast. Some argue that he is meant to be a Christ figure, which would make his non-judgemental, turn-the-other-cheek reactions more logical. But then there is the contradiction at the end of the novel, where he withholds a cancer diagnosis from his dad. I do agree however that Julius is very much a satanic figure, and the comparison with Mephisto immediately came to my mind.
While I found the story entertaining, there were some things that didn't sit well with me regarding the instigator of the novel. Julius, the evil mastermind, is described as having a stutter - disability being a classical sign of evil in Balzacian novels, and a trope I truly wish would die. He is also a biochemist, so once again the purely analytical is portrayed as evil and wanting to destroy the philosophical. And to complete the trinity - he is also a scheming Jew.