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A review by donnaadouglas
The Red Queen by Margaret Drabble
3.0
I really appreciate what Drabble was trying to do with this novel - to bring to life a tragic ghost of the past - but I really feel that she missed her mark here.
The novel is split into two parts: the first, recounting the life of the Crown Princess of 18th Century Korea, is skimmed over too rapidly, and her omnipresent narration seems to knowledgeable about modern culture to be relatable as a historical figure. The second follows a present day academic in Seoul for a conference who reads about the princess, embarks upon an affair with a married man and then adopts a Chinese baby (who apparently represents the Crown Princess). I couldn't join the dots and found the two parts too disjointed. Drabble is, however, a writer of some skill - she is extremely eloquent and writes well, I just didn't like the handling of the two stories. I was confused more than intrigued.
The novel is split into two parts: the first, recounting the life of the Crown Princess of 18th Century Korea, is skimmed over too rapidly, and her omnipresent narration seems to knowledgeable about modern culture to be relatable as a historical figure. The second follows a present day academic in Seoul for a conference who reads about the princess, embarks upon an affair with a married man and then adopts a Chinese baby (who apparently represents the Crown Princess). I couldn't join the dots and found the two parts too disjointed. Drabble is, however, a writer of some skill - she is extremely eloquent and writes well, I just didn't like the handling of the two stories. I was confused more than intrigued.