The Death of the Heart
by Elizabeth Bowen
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Book Summary Information
Author: Elizabeth BowenEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2000-05-09
ISBN: 0385720173
Number of pages: 432
Publisher: Anchor
Book Reviews of The Death of the Heart
Book Review: Bowen is Henry James is Irish and Female [51]
Summary: 5 Stars
Certain writers frame the objects envisioned by the characters like masters of art, can satisfy oracular senses with words, create colors of sound, create tints of sound, deliver soft words about hard concepts - these writers seem to be able to do what the majority cannot. "Early in March the crocuses crept alight, then blazed yellow and purple in the park."
This book's opening allows you to see how this writer is one of the masters: "That morning's ice, no more than a brittle film, had cracked and was now floating in segments. The tapped together or, parting, left channels of dark water, down which swans in slow indignation swam. The island stood in frozen woody brown dusk: it was not between three and four in the afternoon. A sort of breath from clay. . . "
We learn that this relatively simple story is very complexly written. In a style reminiscent of Henry James, this book like some of his masterpieces asks what will happen to the young (teenage) woman whose coming of age with some financial wherewithal will do. Ill she be bright and follow the rational lead and do what is best? Or, will she go for the cad and ruin herself, debauch her happiness, and become a bitter woman before she is 20 years old?
Unlike James' typical heroine, protagonist 16-year old recently orphaned Portia can only follow her naivete and be hoodwinked by even her family which presents itself in a civil, but totally hypocritical, manner - she is totally helpless in the politely treacherous world in Britain's 1930's. Even though she chooses no one, she still falls prey to the immature and conniving arrogance of those to whom she is bestowed for safety and nurturing. Physically, she speaks volumes about the defeat, "Her body tensely twisted in this position; her legs, like disjointed legs, hung down: her thin lines, her concavities, her unconsciousness made her a picture of premature grief. Happy that few of use are aware of the world until we are already in league with it."
Sledge-hammered with lies about how she, as opposed to the worldy ruined adults, is the cause for problems and misinterpretations of their foibles and folly. Portia, like most young people, seeks to be everyone's friend, cannot understand how many of her relatives and acquaintances are anything but those to whom she should befriend or entrust. And, when she does discover such abuse of trust, she defies their guidance and places upon them a test - which the author cleverly will not show the answer to. Leaving you on the limb, you probably wished at least another 50 pages were delivered to answer some unanswered questions of this taught novel.
The prose by itself is enough reason to pick this novel up.
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