My Last Foray into Patrick Hamilton
Three linked novellas: the story of handsome Bob the waiter at the Midnight Bell pub, a little north of Oxford street; then of Jenny, the prostitute with whom he is hopelessly infatuated; finally of Ella, the barmaid at the pub, who is hopelessly in love with Bob.
Hamilton is an astonishing social commentator. I get the feeling of 1930s London as in nothing else. His ear for dialogue is as sharp as ever; his doom-laden writing as gloomy, but as sardonic as ever; his characters as solidly drawn. If there is one caveat it is perhaps that on occasion he is enjoying himself so much in the exchanges between characters, and his asides on these, that they go on a little too long. Once on a riff, it's hard to stop.
More entertaining than Her Majesty's jubilee...in the pouring rain.
Hamilton is an astonishing social commentator. I get the feeling of 1930s London as in nothing else. His ear for dialogue is as sharp as ever; his doom-laden writing as gloomy, but as sardonic as ever; his characters as solidly drawn. If there is one caveat it is perhaps that on occasion he is enjoying himself so much in the exchanges between characters, and his asides on these, that they go on a little too long. Once on a riff, it's hard to stop.
More entertaining than Her Majesty's jubilee...in the pouring rain.
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