Clara Reeve

by Leonie Hargrave (Pseudonym), Thomas M. Disch

Gothic pastiche written by Thomas Disch under the pseudonym Leonie Hargrave

Genres: Gothic

442 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Jimbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in 1975 styled as a Gothic story of the 19th century, but with ideas that would fit much better into the 21st century, Leonie Hargerave (actual gay writer Thomas Disch) writes about Clara Reeve, a naïve, sheltered orphan, brought up by her Aunt Lydia and a very cruel uncle. She is destined to grow intelligently and worldly through all she had endured: lies, deceit, murder, travails, rape, incest, gender issues, religious forbearance, oppression, and secrets too many to count.

This book is worth the almost five hundred pages. Written so closely to emulate the style of those 19th century novels, you sometimes forget that it was written in the 70s. The ending was surprising, but would probably be have been more shocking in 1975 or in 1875. Today, it was easier to image and to understand and believe than those from the past.

Disch is one of the writers that I think never got his due. His writing was always intelligent and smart in ways that many writers would envy. His books are under read and under appreciated and that is always a shame.

[Maura Heaphy Dutton · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In general, I know, I am much given to deprecating the fusty old Past at the expense of our improved and brighter Present, but in this one respect my allegiance is all to the long-ago. Let the critics have their -isms and their -ologies, their Ibsens and their Shaws. Give me East Lynn! Give me The Frozen Deeps! Give me The Turn of the Tide!"

In general, there is a magnificent irony to this almost-pitch-perfect pastiche of the three-volume Victorian melodrama being the work of Thomas M. Disch, the distinguished writer of serious, thoughtful science fiction, and doyen of queer criticism, a master of -isms and -ologies himself. But there you are: Disch probably had as much fun writing this magnificent confection as the Gentle Reader will have getting lost in its labrynth of family secrets, twisted intrigue, gender bending surprises and poplin petticoats. (His inventory of Clara's wardrobe, once she has come into her unexpected fortune, was probably worth a PhD thesis in its own right ...)

For an extended review and thoughtful analysis of What Is It All FOR (with serious SPOILERS -- did these people know no decency?), you can do no better than a July 1975 review from the New York Times: my link text

I agree wholeheartedly with the reviewer when she says that the novel could have benefited from some tightening up: this is one of those times when having the book's Big Reveal spoiled was a benefit as, knowing that the denouement was going to be worth the effort, I soldiered on through all the crinolines and the Baedeker-inspired tours of Venice and the Bay of Naples. The middle third probably stretched out the tension a bit more than absolutely necessary.

However, this is a novelty that is well-worth reading in its own right.

PS: I spotted one blooper. The main action of the novel takes place in the 1860s. At one point, Clara refers to something looking like a "teddy bear." But, as we all know, the teddy bear was launched by Stief in the first decade of the 20th century -- and named after Teddy Roosevelt. It was such a blatant goof, it made me wonder if Disch was having a bit of fun with us, and a more knowledgeable scholar of 19th century culture and manners might be able to spot other "deliberate errors" seeded in the text.

[Surreysmum · Rating 4 out of 5]

[These notes were made in 1983:]. One of my most interesting reads in recent days has been Leonie Hargrave's [Thomas Disch's:] Clara Reeve; as the title suggests, [s:]he's playing with Gothic conventions, mocking them, almost -- the climax is at the summit of Vesuvius. But [s:]he's superimposed a certain post-Freudian sexual sophisitication on it, which makes the somewhat incredible sex-identity confusion in the plot seem more than just the classic identity-switch / revelation which winds up a Gothic plot. The narrative voice, too is clear, sensitive and articulate - I must say I rather enjoyed it, and think it compares favourably with other ventures into bygone genres such as, say JOhng's Fanny.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun pastiche of a Victorian sensation novel which has all the elements: mystery, mistaken identity, adultery,and an inheritance with the addition of an exotic location.