The Last Man - Week 2 (Vol I - Chapters VI - X)

[Gem , Moderator]

The Last Man - Week 2 (Chapters VI - X)

This week we'll complete Volume I and I think the story is becoming a bit more interesting.

We see some relationships and love developing in these chapters as well as politically motivated decisions being made. Lord Raymond seemed to have made a decision based on love, putting aside or at least reducing his political ambition. How does this align with Lord Byron who was a notorious ladies man?

Did any of the characters developed in a way that was contrary to what you had in your mind or did their journey progress as you expected? Perdita caught my interest as her character developed from an uncivilized loner to the wife of the Lord Protector. Her world then crumbles when she suspects infidelity on his part. What do you think of the way she has handled herself given the circumstances?

This book uses a first-person narrator (Lionel based on Shelley herself). Do you see the narrator as reliable?

[Robin P, Moderator]

I haven't finished yet and am still wondering about the fact that some of us have 2 Chapter 4's so we're not sure how far to read. If someone has a printed book, can you tell us the end sentence of Chapter 10?

The infidelity question is interesting. Byron was notoriously fickle, but Percy also spent a lot of time with Mary's sister (and some other women) while Mary was pregnant/recovering from childbirth/recovering from multiple miscarriages/otherwise ill. Raymond manages to turn it around to somehow blame Perdita for her reaction and reject her. This seems all too true to life.

However, I still am having a lot of trouble with the over-the-top language and emotions of these characters, and their manner of speaking in flowery statements even in moments of extreme emotion.

[Lori, Moderator]

It’s hard to say whether Raymond should be forgiven, because the book isn’t entirely clear on what he did. Did he have an emotional affair with Evadne (who, if I understood correctly, didn’t realize he was married until after her illness?) that was not physically consummated? Or was it more? The book implies that Perdita believes more happened than actually did, but I’m not sure what that was. (Though if Raymond was based on Lord Byron, Perdita and Evadne should both have been running long ago, if for no other reason than to escape the legion of STIs.)

What was that bit about Lionel being the father of the world and the thing about music? Did he become a philosopher or composer? I have no idea what he (or Shelley) was talking about for half of Chapter X.

[Detlef]

What strikes me while reading this novel are the sometimes abrupt changes of heart that people undergo. Not very well explained. It seems that this book is in need of a good editor to clarify things. It also remains unclear to me why this is set in the late 21st Century. It would have made more sense to have it placed in the near future. We are treated to emotional behavior and social structures of the period, sometimes enriched by exhilarating novelties like traveling balloons.
Raymond changes his mind about major developments in his life without a really good explanation. It’s frustrating at times. There are over the top emotions without much psychological explanation. Raymond certainly has a lot in common with Lord Byron when it comes to his love of Greece and his involvements there, but his behavior towards women is certainly changed almost beyond recognition (to idolize him?). Women in general are treated as the admirers and supporters of the male sex. No inkling of emancipation here. Which is not surprising, but does not go well with the times the novel is set in?
Lionel as the narrator does not appear to be too reliable, his (her) views are certainly tainted in my opinion.
So far we are only treated to extensive flowery descriptions of the behavior of the characters, but there is no real development towards what this novel is really about. Maybe an editor could have strengthened the narrative?

[Robin P, Moderator]

Good points, Detlef. I generally have a lot of patience for classics but this book is a struggle. The question of women's role seems really odd because Mary Shelley knew and admired the work of her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft. If Wollstonecraft had set a novel in the future, I bet she would have shown women in power.

I also agree about the abrupt changes. I was first surprised when Raymond gave up his quest for power in order to stay with the simple Perdita. He keeps making all-or-nothing decisions, renouncing his wife, rushing off to battle. (Another interesting thing is that the Greek/Turkish war of the 19th century seems to be still ongoing in the future, and weapons haven't changed a bit.)

About the editing - For Frankenstein, the original was relatively direct but Percy "improved" it by adding the whole introductory section and frame story as well as making the sentences more flowery. I was hoping that this book written by Mary without him would also be more direct. It seems she assumed this is how you are supposed to write.

[Rafael]

Robin P wrote: "I haven't finished yet and am still wondering about the fact that some of us have 2 Chapter 4's so we're not sure how far to read. If someone has a printed book, can you tell us the end sentence of..."

The chapter 10 ends with: Her dear heart's confessor - a heart within that heart.

This book has indeed 2 chapter 4. Chapter 4 first part and chapter 4 second part.

[Robin P, Moderator]

Thanks for clarifying- so weird!

[Rafael]

Yeah, indeed.

[Kate]

Strange - I have a paperback edition (Oxford World's Classics), and the chapters in Vol. 1 are numbered 1 to 11.

Raymond is pretty mysterious to me in terms of his decision-making. I was also surprised when he decided to give up everything for Perdita. And I also thought the infidelity - or degree thereof - was unclear. At one point the word "lover" was used, but of course at this time, a phrase such as "he made love to me" could very well mean "he talked about love and had the audacity to take my hand!" so who knows.

Raymond and Perdita's relationship is kind of hard to understand; so passionate and unworldly, Her adoration of him is over the top; at one point it's compared to how she felt about God: "...inspired me with sensations towards him, akin to those with which we regard the Giver of life." Whoa!

The narration by Lionel itself is a bit strange too. I get that he had lots of intense conversations with Perdita, and with Raymond, and thus could possibly report on their inner feelings in detail - perhaps through his own flowery filter. But there's also some detail on Evadne's thoughts. How does he know? Did he interview her as well? Or is he speculating? I kind of like the idea that he could be an unreliable and highly floral narrator. Who knows what really happened?!

I'm curious what others thing about Adrian heading off to Greece - that surprised me as well.

[Lori, Moderator]

I found Raymond and Perdita's relationship strange as well. They don't seem to be a good match. Someone like Evadne would be better for Raymond and someone like Adrian would be better for Perdita, in my opinion, but sometimes people fall in love with people they're not a great match with; it happens. But yes, the over-adoration is kind of weird. I want to tell her, "He's just a man, and a flawed one." I thought Lionel described her as intelligent, and I figured she'd have enough other interests to keep her balanced.

[Janice (JG)]

I am disappointed that this seems - so far - a story of romance, nothing futuristic or scientific or fantastical or, frankly, interesting. So far. The romances seem to be either made in heaven and there is no strife (or growth) whatsoever... or they break apart the minute something untoward or confusing or challenging happens. These relationships seem very two dimensional. Well, as I said, I am disappointed. I will read on because of the promise that it gets better.