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A review by lizkatz
Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt
3.0
The 4-star ambitiousness of this first novel brings my rating to three stars even though my enjoyment of it was more like 2.5.
Winston Churchill described his debilitating depression as a black dog. The premise of the novel is to make that black dog, Black Pat, a character in the book. I knew that before I started the book, as most readers probably do. What I didn't realize is that the book is not about Churchill. The dog is not a literary device to allow a different view of Churchill. The books is really about the Dog. Churchill's known relationship with the Dog simply provides the starting place of common knowledge. Then the novel follows what happens when the Dog inserts himself into someone else's life. Churchill's relationship with the dog is the backdrop against which this drama plays out.
When I began the book, I accepted that the Dog was Depression personified. When the dog knocks on Ester's door, I felt like I was watching SNL Land Shark skit. (Candygram.) I wanted to warn her of the dog's bad intentions. But soon I started arguing with the author in my head... "Depression wouldn't act like that." Depression wouldn't dig up the yard or drool on the carpet. I found the dog conformed much more to my notions of depression when he was with Churchill. In retrospect I think this turns out to be the point. While I have entertained Black Pat for a while (Like most people, I think.), the visit is different than for someone with hereditary depression such as Churchill. I found this aspect of the book the most interesting.
Unfortunately having the Dog as a character created a number of problems that ultimately made the book unsatisfying. On the one hand, the dog seemed to me to have the most dialog and the most personality of anyone in the book. The main characters seemed to revolve around his whimsy. And by comparison, Winston and Ester also seemed quite flat and unremarkable. Perhaps it was the pulling out (and dogifying) of one part of them, that made them feel incomplete?
And since, as their depression, Black Pat is actually part of these characters, he can't have independent motivation. Despite his charismatic dialog, I can feel he can only be described as a force--chaos or confusion--or maybe a presence. While at times. he tortures our characters, he isn't allowed the ambition of a villain--or really any emotion. Throughout the book, various characters tell him to go away. He responds that this is his job and therefore he can't. He expresses regret and yet he doesn't seem to feel it. This is very confusion and it sets up a very odd ending when the Dog moves out of Ester's home. I was left feeling that (as much as I was glad it happened) something wasn't quite right.
Even though don't think Hunt quite succeeded with this novel, I'm glad she wrote Mr. Chartwell and I'm glad I encountered it. I will look forward to more from her.
Winston Churchill described his debilitating depression as a black dog. The premise of the novel is to make that black dog, Black Pat, a character in the book. I knew that before I started the book, as most readers probably do. What I didn't realize is that the book is not about Churchill. The dog is not a literary device to allow a different view of Churchill. The books is really about the Dog. Churchill's known relationship with the Dog simply provides the starting place of common knowledge. Then the novel follows what happens when the Dog inserts himself into someone else's life. Churchill's relationship with the dog is the backdrop against which this drama plays out.
When I began the book, I accepted that the Dog was Depression personified. When the dog knocks on Ester's door, I felt like I was watching SNL Land Shark skit. (Candygram.) I wanted to warn her of the dog's bad intentions. But soon I started arguing with the author in my head... "Depression wouldn't act like that." Depression wouldn't dig up the yard or drool on the carpet. I found the dog conformed much more to my notions of depression when he was with Churchill. In retrospect I think this turns out to be the point. While I have entertained Black Pat for a while (Like most people, I think.), the visit is different than for someone with hereditary depression such as Churchill. I found this aspect of the book the most interesting.
Unfortunately having the Dog as a character created a number of problems that ultimately made the book unsatisfying. On the one hand, the dog seemed to me to have the most dialog and the most personality of anyone in the book. The main characters seemed to revolve around his whimsy. And by comparison, Winston and Ester also seemed quite flat and unremarkable. Perhaps it was the pulling out (and dogifying) of one part of them, that made them feel incomplete?
And since, as their depression, Black Pat is actually part of these characters, he can't have independent motivation. Despite his charismatic dialog, I can feel he can only be described as a force--chaos or confusion--or maybe a presence. While at times. he tortures our characters, he isn't allowed the ambition of a villain--or really any emotion. Throughout the book, various characters tell him to go away. He responds that this is his job and therefore he can't. He expresses regret and yet he doesn't seem to feel it. This is very confusion and it sets up a very odd ending when the Dog moves out of Ester's home. I was left feeling that (as much as I was glad it happened) something wasn't quite right.
Even though don't think Hunt quite succeeded with this novel, I'm glad she wrote Mr. Chartwell and I'm glad I encountered it. I will look forward to more from her.