Spring by David Szalay

Spring by David Szalay
Buy Spring by David Szalay at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: Literary Fiction
Reviewer: Robin Leggett
Summary: #
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Pages: 272	Date: March 2011
Publisher: Jonathan Cape
ISBN: 978-0224091268
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Narrated from a variety of points of view, Spring relates the relationship of James and Katherine. He is an often failed entrepreneurial character who falls for the charms of Katherine, currently working in a London luxury hotel as an interim job, and separated from her photographer-husband. The problem for James is that Katherine is only interested in the pursuit of that perfect happiness scenario and so analyses her feelings constantly - much to the distress of James. But this is a lot more than a 'males don't understand females' tale.

At the risk of a sweeping generalisation, a lot of books will have you believe that relationships either involve love at first sight and, while there might be obstacles along the way, two people will ultimately end up together, or alternatively deal with the aftermath of relationships gone wrong. But life isn't always like that. Spring acknowledges that love is often not equal. It can be indecisive and frustrating. It's certainly frustrating for James.

He is a thirty something man who has a tendency to jump into things both feet first. He's generally pretty decisive, though not always successfully as a host of failed business ventures in his life show. He has been successful and then lost it all on a number of occasions and his latest get rich quick scheme involves a horse racing scam. So when he encounters Katherine, a woman recently separated from her husband, at a friend's wedding, things are not going to be smooth. There is an attraction, but he is much more into the relationship than she ever is. Her indecision is frustrating to him and while the reader might get equally frustrated with her and scream 'leave it, she's not worth it', it's not that simple for him. More than anything the book is very real. The situation is believable and the dialogue superb.

While it's a book that some will find frustrating, not least due to the frequent switches in time frame which can make keeping track of the plot line like trying to watch a particular sock in a spin dryer, if you just let it sweep over you, the total effect is superb. It is a little kaleidoscopic in approach which is a style that is seemingly quite 'in' at the moment. So we get aspects of the story told from a number of points of view and it can be a little difficult trying to keep track. Often these are not critical to the central plot line, which some may find irritating, but they are so well written that I quickly began to welcome them. It's just as well as much of the central plot involves James phoning Katherine and her not answering!

Offsetting this though is the superb writing. Szalay is always aware of light throughout the book and we get frequently superb descriptions of slight variations in light as locations and weather change. While we normally associate Spring with an awakening or re-birth, it equally marks a passing of the old and a word that Szalay uses several times is 'evanescence' (it this was an episode of Sesame Street this would be the featured word of this book) emphasising the gradual fading away of the past.

Another positive of Szalay's writing is that, unlike a great many writers, he handles the, always tricky, subject of writing about his characters' sex lives with great aplomb. Even when not much is happening in the plot, the writing is enthralling but not in an overly literary way. Who knew, for example that bursting soap suds in a bath sound exactly like light rainfall? Close your eyes and try it; he's right. Szalay is very good at little details like that.

My biggest concern throughout was for poor Hugo, the St Bernard that James owns in his small London flat. When James often stops over at Katherine's flat, poor old Hugo gets left to fend for himself and I couldn't help wanting to call the RSPCA and report him for this.

Szalay is certainly a writer to look out for - and to learn how to pronounce (apparently it is saw-loy).

Our thanks to the good people at Jonathan Cape for sending Spring to the Bookbag.

The writer Szalay most puts me in mind of is a young Julian Barnes so you might like to check out Staring at the Sun. If you want more slightly kaleidoscopic novels then either C by Tom McCarthy or Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco are both good, but challenging reads.

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You can read more book reviews or buy Spring by David Szalay at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
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