Charlotte Jay seems incapable of writing a bad sentence; in fact, some are so beautifully crafted that they must be read over and over again, savored like a bit of Francois Pralus chocolate. Her characters, on the other hand, are seldom likable. As I met the hierarchy of white, colonialist residents of Marapai, it seemed any of them could have been responsible for the murder, and each successive character suggested deeper currents of disturbance than the last. As Stella, our protagonist, strips herself more and more of anything less than her desire to see truth, the story picks up speed and becomes a not only a classic whodunit, but an important--I'd venture to say even groundbreaking--narrative as well. A novel that began quite standoffishly became, in the end, very satisfying.
Characters who seem one-dimensional throughout the first half of the novel develop into believable (and sometimes pitiable) characters, whose motives are understandable in the context of the novel's progression. A novel about villainy and greed; those who become their victims, and the rare survivors.
Beat Not the Bones deserves more than four stars--it's not quite five-star perfection, but the prose remains as innovative and fresh today as it must have been in 1952, and the story, unfortunately, just as relevant.
Characters who seem one-dimensional throughout the first half of the novel develop into believable (and sometimes pitiable) characters, whose motives are understandable in the context of the novel's progression. A novel about villainy and greed; those who become their victims, and the rare survivors.
Beat Not the Bones deserves more than four stars--it's not quite five-star perfection, but the prose remains as innovative and fresh today as it must have been in 1952, and the story, unfortunately, just as relevant.
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