Writing: 4/5 Characters: 5/5 Plot: 3.5/5
1964. When William — a mute and (very) shaggy man — is found in decrepit conditions in a London suburb, he is taken to a psychiatric clinic for evaluation. He apparently had not left the house for over ten years. When William turns out to have a real artistic talent, Helen, the clinic art therapist, feels drawn to the “Hidden Man” and makes him into a special project. The narrative branches off in two directions. The first follows Helen as she tries to unravel the mystery of the Hidden Man’s origins while also coming to terms with her increasingly disastrous relationship with the appealing, but definitely married, psychiatrist treating William. Alternating sections follow William’s story backwards through time — eventually providing the answers in events taking place in 1938.
The story was compelling, and I liked the backwards progression through William’s life slowly explaining how he developed into the man he became. All of the characters were deftly drawn, and I enjoyed the reflection and details that helped me understand (though not necessarily empathize with!) their various personalities. I found the psychological tools and thinking of the era fascinating and wished there had been slightly more of that and less day-to-day descriptions. I found the book a little long winded, but with a little judicious skimming (sorry!) I enjoyed it from beginning to end and appreciated the relatively upbeat ending (will say no more about this!)
I found the writing at the sentence level to be excellent. Here are a few quotes:
“Helen started to feel the intestinal cramping and queasiness that often accompanied the contemplation of her moral failings.”
“As usual, thoughts of her mother prompted a wave of guilt, swiftly followed by a cancelling backwash of resentment.”
“The fact that his ire was aimed not at them, but at some nearby object that confounded him didn’t make it any easier to ignore; for quiet people, raised voices are experienced as a kind of aggression even when directed elsewhere.”
Thank you toMariner Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.The book will be published on November 12th, 2024.
Books to look forward to ... 