The Black Prince

Don't let the cover fool you- there is nothing medieval about the prince in this story. Published in 1973,The Black Prince is the first novel I've read by acclaimed author Iris Murdoch.

Bradley Pearson is an aging writer and retired tax worker in England. From his first person narrative, we learn of his friendship and rivalry with the far more successful novelist Arnold Baffin and his wife, Rachel. Bradley seems to be experiencing an extended bout of writer's block and plans to summer at a remote cabin near the English seaside. However, before he can escape London, he is accosted by a number of friends, relations, and an ex-wife who bring a variety of problems and situations for Arnold to deal with. In the midst of all this, he discovers he has fallen in love with the very young daughter of Arnold and Rachel, a girl he has known her entire life. This situation leads to a series of events that call into question nearly every event and assumption the reader has made before the ending.

The main body of the narrative is book-ended by an introduction from a 'publisher' and a series of post-scripts from some of the main characters which cast the events in an entirely different light.

I really enjoyed this novel for Murdoch's skill with prose and for the overall story. While the plot was compelling, the narrator's ruminations on topics such as education, art, writing, friendship, love, etc. made it drag a little for me. These diversions are ultimately essential for understanding the nature of his character, but still brought things to a standstill occasionally. Here and there, I found myself skimming, something I don't often do when reading a novel.

Still, I look forward to reading more of Murdoch's work and plan to check out the feature film made about her lifelong romance with John Bayley and her decline from Alzheimer's.