Bleah. It seems I doom myself to writing bad book reviews with my choices of reading material. I think we should pass a new law for writers. While the maxim of write what you know
seems solid, writers of fiction should not write stories about writers, and they should not write stories about literary scholars. I don’t think there can be anything duller.
The Debut follows Ruth Weiss, a young woman who lives a meaningless life overshadowed by her parents, George and Helen. Helen formerly counted herself among the C or D list actors in London. Now she occasionally leaves her bedroom. George formerly ran an antiquarian book store, where he did less selling than fussing. Ruth at some point attends university where she studies Balzac. I suppose this book has some intertwining of themes with Balzac that’ll make it more meaningful, but I haven’t read him and if Ruth is the kind of person who cares about Balzac, I want no part of him.
All three lead pathetic lives. Ruth moves back in with her parents because a date showed up late. Seriously. Helen can’t be bothered to do anything except lay in bed and recount tales of her glory days. George sells the store but drops in daily to help the new owner because he has nothing better going on in his life. The only character who participates in her own life is Mrs. Cutler, the housekeeper. At first she’s pretty sad herself. But at some point she gets moving and decides to find herself a husband. Not that people must be married, but at least it showed some gumption on her part. The others have none. So perhaps theres some intended meaning to be gained from examining the unlived life. But I care not to find it this way.
Title: The debut
Original title: A start in life
Author: Anita Brookner
Cover artist: David Monteil
Imprint / publisher: Vintage / Random House
Format: Paperback
Length: 192 p.
Publication date: March 1985
ISBN-10: 0-394-72856-4
LC classification: PR6052.R587D4 1985
