Master Georgie (original 1998; edition 1999)

George Hardy is Master Georgie, and in this short but complex novel the reader sees him, caught as if in photographic plates, from the perspectives of other characters; in some ways, he is as elusive as the images he and others capture with this then-new technology. The story begins in 1846, narrated by Myrtle, then 12, an abandoned child taken in by the Hardy family who, adoring Master Georgie, then a medical student, follows him around without completely understanding what she is observing and helps him create a deception about a shocking event. It continues with others who were observers/participants of that event as narrators, as the characters eventually head towards Constantinople on the eve of the Crimean War, and then become involved in the war itself.

Beyond this outline of plot, the novel derives its power from complexity of the narrating characters -- not only Myrtle, but also the "duck boy" Pompey Jones, a poor boy who becomes a photographer, as well as a schemer, and who never forgets the class both he and Myrtle sprung from, and Dr. Potter, a lover of classics who desires Georgie's sister Beatrice for years before eventually marrying her. The secondary characters are clearly drawn as well. Ultimately, the novel confronts issues of secrets, obsession, perception, complex and unusual personal relationships, both homosexuality and unsanctioned heterosexuality, love, and war (the images of the violence and suffering of the Crimean War are devastating). As always, Bainbridge's writing is both vivid and understated, leaving much for readers to figure out on their own. She is at the height of her powers with this novel.

Six sections, all culminating to a photographic plate of a moment, each section from the point of view of people around George Hardy (his foster sister Myrtle, his (eventual) brother-in-law Dr Potter, the boy up to no good who helps out at a crucial moment in his life and becomes something of a friend), with certain surprises thrown in almost between the lines. And throughout, there's a certain fascination with death, nowhere more clearly than in the final sections out at Crimea. ( )

I just finished and am rereading it. I am entranced by her style: so much in few words. ( )

This book was awarded the Booker Prize following Beryl Bainbridge's death this spring and after reading it, I can only wonder why it didn't win one the year it was published.

Set in 1850's England, it documents the lives of a gay man, a sexually-assertive woman, and the bisexual man who loves them both as they struggle to maintain their self-respect and identities in a society in which homosexuality and sodomy are illegal, and women who admit to enjoying sex are labelled whores and ostercized by their peers. Although this is a historical novel, Bainbridge's instictive understanding of the human psyche and sympathy for her characters makes this book feel very contemporary. I felt as though it could be happening anywhere in the world at any time. It's a powerful expose of the human cost of enforcing a social expectation of sexual identity, and I recommend it whole-heartedly.

An interesting book that crackles with intelligence and wit. The writing is vivid and vigorous,the plot and structure are good – however, the ‘absence’ of Georgie (he is not one of the narrators) meant I didn’t really understand what was driving him to drag his family and then his team of three loyal fans into the very jaws of hell. He was intent on seeking the worst there was, with never a thought for Myrtle or Potter.

The final, dreadful destiny of the four main characters was very much influenced by chance - and Georgie's pigheadedness. ( )