James Miranda Barry

'James Miranda Barry' is a fictionalised account of the life of a real figure, a girl who grew up to be a man and lived as a well-known doctor. I haven't read his actual biography, but Duncker's afterword reveals that she deviated quite considerably from known facts in this novel. Most notably, she creates a lifelong friend and love for Barry, in the form of Alice Jones. Alice is the most vivid character in the novel and it made me sad to think that Barry had no such comrade and confidante in reality.

The novel itself is structured a bit oddly, to my mind, as it seems to dwell intensely on a particular time or relationship in Barry's life, then jump somewhat jarringly elsewhere and elsewhen (I know that isn't a word, but it ought to be. show more Or perhaps 'otherwhen' would sound better?). The narrative also shifts between first and third person, which is a little odd. I preferred the sections in third person. Nonetheless, I found the novel powerful and engaging, because James Miranda Barry is such a fascinating character. Duncker doesn't take the reader fully into his head, but still gives much more of an insight into Barry than anyone else gets. I found Barry's eccentricity and irascibility very sympathetic, especially in his fights to bring hygiene and similar innovations to Victorian colonial hospitals.

I've also read another of Duncker's novels, 'Hallucinating Focault', which I think was a more involving narrative but with a less memorable and appealing central character. I recommend both, though. Duncker is a very interesting novelist, who writes straightforwardly but with a great eye for details. As my mum coincidentally has a copy of James Miranda Barry's biography, 'The Perfect Gentleman', I am now planning to read that. show less

If you're after a frank examination of gender and sexuality in the 17th century with a bit of historical intrigue and romance thrown in for good measure, this one's probably for you.

It might have been nice to see a bit more detail on other aspects of Barry's life (his career as a military surgeon and his family), but you can't have everything.

A gripping story with perfect blending of fact and fiction. Patricia Duncker creates a reliable portrait of a rather unknown person in a successful historical background - and has imagination and literary skills to throw in some romance and suspension as well.

This is a novel of biographical historical fiction. It is based on the true story of a brilliant female physician who lived as a man under the name James Barry. The novel traces her/his life over the decades and on three continents (Europe, Africa and the Americas). There was a lot of focus on the issue of "why" did she become a he. James began cross-dressing as a child, and was encouraged to live as a man by her/his mother and her/his mother's lover, since at the time life for a woman was generally a life without choices. As a historical figure, he was known as a brilliant and excellent doctor.

Recommended.

3 stars

Diese Geschichtenerzählerin weiß mit diesem Roman, dieser Biographie einer Frau, die das Leben eines Mannes als Mann führt, von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite zu faszinieren.