1001 Books Challenge - UPDATE 53

[emmyangua]

Oh lordy... I suffered through this one.

The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers

And really, I'm a bit annoyed that I had to suffer through it at all, because it had all the hallmarks of a book I'd normally enjoy - a 1930s detective novel, a Jeeves and Wooster style relationship between Lord Peter Wimsey and his manservant Bunter, and it being set in

Comments

[falling_voices]

I take it you hadn't read any Wimsey novels before. This makes me understand your dislike of Peter's characterization in this book a little better, because in the later ones (of which this is a number) most of it is very subtle, as Sayers takes it for granted that the largest chunk of her readers is already familiar with his usual attitude. If you've never read another novel in the series, you would miss a great number of important cues in the way this characterization is altered from what we knew of him beforehand. This is a much more introspective and dark Wimsey than the dancing dandy we were introduced to in the very first novels. He's also, at this point in his life, trying to come to grips with the woman he loves, and who is slowly and steadily forcing him to change his perspective on life and its extras. Most of his characterization in this book hinges on what we don't see him do, rather than on what we do.

This isn't a 'this is why you should like this book' comment, of course, but I thought I should mention it all the same - that The Nine Tailors is a novel better appreciated when you have a certain knowledge of the Wimsey universe. If one day you want to give Sayers a second chance, I heartily second the rec of Murder Must Advertise, which is extremely witty, extremely clever, and has a much lighter Peter to work around. :D

[emmyangua]

Thanks for the comment. I never think anyone reads these things!

I certainly didn't set out to bash a beloved series - but it stands to reason that everyone will have different likes and dislikes and I think her style just isn't to my taste.

I think what you say is fair enough - and I'm not against reading the other earlier novels. I did make for an allowance as I was reading, knowing that I hadn't read the earlier books, and if had just been his character I had an issue with I might have given a more charitable review... but I found it hard to get to grips with all the characters due to the overabundance of dialogue.

[falling_voices]

Rereading my comment now it does look a little passive-aggressive, sorry about that. D: it really wasn't my aim to try and force you to read more or to change your opinion about it, honest; I just thought I'd add an exterior opinion.

I'm pretty much the only person in my family who likes Sayers' style - my brother has read it without much enthusiasm, and my father couldn't even get through the book I gave him (can't quite recall which one it was, though). The very dialogue-y style sometimes does make it difficult to wangle through - Gaudy Night would be more descriptive, and certainly centers more around the characters' feelings than around the mystery plot. It's also true that the huge number of characters involved in TNT must make it rather confusing if you don't have an earlier attachment to Wimsey and Bunter.

Different strokes and all that, yeah?