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Aiding and Abetting
In 'Aiding and Abetting', the doyenne of literary satire has written a wickedly amusing and subversive novel around the true-crime case of one of England’s most notorious uppercrust scoundrels and the “aiders and abetters” who kept him on the loose.
When Lord Lucan walks into psychiatrist Hildegard Wolf’s Paris office, there is one problem: she already has a patient who says he’s Lucan, the fugitive murderer who bludgeoned his children’s nanny in a botched attempt to kill his wife. As Dr. Wolf sets about deciding which of her patients, if either, is the real Lucan, she finds herself in a fierce battle of wills and an exciting chase across Europe. For someone is deceiving someone, and it may be the good doctor, who, despite her unorthodox therapeutic method (she talks mainly about her own life), has a sinister past, too.
Exhibiting Muriel Spark’s boundless imagination and biting wit, 'Aiding and Abetting' is a brisk, clever, and deliciously entertaining tale by one of Britain’s greatest living novelists.
When Lord Lucan walks into psychiatrist Hildegard Wolf’s Paris office, there is one problem: she already has a patient who says he’s Lucan, the fugitive murderer who bludgeoned his children’s nanny in a botched attempt to kill his wife. As Dr. Wolf sets about deciding which of her patients, if either, is the real Lucan, she finds herself in a fierce battle of wills and an exciting chase across Europe. For someone is deceiving someone, and it may be the good doctor, who, despite her unorthodox therapeutic method (she talks mainly about her own life), has a sinister past, too.
Exhibiting Muriel Spark’s boundless imagination and biting wit, 'Aiding and Abetting' is a brisk, clever, and deliciously entertaining tale by one of Britain’s greatest living novelists.
166 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
54 people are currently reading
1177 people want to read
About the author
Muriel Spark
216 books1,269 followersDame Muriel Spark, DBE was a prolific Scottish novelist, short story writer and poet whose darkly comedic voice made her one of the most distinctive writers of the twentieth century. In 2008 The Times newspaper named Spark in its list of "the 50 greatest British writers since 1945".
Spark received the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 1965 for The Mandelbaum Gate, the Ingersoll Foundation TS Eliot Award in 1992 and the David Cohen Prize in 1997. She became Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1993, in recognition of her services to literature. She has been twice shortlisted for the Booker Prize, in 1969 for The Public Image and in 1981 for Loitering with Intent. In 1998, she was awarded the Golden PEN Award by English PEN for "a Lifetime's Distinguished Service to Literature". In 2010, Spark was shortlisted for the Lost Man Booker Prize of 1970 for The Driver's Seat.
Spark received eight honorary doctorates in her lifetime. These included a Doctor of the University degree (Honoris causa) from her alma mater, Heriot-Watt University in 1995; a Doctor of Humane Letters (Honoris causa) from the American University of Paris in 2005; and Honorary Doctor of Letters degrees from the Universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, London, Oxford, St Andrews and Strathclyde.
Spark grew up in Edinburgh and worked as a department store secretary, writer for trade magazines, and literary editor before publishing her first novel, The Comforters, in 1957. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, published in 1961, and considered her masterpiece, was made into a stage play, a TV series, and a film.
Spark received the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 1965 for The Mandelbaum Gate, the Ingersoll Foundation TS Eliot Award in 1992 and the David Cohen Prize in 1997. She became Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1993, in recognition of her services to literature. She has been twice shortlisted for the Booker Prize, in 1969 for The Public Image and in 1981 for Loitering with Intent. In 1998, she was awarded the Golden PEN Award by English PEN for "a Lifetime's Distinguished Service to Literature". In 2010, Spark was shortlisted for the Lost Man Booker Prize of 1970 for The Driver's Seat.
Spark received eight honorary doctorates in her lifetime. These included a Doctor of the University degree (Honoris causa) from her alma mater, Heriot-Watt University in 1995; a Doctor of Humane Letters (Honoris causa) from the American University of Paris in 2005; and Honorary Doctor of Letters degrees from the Universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, London, Oxford, St Andrews and Strathclyde.
Spark grew up in Edinburgh and worked as a department store secretary, writer for trade magazines, and literary editor before publishing her first novel, The Comforters, in 1957. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, published in 1961, and considered her masterpiece, was made into a stage play, a TV series, and a film.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews
September 28, 2018
When a man walks into the office of psychiatrist, Dr Hildegard Wolf, claiming to be Lord Lucan, she is surprised; not least as she already has another patient claiming the same thing. It turns out that Dr Wolf has her own dubious past and, soon, the Lucan’s are threatening her own career and comfortable life in Paris.
This is an interesting take on the Lucan case, which sees Dr Wolf first running from the two men who claim to be Lord Lucan, before taking the offensive. There is much about the ‘aiders and abetters,’ the wealthy friends of Lucan, who were suggested to have funded his flight from justice and helped support him financially in hiding. Also, there is an interesting side story, featuring the daughter of a friend of Lucan’s, who is hoping to write a book on him.
For anyone familiar with the case, the ending of the novel has a suitable twist, but this is really based more on the Lucan myth than on the reality of real events. Oddly, Lucan’s wife objected to this novel, but Muriel Spark is certainly sympathetic to her, and to Sandra Rivett, the nanny killed in 1974, and not to Lucan himself, so it is hard to see what she found unpalatable – unless it was turning that crime into fiction. Still, the Lord Lucan case was something often in the newspapers in the Seventies and Eighties, with people claiming to have spotted the missing aristocrat and this novel parodies those years cleverly.
This is an interesting take on the Lucan case, which sees Dr Wolf first running from the two men who claim to be Lord Lucan, before taking the offensive. There is much about the ‘aiders and abetters,’ the wealthy friends of Lucan, who were suggested to have funded his flight from justice and helped support him financially in hiding. Also, there is an interesting side story, featuring the daughter of a friend of Lucan’s, who is hoping to write a book on him.
For anyone familiar with the case, the ending of the novel has a suitable twist, but this is really based more on the Lucan myth than on the reality of real events. Oddly, Lucan’s wife objected to this novel, but Muriel Spark is certainly sympathetic to her, and to Sandra Rivett, the nanny killed in 1974, and not to Lucan himself, so it is hard to see what she found unpalatable – unless it was turning that crime into fiction. Still, the Lord Lucan case was something often in the newspapers in the Seventies and Eighties, with people claiming to have spotted the missing aristocrat and this novel parodies those years cleverly.
March 2, 2021
After ten Muriel Spark novels this is the first time I have had to use the word disappointing.
Still, she has been such a joy to read on many occasions previously, I'll forgive her for the odd dud or two. Added to the fact she wrote this at eighty-two years of age. Aiding and abetting wasn't absolutely terrible, but it was rather boring, and lacked the spirit of her very best work. The unlicensed Paris psychiatrist Hildegard Wolf was a really interesting character and very much in the Spark mold. It's a pity the whole novel wasn't written just about her - especially of the exciting earlier life she led in Bavaria as a stigmatic fraudster called Beate Pappenheim. And the reason for this is simpy down to the two bumbling fools claiming to be Lord Lucan - they were just damn right annoying. In the end I couldn't really care who was who. Even a smart blackmail sideplot later on could barely rouse me from a stupor. If you've never read Spark then there could be something worthwhile here, but as a seasoned pro of her novels now, it didn't tick enough boxes for me.
March 31, 2022
Meh. A late work lacking in the signature Sparkian humor as well as much meaningful action. Comes across as too earnest and static.
Read instead The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie or Memento Mori or The Bachelors or A Far Cry from Kensington or The Ballad of Peckham Rye.
Read instead The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie or Memento Mori or The Bachelors or A Far Cry from Kensington or The Ballad of Peckham Rye.
November 22, 2016
One of the Spark's books which is not that Sparkian. And so, I was bit disappointed.
It was racy and at times witty. Yet, something was missing.
The climax was a let down. Or at least, that was my feel. Spark was capable of producing a better one or executing the present climax in a livelier way. spark must have been in a hurry to finish the work.
I look for Catholic/Christian themes and discussions in every Spark book. I think, this book had such themes in a suggestive manner. And they could very well elude a reader. Spark is usually vocal in her views. I love such views. And so, Spark - the subtle artist was, for me, a shock and disappointment.
The suggestive meanings are:
1. "The wages of sin is death - a sinner unless he/she repents cannot expect his/her redemption." (the case of Lord Lucan)
2. When there is true faith, God can work miracles even through frauds. (the case of fraudulent stigmatic - Beate Pappenheim).
It was racy and at times witty. Yet, something was missing.
The climax was a let down. Or at least, that was my feel. Spark was capable of producing a better one or executing the present climax in a livelier way. spark must have been in a hurry to finish the work.
I look for Catholic/Christian themes and discussions in every Spark book. I think, this book had such themes in a suggestive manner. And they could very well elude a reader. Spark is usually vocal in her views. I love such views. And so, Spark - the subtle artist was, for me, a shock and disappointment.
The suggestive meanings are:
1. "The wages of sin is death - a sinner unless he/she repents cannot expect his/her redemption." (the case of Lord Lucan)
2. When there is true faith, God can work miracles even through frauds. (the case of fraudulent stigmatic - Beate Pappenheim).
October 13, 2023
Muriel Spark este scriitoare de romane, povestiri, teatru, poezie, biografii si carti pentru copii. A fost distinsa atat cu multe premii literare cat si cu titlul de Dame de catre Regina Marii Britanii. Este simpatizata in special pentru ironia si umorul ei negru.
Romanul "Lorzi si complici" a aparut in anul 2000 si este inspirat din fapte reale si anume "Afacerea Lucan". Cartea urmareste jocul inteligentei si vicleniilor dintre o femeie psihiatru si doi barbati care au nevoie de consilierea ei.
In ceea ce priveste "Afacerea Lucan" este vorba despre cel de-al saptelea conte de Lucan numit si "Lucky" Lucan care pe 7 noiembrie 1974 a disparut fara urma de acasa dupa ce si-a ranit grav sotia si a ucis-o in bataie pe bona copiilor sai. Tinta sa initiala fusese sotia care divortase de el insa, fiind intuneric, a confundat-o cu bona. A fost urmarit pentru omor si tentativa de omor, a fost declarat vinovat de juriu, insa niciodata nu a fost gasit desi multi martori au afirmat ca l-au vazut in diverse parti ale lumii. In 1999 a fost declarat oficial mort. Fiind un impatimit al jocurilor de noroc, acesta a lasat grave probleme financiare in urma sa.
Intorcandu-ne la roman, ne aflam in cabinetul doctoritei Hildegard Wolf unde se prezinta un domn care ii spune ca este lordul Lucan, acuzat de omor si tentativa de omor acum 25 de ani. Ceea ce este surprinzator este ca doctorita are deja in tratament un pacient care sustine acelasi lucru. Ea se gandeste ca cei doi barbati s-au inteles si au pus la cale un complot impotriva ei. Amandoi seamana intre ei dar si cu portretul facut de politie lordului Lucan astfel ca psihiatra trebuie sa-si dea seama care este impostorul. Problema este ca si Hildegard are un secret din trecut nefiind nici ea cine pretinde a fi. Avem de-a face asadar cu un joc al puterii si al informatiei de genul cine pe cine are la mana si este interesant de vazut care va fi castigatorul in final.
Romanul este scurt cu ritm alert, destul de 'simpaticut' dar nimic mai mult. Este distractiv pentru o dupa amiaza cand nu aveti altceva de facut nefiind insa intr-atat de stimulant intelectual pe cat mi-am imaginat.
M-a amuzat faptul ca la pagina 176 am gasit scris 'ginsi maro' si nu mi-aduc aminte sa mai fi vazut vreodata acest cuvant scris asa. Este o abordare 'romaneasca' simpatica.
In incheiere vreau sa va atrag atentia ca daca vreunul dintre voi este adevaratul lord Lucan atunci detectivul cazului, Roy Ranson, v-a lasat cu limba de moarte urmatorul avertisment: "Priveste mereu atent peste umar. Va exista intotdeauna cineva care sa-l caute pe Lucan."
Romanul "Lorzi si complici" a aparut in anul 2000 si este inspirat din fapte reale si anume "Afacerea Lucan". Cartea urmareste jocul inteligentei si vicleniilor dintre o femeie psihiatru si doi barbati care au nevoie de consilierea ei.
In ceea ce priveste "Afacerea Lucan" este vorba despre cel de-al saptelea conte de Lucan numit si "Lucky" Lucan care pe 7 noiembrie 1974 a disparut fara urma de acasa dupa ce si-a ranit grav sotia si a ucis-o in bataie pe bona copiilor sai. Tinta sa initiala fusese sotia care divortase de el insa, fiind intuneric, a confundat-o cu bona. A fost urmarit pentru omor si tentativa de omor, a fost declarat vinovat de juriu, insa niciodata nu a fost gasit desi multi martori au afirmat ca l-au vazut in diverse parti ale lumii. In 1999 a fost declarat oficial mort. Fiind un impatimit al jocurilor de noroc, acesta a lasat grave probleme financiare in urma sa.
Intorcandu-ne la roman, ne aflam in cabinetul doctoritei Hildegard Wolf unde se prezinta un domn care ii spune ca este lordul Lucan, acuzat de omor si tentativa de omor acum 25 de ani. Ceea ce este surprinzator este ca doctorita are deja in tratament un pacient care sustine acelasi lucru. Ea se gandeste ca cei doi barbati s-au inteles si au pus la cale un complot impotriva ei. Amandoi seamana intre ei dar si cu portretul facut de politie lordului Lucan astfel ca psihiatra trebuie sa-si dea seama care este impostorul. Problema este ca si Hildegard are un secret din trecut nefiind nici ea cine pretinde a fi. Avem de-a face asadar cu un joc al puterii si al informatiei de genul cine pe cine are la mana si este interesant de vazut care va fi castigatorul in final.
Romanul este scurt cu ritm alert, destul de 'simpaticut' dar nimic mai mult. Este distractiv pentru o dupa amiaza cand nu aveti altceva de facut nefiind insa intr-atat de stimulant intelectual pe cat mi-am imaginat.
M-a amuzat faptul ca la pagina 176 am gasit scris 'ginsi maro' si nu mi-aduc aminte sa mai fi vazut vreodata acest cuvant scris asa. Este o abordare 'romaneasca' simpatica.
In incheiere vreau sa va atrag atentia ca daca vreunul dintre voi este adevaratul lord Lucan atunci detectivul cazului, Roy Ranson, v-a lasat cu limba de moarte urmatorul avertisment: "Priveste mereu atent peste umar. Va exista intotdeauna cineva care sa-l caute pe Lucan."
September 15, 2009
When I saw this book in the library, I had the vague notion that Muriel Spark was one of the names on those "Authors You Should Know" lists, and thus I should probably read something by her. After having finished this book, my feeling is that the name "Muriel Spark" is appealing in and of itself, and that's probably why I remembered it. I was not impressed with her.
I should clarify that the book was fine. I mean, I read the whole thing, and it was fine. If you like light-hearted mysteries, you'd probably like this. For me, it just never got there.
This book is based on a real-life crime. An English earl, Lord Lucan, killed his children's nanny by mistake, intending to kill his wife. Then he disappeared. This was in the late 70s. Apparently it was a huge deal, with much speculation about his whereabouts. So, Spark creates a story based on what might have happened after his disappearance. The premise sounds fine, I guess, but it just dilly-dallied with silly subplots and unconvincing characters. In fact, the character that seemed the most real to me was the very minor Jean-Pierre, "life partner" (because apparently "boyfriend" isn't cosmopolitan enough) of the murderer's psychologist, Hildegard Wolf.
Anyway, some specific complaints: 1. The dialogue, the characters and much of the plot felt tired. The originality needed to make this a good book was missing. 2. I have no idea why Spark felt compelled to reiterate the circumstances of the original crime 16,000 times. Once would have been enough, but every time a new character came on the scene, and sometimes just for the heck of it, she would remind us of how Lucan had bludgeoned the nanny as she came down the stairs, thinking it was his wife, etc. etc. Why, oh why, do authors think they can't trust their readers? 3. Lacy and the old guy hooking up? Not only gross, but predictable. And stupid. 4. The ending. Oh my goodness, did she think that was clever? If you ever read this book (don't) but if you do, give me a comment so we can discuss how ridiculous that was. 5. I don't know that I can really blame the author for this one...I think it was the use of titles and English aristocracy, and (repeated) reference to "the false stigmatic of Nuremberg" that gave this book a distinct flavor of the past. Actually, it was set in the late 90s, but it was so easy to forget this that when the ocassional laptop or commercial jet popped up, it felt like an anachronism. Like I said, though, that was probably just me.
Phew! This book was really not significant enough for me to have said so much about it, but there you are.
I should clarify that the book was fine. I mean, I read the whole thing, and it was fine. If you like light-hearted mysteries, you'd probably like this. For me, it just never got there.
This book is based on a real-life crime. An English earl, Lord Lucan, killed his children's nanny by mistake, intending to kill his wife. Then he disappeared. This was in the late 70s. Apparently it was a huge deal, with much speculation about his whereabouts. So, Spark creates a story based on what might have happened after his disappearance. The premise sounds fine, I guess, but it just dilly-dallied with silly subplots and unconvincing characters. In fact, the character that seemed the most real to me was the very minor Jean-Pierre, "life partner" (because apparently "boyfriend" isn't cosmopolitan enough) of the murderer's psychologist, Hildegard Wolf.
Anyway, some specific complaints: 1. The dialogue, the characters and much of the plot felt tired. The originality needed to make this a good book was missing. 2. I have no idea why Spark felt compelled to reiterate the circumstances of the original crime 16,000 times. Once would have been enough, but every time a new character came on the scene, and sometimes just for the heck of it, she would remind us of how Lucan had bludgeoned the nanny as she came down the stairs, thinking it was his wife, etc. etc. Why, oh why, do authors think they can't trust their readers? 3. Lacy and the old guy hooking up? Not only gross, but predictable. And stupid. 4. The ending. Oh my goodness, did she think that was clever? If you ever read this book (don't) but if you do, give me a comment so we can discuss how ridiculous that was. 5. I don't know that I can really blame the author for this one...I think it was the use of titles and English aristocracy, and (repeated) reference to "the false stigmatic of Nuremberg" that gave this book a distinct flavor of the past. Actually, it was set in the late 90s, but it was so easy to forget this that when the ocassional laptop or commercial jet popped up, it felt like an anachronism. Like I said, though, that was probably just me.
Phew! This book was really not significant enough for me to have said so much about it, but there you are.
June 16, 2016
This is only the second Muriel Spark book I've read, but I find her writing delightful. Her sense of humor shines darkly. This one starts off with a psychiatrist who first makes her patients listen to her story. And the subtle layering and duplicity of her characters... (sigh)...
Without giving too much away, the story revolves around the true story of an earl who disappears after committing murder and attempted murder (he was aiming for his wife, mistook the nanny for her, then didn't have time to finish off his original target). Decades later he shows up at the shrink's office. Except she already has another patient claiming to be him! A fine web of deception--made possible by numerous aiders and abetters--ensues with the past quickly catching up to tangle the present.
Without giving too much away, the story revolves around the true story of an earl who disappears after committing murder and attempted murder (he was aiming for his wife, mistook the nanny for her, then didn't have time to finish off his original target). Decades later he shows up at the shrink's office. Except she already has another patient claiming to be him! A fine web of deception--made possible by numerous aiders and abetters--ensues with the past quickly catching up to tangle the present.
June 30, 2018
An amusing idea that never becomes a novel.
Muriel's dizzy POV on the real-life murder of a nanny by UKs Lord Lucan, who intended to kill his wife. Spark backs herself into a corner and doesn't know how to get out. The result is some Waughish cannibalism. It serves Lucan (or his double) right for having a Good Time. The missing Lucan has now been declared dead, btw. So is this novella.
Muriel's dizzy POV on the real-life murder of a nanny by UKs Lord Lucan, who intended to kill his wife. Spark backs herself into a corner and doesn't know how to get out. The result is some Waughish cannibalism. It serves Lucan (or his double) right for having a Good Time. The missing Lucan has now been declared dead, btw. So is this novella.
March 2, 2023
An amusing satirical look at what might have happened to the nanny killer Lord Lucan. This novella also has Lucan with his identical partner seeing a fraudulent psychiatrist in Paris. The psychiatrist Hildegard is hiding from German police where she was a con woman who pretended she had stigmata to get money from religious people. Lucan and his associate Walker try to blackmail her.
SPOILERS AHEAD
I particularly liked the ending in Africa where Lucan is mistakenly clubbed to death and eaten by a Chief’s children so they will be little Earl’s. Walker survives. I had forgotten about Lord Lucan and his murder of his nanny and attempted murder of his wife. Many thought he was aided and abetted by his friends to escape while many thought he committed suicide. I guess we will never know.
SPOILERS AHEAD
I particularly liked the ending in Africa where Lucan is mistakenly clubbed to death and eaten by a Chief’s children so they will be little Earl’s. Walker survives. I had forgotten about Lord Lucan and his murder of his nanny and attempted murder of his wife. Many thought he was aided and abetted by his friends to escape while many thought he committed suicide. I guess we will never know.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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March 25, 20215/10
Rather meh-ish for Spark. I'm surprised at its "nothingness".
I picked this up for 10 cents (a hardcover no less!) at a hospital book room, ages ago. That "second hand bookshop" is, by far, the best bookshop in the county and I always find rare gems, for about $1. It proves they knew what they were doing when they stuck a dime tag on this one.
If you're looking for some spark, I suggest you pass right by this one.
Rather meh-ish for Spark. I'm surprised at its "nothingness".
I picked this up for 10 cents (a hardcover no less!) at a hospital book room, ages ago. That "second hand bookshop" is, by far, the best bookshop in the county and I always find rare gems, for about $1. It proves they knew what they were doing when they stuck a dime tag on this one.
If you're looking for some spark, I suggest you pass right by this one.
January 1, 2025
The real life mystery on which Muriel Spark based this book is a tantalizing one: on November 7, 1974, Lord Lucan bludgeoned his children's nanny to death, attacked his wife, and then vanished without a trace, never to be seen again—claimed to be seen all over the world, but never to be apprehended and brought to justice.
Nobody will claim this to be Spark's best, but it isn't her worst either—except for that ending. Kanzia (fictional)—cannibalism—not a fan. Not in Waugh, who used the device in Black Mischief in the 1930s, and not in Spark—who published this in 2000. For all the emphasis on changing times (down with classism! she roars), the ending does the book no favors. Not saying that cannibalism is/was never a thing, but when white people talk about it in reference to nonwhite groups of people, it usually has racist undertones.
Aiding and Abetting is one of Spark's later novels and this ultimately means one thing: a story told with broad strokes, where characters are manoeuvred like pieces on a chessboard. I'll never think of blood money the same again. What else should a woman of imagination do with her menstrual blood? Only in a Spark novel. Fun fact (which Spark does not mention): Lord Lucan was invited to screen test for the role of James Bond (and just so happened to drive an Aston Martin).
Nobody will claim this to be Spark's best, but it isn't her worst either—except for that ending. Kanzia (fictional)—cannibalism—not a fan. Not in Waugh, who used the device in Black Mischief in the 1930s, and not in Spark—who published this in 2000. For all the emphasis on changing times (down with classism! she roars), the ending does the book no favors. Not saying that cannibalism is/was never a thing, but when white people talk about it in reference to nonwhite groups of people, it usually has racist undertones.
Aiding and Abetting is one of Spark's later novels and this ultimately means one thing: a story told with broad strokes, where characters are manoeuvred like pieces on a chessboard. I'll never think of blood money the same again. What else should a woman of imagination do with her menstrual blood? Only in a Spark novel. Fun fact (which Spark does not mention): Lord Lucan was invited to screen test for the role of James Bond (and just so happened to drive an Aston Martin).
May 29, 2019
I picked this up on a whim, because I glimpsed the blurb about Lord Lucan and thought it could be cleverly written, but after finishing it I now feel that maybe my time with Muriel Spark is drawing to a close. I have already got 'A Far cry from Kensington' on my TBR list and I'm really not sure if I can put myself through another of her books. ' Memento Mori' was disappointing, and 'The Ballad of Peckham Rye' was dire.
'Aiding and Abetting' follows a psychiatrist named Hildegard who is treating two men - both say they are the missing Lord Lucan. Before long she realises that her own past is known to the men, a past she desperately wants to keep quiet, and that if she goes to the police with information about them, then they will expose her with great enjoyment. She then disappears.
The beginning part of the book is good, and I liked the concept of the story and the build-up, but then with all Spark's books that I have read, the plot disappears and there is just incoherent babbling going on page after page that I can't understand. I was more than once tempted to DNF the book, but forced myself to finish because I'm trying so hard to have faith in MS. I think it would take something great to make me pick up another of her books, she's just not for me (sorry!)
'Aiding and Abetting' follows a psychiatrist named Hildegard who is treating two men - both say they are the missing Lord Lucan. Before long she realises that her own past is known to the men, a past she desperately wants to keep quiet, and that if she goes to the police with information about them, then they will expose her with great enjoyment. She then disappears.
The beginning part of the book is good, and I liked the concept of the story and the build-up, but then with all Spark's books that I have read, the plot disappears and there is just incoherent babbling going on page after page that I can't understand. I was more than once tempted to DNF the book, but forced myself to finish because I'm trying so hard to have faith in MS. I think it would take something great to make me pick up another of her books, she's just not for me (sorry!)
October 29, 2018
Read as part of Spark's Satire
This book takes the well known mystery of the disappearance of Lord Lucan as a starting point, imagining how he might have ended up and contrasting his story with that of his psychologist, whose past also involves secrets - she made money by faking stigmata, the double he hires to help cover his tracks and various pursuers. Once again there are farcical elements, and perversely given that this is much newer than the other books in the Spark's Satire collection, her caricature of Africa seems the most dated thing in any of them. Still an enjoyable read.
This book takes the well known mystery of the disappearance of Lord Lucan as a starting point, imagining how he might have ended up and contrasting his story with that of his psychologist, whose past also involves secrets - she made money by faking stigmata, the double he hires to help cover his tracks and various pursuers. Once again there are farcical elements, and perversely given that this is much newer than the other books in the Spark's Satire collection, her caricature of Africa seems the most dated thing in any of them. Still an enjoyable read.
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May 29, 2019Muriel Spark's second last book. I didn't find it memorable in any way.
April 25, 2024
Another impulse purchase from a second-hand bookshop, I'll have to do this more often.
This is an incredibly imaginative story about the disappearance of Lord Lucan, and how two 'versions' of him go to seek help from the psychiatrist Dr Hildegaard Wolf in Paris.
However, these Lord Lucans have done their homework and know that Dr Wolf has a past too, she is also on the run from the police.
An associate of Lord Lucan and the daughter of one of his friends team up to try and find him and interview him for a book. They almost catch up with him, but ultimately they're insufficiently motivated to take the final step and confront him with his own identity.
The ending stretches credulity and ensures Lord Lucan will never be found.
Read the book to find out what I mean.
Recommended.
This is an incredibly imaginative story about the disappearance of Lord Lucan, and how two 'versions' of him go to seek help from the psychiatrist Dr Hildegaard Wolf in Paris.
However, these Lord Lucans have done their homework and know that Dr Wolf has a past too, she is also on the run from the police.
An associate of Lord Lucan and the daughter of one of his friends team up to try and find him and interview him for a book. They almost catch up with him, but ultimately they're insufficiently motivated to take the final step and confront him with his own identity.
The ending stretches credulity and ensures Lord Lucan will never be found.
Read the book to find out what I mean.
Recommended.
November 15, 2020
And so I come to the last of Muriel Spark's 22 novellas, each available in all of Scotland's libraries. 'Aiding and Abetting' is Spark's witty theory about Lord Lucan's disappearance. It satirises snobbery and hypocrisy, while setting up a macabre ending for Lucan that has the feeling of poetic justice. She published it in 2000, at the age of 82. The narrative largely centres upon a successful psychiatrist who has two patients, both claiming to be Lord Lucan. Another novelist would have made the central tension in the plot which of them actually is Lucan; Spark is far too subtle for that. The comical near misses in the search for Lucan are farcical, while the recurring motif of blood reminds the reader of how serious his crimes were:
Hildegard makes an excellent counterpart and quasi-adversary to the two potential Lucans. She is a truly self-made woman, with none of his inherited privilege. Her psychiatric trick is talking about herself until the patient feels compelled to reveal their secrets in order to get a word in edgeways. This proves highly successful. I particularly enjoyed this example of her method:
Hildegard's boyfriend Jean-Pierre shares her calm demeanour and shows himself a suitable paramour in his responses to various dubious characters visiting his workshop. The two final chapters wrap Lucan and Hildegard's stories up magnificently. 'Aiding and Abetting' is among the Spark novellas I've enjoyed most, as it fictionalises a deeply unpleasant murderer in an engagingly witty way without trivialising. As ever with Spark, not a word is wasted. A fitting conclusion to my journey through her novellas - although I still have her non-fiction, short stories, and poetry to explore.
The consistency of Spark's literary voice and distinctive style over so many decades really is nothing short of extraordinary. I recommend all 22 of her novels. Reading her succinct works has often acted as a palate-cleanser and morale-enhancer between longer and more turgid books. I am not by nature a completist and read in a deliberately erratic manner, so didn't initially intend to get through all 22. I continued to seek them out for two reasons: they're highly enjoyable and very easy to find in Edinburgh's libraries. I'm a simple creature, really. If I love an author's writing and can find many examples of it at my local branch library, I'll read them. My five favourites among the 22 follow in no particular order:
Not to Disturb
Loitering with Intent
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Symposium
The Hothouse by the East River
While all of Spark's books are brilliantly written, these five had particularly memorable qualities of wit, setting, characterisation, dialogue, and existential weirdness.
As Hildegard knew from her own experience as a stigmatic fraud, blood, once let loose, gets all over the place. It sticks, it flows, it garishly advertises itself or accumulates in dark thick puddles. Once it gets going, there is no stopping blood.
Hildegard makes an excellent counterpart and quasi-adversary to the two potential Lucans. She is a truly self-made woman, with none of his inherited privilege. Her psychiatric trick is talking about herself until the patient feels compelled to reveal their secrets in order to get a word in edgeways. This proves highly successful. I particularly enjoyed this example of her method:
"I've had a rough time. I've been on the run. Let me explain-"
"When I've had my sandwich." Hildegard kept silent till the girl arrived bearing a tray. She started to eat. Between mouthfuls she spoke on, but every time she took a bite he tried to speak, too. It was quite a battle, and Hildegard won it. "Sandwiches," she said, "like diamonds, are for ever. Children love them. They are the most useful, yet often the most despised of foods." She was carried away by fantasy. "My fondest memories of childhood are connected with sandwiches. At children's parties-"
Hildegard's boyfriend Jean-Pierre shares her calm demeanour and shows himself a suitable paramour in his responses to various dubious characters visiting his workshop. The two final chapters wrap Lucan and Hildegard's stories up magnificently. 'Aiding and Abetting' is among the Spark novellas I've enjoyed most, as it fictionalises a deeply unpleasant murderer in an engagingly witty way without trivialising. As ever with Spark, not a word is wasted. A fitting conclusion to my journey through her novellas - although I still have her non-fiction, short stories, and poetry to explore.
The consistency of Spark's literary voice and distinctive style over so many decades really is nothing short of extraordinary. I recommend all 22 of her novels. Reading her succinct works has often acted as a palate-cleanser and morale-enhancer between longer and more turgid books. I am not by nature a completist and read in a deliberately erratic manner, so didn't initially intend to get through all 22. I continued to seek them out for two reasons: they're highly enjoyable and very easy to find in Edinburgh's libraries. I'm a simple creature, really. If I love an author's writing and can find many examples of it at my local branch library, I'll read them. My five favourites among the 22 follow in no particular order:
Not to Disturb
Loitering with Intent
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Symposium
The Hothouse by the East River
While all of Spark's books are brilliantly written, these five had particularly memorable qualities of wit, setting, characterisation, dialogue, and existential weirdness.
December 15, 2018
Deeply odd. Though it's quick-paced and grappling with some fascinating topics, none of the characters behave like real people. Then toward the end there's an abrupt left turn featuring a fictional African country that practices cannibalism. I found it, if not outright racist, deeply uncomfortable. A bizarre little book.
June 19, 2024
Questa volta Muriel Spark innesta la sua narrazione partendo da un fatto realmente accaduto: l’omicidio e il tentato omicidio commesso dal settimo conte di Lucan, negli anni Settanta, in Inghilterra. L’uomo, bagnato del sangue della sua governante, riesce sin da subito a darsi alla macchia, aiutato da amici e conoscenti, che ne foraggiano la fuga e si trincerano dietro un omertoso silenzio.
Pur riconoscendo la veridicità dei fatti che danno il via alla narrazione, Muriel Spark aggiunge alla realtà effettiva la propria salace inventiva per immaginare cosa sia successo davvero al conte di Lucan, cosa voglia dire per un uomo snob e intransigente come lui fuggire costantemente, dipendere esclusivamente dalla beneficenza di vecchi amici che, ormai, l’hanno quasi dimenticato.
Il gioco di Spark, dunque, si concentra su cosa sia davvero l’identità, su quali espedienti si possano adottare per sfuggire a sé stessi e alla giustizia. Cosa spinge davvero le persone ad abbracciare il male, a uccidere, minacciare o truffare il prossimo? I soldi, la follia, il desiderio perverso di rischiare il tutto per tutto, di credere in un destino cieco e inafferrabile che ci rende solo strumenti nelle sue mani diaboliche?
Continua a leggere qui: https://parlaredilibri.wordpress.com/...
Pur riconoscendo la veridicità dei fatti che danno il via alla narrazione, Muriel Spark aggiunge alla realtà effettiva la propria salace inventiva per immaginare cosa sia successo davvero al conte di Lucan, cosa voglia dire per un uomo snob e intransigente come lui fuggire costantemente, dipendere esclusivamente dalla beneficenza di vecchi amici che, ormai, l’hanno quasi dimenticato.
Il gioco di Spark, dunque, si concentra su cosa sia davvero l’identità, su quali espedienti si possano adottare per sfuggire a sé stessi e alla giustizia. Cosa spinge davvero le persone ad abbracciare il male, a uccidere, minacciare o truffare il prossimo? I soldi, la follia, il desiderio perverso di rischiare il tutto per tutto, di credere in un destino cieco e inafferrabile che ci rende solo strumenti nelle sue mani diaboliche?
Continua a leggere qui: https://parlaredilibri.wordpress.com/...
November 28, 2023
Romanzo che trae spunto da un fatto di cronaca, su cui Spark costruisce un canovaccio non all'altezza della sua scrittura ironica. Sicuramente spiazzante, a suo modo originale, ma ripetitivo e alla fine mi ha lasciato perplessa, quasi annoiata.
October 7, 2018
An unsatisfactory, slight and somewhat silly take on the Lord Lucan case.
No one is quite what they seem in this book. Therapist Dr Hildegard Wolf, was once a fake stigmatic, who now charges her clients $1,500 for a 45 minute session during which she mainly talks about herself. She is now treating not one but two patients who both claim to be Lord Lucan.
The Lucan part of the story focuses on the aiders and abetters. What were the motives of those who were motivated to keep him from justice?
It's a quick easy read but not one I especially enjoyed. The implausible denouement is ridiculous.
I like Muriel Spark but Aiding And Abetting did not capture my imagination and I was glad to be finished with it.
2/5
No one is quite what they seem in this book. Therapist Dr Hildegard Wolf, was once a fake stigmatic, who now charges her clients $1,500 for a 45 minute session during which she mainly talks about herself. She is now treating not one but two patients who both claim to be Lord Lucan.
The Lucan part of the story focuses on the aiders and abetters. What were the motives of those who were motivated to keep him from justice?
It's a quick easy read but not one I especially enjoyed. The implausible denouement is ridiculous.
I like Muriel Spark but Aiding And Abetting did not capture my imagination and I was glad to be finished with it.
2/5
August 8, 2024
This novel may not be Muriel Spark at her early best but she is a writer of such incomparable power and style that I can't give it less than five stars - anything else would be impertinent. In any case if you have read and love Ms. Spark's work no review will stop you reading this novel. If this is the first book of hers you are reading please be sure, whatever your response to this book is, to go back and her early works.
March 11, 2020
Disappointing after Heather Rose’s ‘The Butterfly Man’ (also about Lord Lucan’s afterlife) - lovely writing, full of wit and innuendo, but somehow hollow and glib overall, apart from a quirky and unexpected ending.
December 7, 2012
Delightfully wicked humor: classic Spark. Fictional literary treatment of two legendary criminals, a fraud and a murderer, who really existed and somehow disappeared.
August 29, 2011
I'm planning a trip to Scotland in the not-so-distant future and so I thought it would be a good time to familiarize myself with the work of Muriel Spark. I gather from the little I've read about Ms. Spark thus far that Aiding and Abetting is not one of her more “important” works, but as a slim volume of truly imaginative, satirical, and irreverent fun, I think it really holds up. For a work of less than 200 pages, there's just an incredible amount of plot—three equally creative and crazily spiraling plot lines all together—but somehow she makes it work. There are books in which “nothing happens” and yet everything happens. This, I would say, is a book that demonstrates the opposite principal. There's a lot going on, and yet, very little has come to anything at the end of the novel.
Aiding and Abetting takes a historically factual murder case as its (loose) premise. In 1974, the 7th Earl of Lucan (nicknamed Lucky), an inveterate and generally unsuccessful gambler, decided to murder his wife. Instead, he accidentally murdered his children's nanny and only injured his wife. He went into hiding the same night, and was never found by the police. It's generally assumed that he was able to evade capture because he had the help of a network of other titled friends in England, who for various reasons, elected to help him escape rather than turn him in for his crime.
From here, Spark “absorbed creatively” and “metamorphosed” Lord Lucan's story, blending it with a parallel tale of Hildegard Wolf, a famed German psychiatrist whose unorthodox method of spending most of her clients' very expensive sessions talking about herself has gained her a high level of prestige in Paris, where she now lives. Dr. Wolf has a secret of her own, however: as an impoverished student in Germany, she infamously defrauded faithful Catholics all over Europe by posing as a stigmatic. When she was exposed, Dr. Wolf (then “Blessed Beate Pappenheim, the Stigmatic of Munich”), escaped the country, went into hiding, and completely reinvented herself as a successful, but actually uncertified psychiatrist.
The story begins as Dr. Wolf is introduced to not one, but two, Lord Lucans, both of whom want to employ her as their psychiatrist, and both of whom attempt to blackmail her on the basis of her background as a false saint. Spark adds one last thread to the increasingly complicated—but not difficult to follow—plot: the daughter of one of Lucan's former friends and one of his former gambling partners are both engaged in an impromptu manhunt for Lucan, who they are certain is still alive.
I gobbled the story down easily over the course of a rainy weekend (the would-be hurricane Irene); the novel is broken down into 19, short, segmented chapters which each follow one or two of the running storylines. It's made for fast reading. And while the psychology employed throughout the book is not particularly deep or convincing, there is a delightful, whimsical absurdity that forgives any false analysis that Spark might throw in. It's all very much kept at the level of farce. Consider the reaction of Jean-Pierre, Hildegard's companion of five years, when she finally reveals her past to him: “Why...did you not tell me before about your exciting early life as a stigmatic?”
The novel is not without more complex themes, of course. Overall, it could be argued to be a book about self-created myths, about the false personas that everyone creates to hide either their real selves, or the selves they no longer choose to be. We are who we choose to say we are; we are the product of the stories we tell about ourselves. And there's always some truth in those stories. Hildegard, for instance, continues to insist—even while on the run, fearing exposure from her blackmailers—that “I caused miracles. I really did cure some people. Strangely enough I did.” The story that she told about herself—that she was a blessed stigmatic—may have been untrue, but it was real enough to feel like a genuine miracle to the people who believed in her.
The one element of the novel that I felt a bit ill at ease with was the final sequence {SPOILER WARNING} wherein one of Hildegard's patients, a grandson of a chief in central Africa, arranges for both Lucans to be invited to Africa (therefore out of Hildegard's hair), only for one of the men to be eaten by cannibals.
Now, don't get me wrong: I think the level of absurdity in this crazy ending is just pitch perfect, and on a narrative level, I'm actually all for the cannibals. Unfortunately, for a book published in 2001 and set in the 1990s, this turn of plot (and the various scenes of dialog leading up to it) has a rather anachronistic, Olde Worlde colonialism about it. The chief is referred to as “a wily fellow” who later decides that his grandsons “would benefit by consuming an earl.” In the best case scenario, this seems a reductive portrait of an African chief; in the worse, it's simply ethnocentric and racist. It doesn't help that a Mexican character earlier in the book is referred to as a “sage brown fellow.” It's possible in both cases that Spark is affecting the prejudices of her emphatically stupid and dull Lord, but I'm not sure these scenes can be attributed to character flaws—it's a little too implicit in the narrative itself.
For sheer imagination, flowing plot, and a dark sense of humor, though, the book is rather stellar. I look forward to reading more of Spark's work in the future.
Aiding and Abetting takes a historically factual murder case as its (loose) premise. In 1974, the 7th Earl of Lucan (nicknamed Lucky), an inveterate and generally unsuccessful gambler, decided to murder his wife. Instead, he accidentally murdered his children's nanny and only injured his wife. He went into hiding the same night, and was never found by the police. It's generally assumed that he was able to evade capture because he had the help of a network of other titled friends in England, who for various reasons, elected to help him escape rather than turn him in for his crime.
From here, Spark “absorbed creatively” and “metamorphosed” Lord Lucan's story, blending it with a parallel tale of Hildegard Wolf, a famed German psychiatrist whose unorthodox method of spending most of her clients' very expensive sessions talking about herself has gained her a high level of prestige in Paris, where she now lives. Dr. Wolf has a secret of her own, however: as an impoverished student in Germany, she infamously defrauded faithful Catholics all over Europe by posing as a stigmatic. When she was exposed, Dr. Wolf (then “Blessed Beate Pappenheim, the Stigmatic of Munich”), escaped the country, went into hiding, and completely reinvented herself as a successful, but actually uncertified psychiatrist.
The story begins as Dr. Wolf is introduced to not one, but two, Lord Lucans, both of whom want to employ her as their psychiatrist, and both of whom attempt to blackmail her on the basis of her background as a false saint. Spark adds one last thread to the increasingly complicated—but not difficult to follow—plot: the daughter of one of Lucan's former friends and one of his former gambling partners are both engaged in an impromptu manhunt for Lucan, who they are certain is still alive.
I gobbled the story down easily over the course of a rainy weekend (the would-be hurricane Irene); the novel is broken down into 19, short, segmented chapters which each follow one or two of the running storylines. It's made for fast reading. And while the psychology employed throughout the book is not particularly deep or convincing, there is a delightful, whimsical absurdity that forgives any false analysis that Spark might throw in. It's all very much kept at the level of farce. Consider the reaction of Jean-Pierre, Hildegard's companion of five years, when she finally reveals her past to him: “Why...did you not tell me before about your exciting early life as a stigmatic?”
The novel is not without more complex themes, of course. Overall, it could be argued to be a book about self-created myths, about the false personas that everyone creates to hide either their real selves, or the selves they no longer choose to be. We are who we choose to say we are; we are the product of the stories we tell about ourselves. And there's always some truth in those stories. Hildegard, for instance, continues to insist—even while on the run, fearing exposure from her blackmailers—that “I caused miracles. I really did cure some people. Strangely enough I did.” The story that she told about herself—that she was a blessed stigmatic—may have been untrue, but it was real enough to feel like a genuine miracle to the people who believed in her.
The one element of the novel that I felt a bit ill at ease with was the final sequence {SPOILER WARNING} wherein one of Hildegard's patients, a grandson of a chief in central Africa, arranges for both Lucans to be invited to Africa (therefore out of Hildegard's hair), only for one of the men to be eaten by cannibals.
Now, don't get me wrong: I think the level of absurdity in this crazy ending is just pitch perfect, and on a narrative level, I'm actually all for the cannibals. Unfortunately, for a book published in 2001 and set in the 1990s, this turn of plot (and the various scenes of dialog leading up to it) has a rather anachronistic, Olde Worlde colonialism about it. The chief is referred to as “a wily fellow” who later decides that his grandsons “would benefit by consuming an earl.” In the best case scenario, this seems a reductive portrait of an African chief; in the worse, it's simply ethnocentric and racist. It doesn't help that a Mexican character earlier in the book is referred to as a “sage brown fellow.” It's possible in both cases that Spark is affecting the prejudices of her emphatically stupid and dull Lord, but I'm not sure these scenes can be attributed to character flaws—it's a little too implicit in the narrative itself.
For sheer imagination, flowing plot, and a dark sense of humor, though, the book is rather stellar. I look forward to reading more of Spark's work in the future.
October 22, 2018
Muriel Spark based this novel on the real-life disappearance of Lord Lucan in 1974. Following the murder of their nanny, and an assault on his estranged wife, Lucan disappeared. Many 'sightings' followed over the years, but none of these could be verified. Much of the reporting at the time centred on Lucan's wealthy friends, the 'Aiders and Abetters', who were believed to have helped him escape and supported him in his exile.
In this novel, Lucan appears in Paris at the office of a psychiatrist, Dr Hildegard Wolf. However, she is already treating a client who claims to be Lucan and who has been travelling around the world collecting money from the Aiders and Abetters. Dr Wolf, who is herself working under a false identity, decides to investigate.
This is a deceptively slight novel, which raises questions of identity and appearances and class. Spark's attacks on the practice of psychiatry and on the presumptions of the aristocracy are witty and perceptive, but the most interesting aspect for me was the examination of how time alters our perception of people and events. It is quite a dark book, as Spark's books often are, with some uncomfortable observations about human nature hiding beneath the comedic situations.
Intelligent, amusing and thought provoking, written with elegance and charm, this was an enjoyable novel. I didn't enjoy it as much as Memento Mori or A far cry from Kensington, but it was still engaging.
In this novel, Lucan appears in Paris at the office of a psychiatrist, Dr Hildegard Wolf. However, she is already treating a client who claims to be Lucan and who has been travelling around the world collecting money from the Aiders and Abetters. Dr Wolf, who is herself working under a false identity, decides to investigate.
This is a deceptively slight novel, which raises questions of identity and appearances and class. Spark's attacks on the practice of psychiatry and on the presumptions of the aristocracy are witty and perceptive, but the most interesting aspect for me was the examination of how time alters our perception of people and events. It is quite a dark book, as Spark's books often are, with some uncomfortable observations about human nature hiding beneath the comedic situations.
Intelligent, amusing and thought provoking, written with elegance and charm, this was an enjoyable novel. I didn't enjoy it as much as Memento Mori or A far cry from Kensington, but it was still engaging.
September 20, 2024
Сподобалось набагато більше, ніж очікувала, бо відгуки на цю книжку такі собі))
Доволі оригінальна історія втечі-переслідування-злочину-шахрайства.
Такий собі вайб "впіймай мене, якщо зможеш" 🏃
Але якщо хочете прочитати, то раджу лише англ, бо укр переклад жахливий (з мюзюк холами та капелюхами пігулками, ага), редагування взагалі відсутнє - від опечаток немає живого місця в цьому тексті (героїня Лейсі в наступному абзаці стає Кейсі, а чому б ні 😐).
Для розворушення клітин мозку - те, що треба!
Доволі оригінальна історія втечі-переслідування-злочину-шахрайства.
Такий собі вайб "впіймай мене, якщо зможеш" 🏃
Але якщо хочете прочитати, то раджу лише англ, бо укр переклад жахливий (з мюзюк холами та капелюхами пігулками, ага), редагування взагалі відсутнє - від опечаток немає живого місця в цьому тексті (героїня Лейсі в наступному абзаці стає Кейсі, а чому б ні 😐).
Для розворушення клітин мозку - те, що треба!
January 18, 2021
I never really got the point of this. It's clever and sharp and sometimes quite funny, but in service of what? Lord Lucan and doppelgangers and identity and stigmata and blood and coincidence and class and some weird crap about Africa at the end and psychotherapy and...and what?
January 2, 2013
If I had reviewed this book right away, I probably would have given it four stars. It was concise, well written novel with a fascinating premise. Spark took two late-twentieth century legends -- the scandal surrounding the disappearance of Lord Lucan after he murdered his children's nanny and attempted to murder his wife; and a fake stigmata -- and wove them together in a bizarre dark comedy mystery novel, set 25 years after Lucan's disappearance. It lost a star because it proved to be surprisingly forgettable. I read it a month ago and had I not left it out to remind myself to review it, I likely never would have thought about it again.
And perhaps that is OK. Perhaps it did what it set out to do. It tackled a famous and scandalous unsolved mysteries, took a few well aimed shots at the British aristocracy in the process, was well plotted, a bit ludicrous and droll, and added in the bizarre history of her Hildegard Wolf in the process. The concept is simple and unravels creatively but without self-aggrandizement, which I appreciated. So many dark comedies seem desperate for readers to recognize how clever the author is, and Spark did not do that. She just told her story: of Wolf, a famous psychiatrist, who is suddenly faced with two patients, each claiming to be Lord Lucan. The mystery is which is the real Lord Lucan; and then a secondary twist comes when it turns out that Wolf is not who she claims to be, either. She was in hiding after being discovered as a fraudulent stigmata in her college years. The novel tackles the complexities of identity, morality in shades of gray, what can be forgiven of those we decide to protect--and it does so with deft words and no look-at-me writing; and with no lecturing. It is fanciful and outrageous and then the story is over and Spark goes home without any fanfare; good for her. The ending itself would be pitch perfect, if somewhat predictable, if not for a nasty smell of racism. Its comedy is based on some antiquated notion of Africa as the "Dark Continent," and it really left a sour taste in my mouth at the end of a book that had been, until then, a fast and enjoyable read. Spark could have come up with an ending that achieved the same result without being weirdly racist, and I wish she had done that.
So--it probably is a solid 3.5. Go into it knowing it is enjoyable but not life-changing, and it hopefully will be worth the read, particularly because it is a quick one.
And perhaps that is OK. Perhaps it did what it set out to do. It tackled a famous and scandalous unsolved mysteries, took a few well aimed shots at the British aristocracy in the process, was well plotted, a bit ludicrous and droll, and added in the bizarre history of her Hildegard Wolf in the process. The concept is simple and unravels creatively but without self-aggrandizement, which I appreciated. So many dark comedies seem desperate for readers to recognize how clever the author is, and Spark did not do that. She just told her story: of Wolf, a famous psychiatrist, who is suddenly faced with two patients, each claiming to be Lord Lucan. The mystery is which is the real Lord Lucan; and then a secondary twist comes when it turns out that Wolf is not who she claims to be, either. She was in hiding after being discovered as a fraudulent stigmata in her college years. The novel tackles the complexities of identity, morality in shades of gray, what can be forgiven of those we decide to protect--and it does so with deft words and no look-at-me writing; and with no lecturing. It is fanciful and outrageous and then the story is over and Spark goes home without any fanfare; good for her. The ending itself would be pitch perfect, if somewhat predictable, if not for a nasty smell of racism. Its comedy is based on some antiquated notion of Africa as the "Dark Continent," and it really left a sour taste in my mouth at the end of a book that had been, until then, a fast and enjoyable read. Spark could have come up with an ending that achieved the same result without being weirdly racist, and I wish she had done that.
So--it probably is a solid 3.5. Go into it knowing it is enjoyable but not life-changing, and it hopefully will be worth the read, particularly because it is a quick one.
April 10, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and even though some of the main characters were quite unpleasant I became pretty fond of them whilst reading.
I haven't considered reading any Muriel Spark novels before (I saw my sister had read this and thought it sounded good),but I'll certainly be looking at more of her oeuvre.
I haven't considered reading any Muriel Spark novels before (I saw my sister had read this and thought it sounded good),but I'll certainly be looking at more of her oeuvre.
December 15, 2020
Lo único que sentí con este libro fue decepción. Muriel Spark es una autora que me gusta y me interesa, pero en "Los encubridores" no encontré nada brillante, ni siquiera el humor.
Lord Lucan es un aristócrata inglés que en 1974 mató a la niñera de sus hijos y atacó a su esposa. Su fugó y nadie volvió a saber de él. Años más tarde, una psiquiatra llamada Hildegard recibe a 2 pacientes que se identifican como Lord Lucan ¿Quién está mintiendo?
Basándose en un hecho real, Spark ficcionalizó y moldeó los personajes para crear una historia donde hay un poco de intriga, porque después nos damos cuenta de que todos guardan secretos. Sin embargo, se revelan rápido y sin ningún efecto sorpresa. Hay un ir y venir de historias sobre otros aristócratas que cubren a Lucan, pero los personajes importantes son los que mencioné. Usan el ingenio para despistar, confundir y estafar, en un débil intento de sostener la trama. Los personajes parecen de cartón y hablan como si estuvieran previamente guionados (no sé cómo es posible, pero sentí eso).
Spark es una autora que tiende al humor y a la ironía, pero no sé qué quiso hacer acá. Es una lectura olvidable, insustancial y sólo rescato que está escrito decentemente. Espero que la próxima novela que lea de esta autora no me haga abandonarla.
Lord Lucan es un aristócrata inglés que en 1974 mató a la niñera de sus hijos y atacó a su esposa. Su fugó y nadie volvió a saber de él. Años más tarde, una psiquiatra llamada Hildegard recibe a 2 pacientes que se identifican como Lord Lucan ¿Quién está mintiendo?
Basándose en un hecho real, Spark ficcionalizó y moldeó los personajes para crear una historia donde hay un poco de intriga, porque después nos damos cuenta de que todos guardan secretos. Sin embargo, se revelan rápido y sin ningún efecto sorpresa. Hay un ir y venir de historias sobre otros aristócratas que cubren a Lucan, pero los personajes importantes son los que mencioné. Usan el ingenio para despistar, confundir y estafar, en un débil intento de sostener la trama. Los personajes parecen de cartón y hablan como si estuvieran previamente guionados (no sé cómo es posible, pero sentí eso).
Spark es una autora que tiende al humor y a la ironía, pero no sé qué quiso hacer acá. Es una lectura olvidable, insustancial y sólo rescato que está escrito decentemente. Espero que la próxima novela que lea de esta autora no me haga abandonarla.
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