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Where the Rivers Meet
The first volume of a projected trilogy set in between-the-wars Oxford.
- GenresFiction
564 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 21, 2013
I have a lifelong fascination with Oxford and I am always on the look out for books about its history and architecture, as well as novels set there. The spires, turrets and domes on the skyline, Town and Gown, Christ Church Meadow, New College Lane, I love all that, and I have been meaning to dip into Wain's rivers for a while now. I recently read Gaudy Night and this left me needing more.
Published in the 1980's and set in the early 1930's, this is a very nostalgic book, a Bildungsroman about a student who comes to an Oxford college (Episcopus, meant to be St John's, if I am not mistaken) from a working-class background. The interesting thing is that this chap, Peter, is actually from Oxford, as his parents keep a pub in nearby Oseney.
The novel focuses on his academic and sentimental life, peppered by conflicted loyalties and a troubled sense of belonging -or not belonging- to the different environments he lives in. At university, he cannot fit in -nor is he expected to, really- with the public school types, and sometimes his work is not up to standard because of his sexual frustration. At home, his parents and his brother do not understand his passion for books and history, and it is nice to see him develop a rich appreciation of their lives and their work, as he grows older.
His love life is centered around two girls, Vinnie and Heather. Vinnie is a shop girl who initiates him into sex; with Heather he keeps a steady relationship over years with plenty of sexual encounters that keep him focused on his studies. I found this aspect of the novel a bit obscure, but maybe it is based on autobiographical elements. Peter's attitude to women and sex feels a bit dated these days. Although both his mum and Heather protest that they are not part of the furniture (the kitchen's and the bedroom's, respectively), and the feminist cause has been out there for a while, Peter seems to see women mainly as sexual partners and although devoted, he doesn't seem all that romantic to me, and the question of marriage with Heather is only brought into the open by her, or by predictable circumstances. In the days before the pills and safe contraceptive methods, I think Oxford in a way is not entirely mistaken in encouraging its students to remain celibate. Maybe not so much "celibate": indirectly, it is warning them not to get girls pregnant, as babies have to be catered for and this may have negative consequences in the development of your career in your early adulthood. Is that so unreasonable?
As in Gaudy Night, the novel is full of beautiful realistic descriptions of the Oxford streets and colleges, as well as the surrounding countryside. The book, like I said, is nostalgic, and the narrator often compares Peter's world with today's (that is to say, the 1980's). All the specific details about Peter's life as a student, his essays, his tutors, his rooms, his exams, are hugely interesting, and although many things remain the same, his grants and scholarships are sadly gone in these days of tuition fees and student loans. Being involved in HE, this grieves me, because I had similar opportunities, and my children, and this current generation, will never have them.
Published in the 1980's and set in the early 1930's, this is a very nostalgic book, a Bildungsroman about a student who comes to an Oxford college (Episcopus, meant to be St John's, if I am not mistaken) from a working-class background. The interesting thing is that this chap, Peter, is actually from Oxford, as his parents keep a pub in nearby Oseney.
The novel focuses on his academic and sentimental life, peppered by conflicted loyalties and a troubled sense of belonging -or not belonging- to the different environments he lives in. At university, he cannot fit in -nor is he expected to, really- with the public school types, and sometimes his work is not up to standard because of his sexual frustration. At home, his parents and his brother do not understand his passion for books and history, and it is nice to see him develop a rich appreciation of their lives and their work, as he grows older.
His love life is centered around two girls, Vinnie and Heather. Vinnie is a shop girl who initiates him into sex; with Heather he keeps a steady relationship over years with plenty of sexual encounters that keep him focused on his studies. I found this aspect of the novel a bit obscure, but maybe it is based on autobiographical elements. Peter's attitude to women and sex feels a bit dated these days. Although both his mum and Heather protest that they are not part of the furniture (the kitchen's and the bedroom's, respectively), and the feminist cause has been out there for a while, Peter seems to see women mainly as sexual partners and although devoted, he doesn't seem all that romantic to me, and the question of marriage with Heather is only brought into the open by her, or by predictable circumstances. In the days before the pills and safe contraceptive methods, I think Oxford in a way is not entirely mistaken in encouraging its students to remain celibate. Maybe not so much "celibate": indirectly, it is warning them not to get girls pregnant, as babies have to be catered for and this may have negative consequences in the development of your career in your early adulthood. Is that so unreasonable?
As in Gaudy Night, the novel is full of beautiful realistic descriptions of the Oxford streets and colleges, as well as the surrounding countryside. The book, like I said, is nostalgic, and the narrator often compares Peter's world with today's (that is to say, the 1980's). All the specific details about Peter's life as a student, his essays, his tutors, his rooms, his exams, are hugely interesting, and although many things remain the same, his grants and scholarships are sadly gone in these days of tuition fees and student loans. Being involved in HE, this grieves me, because I had similar opportunities, and my children, and this current generation, will never have them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2013
Good straight-forward story - no frills - just a narrative about a young man at Oxford in the 30s - full of historical detail, believable characters, and a very pleasant relaxing read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews