The High Flyer

Rating:
Summary: Excellent follow up to The Wonder Worker
Review: After the sheer and absolute brilliance of 'The Wonder Worker', Howatch had her work cut out for her, and The High Flyer is a respectable novel follow on. With any other author, this probably would have garnered a 5-star rating from me...

In The High Flyer, Howatch tells the story all from one view-point - that of Carter, a high-flying lawyer in London who has just met Kim Betz in time to keep her 'Life-Plan' on track. The only fly in the ointment seems to be Betz's ex-wife who is quite 'nutterguff.' However, despite some brittle moments where Carter saves herself from some nasty shocks in the early stages of their marriage, nothing prepares her for Kim's reaction when she announces she will eventually desire a child or 2 in accordance with her life plan.

From here on, it is vintage Susan Howatch with some deep pshycological probing and assistance for this provided by Nicholas and Lewis from the small St-Benet Church. I don't know how to tell people that you just shouldn't be put off by the underlying Church of England theme in Howatch's Church of England series - these are by far amongst the best books on the market and The High Flyer is no exception!

Rating:
Summary: Lighter fare than Howatch's usual but still fantastic
Review: Even though it is not the first book in the series, this is probably the perfect place for readers new to or uncertain about delving into Susan Howatch's Starbridge novels to start out. The story is as engrossing as any of others but more linear, and the involvement of the Starbridge characters comes about from plot circumstances, rather than supplying the main impetus of the book. I loved this book and felt Carter had a lot to say to me as a person both exploring her work interactions and uncovering her own deep rooted spirituality. I wish I'd had some of her pithy precepts guiding me when I worked in a male-dominated profession. I'm always sad to finish a Howatch book because it means returning to real life where there is very little means or time for grappling with ones own spiritual beliefs. One aspect of the story I found less convincing was Kim's occult involvements - the motivations for him to succumb were never compelling nor completely spelled out; the sexual compulsion component escaped me.

If you crave great characters, good plotting, and intense theological musings, then any of the Starbridge series will luxuriously satisfy these urges, especially this one. If you are otherwise leery of the theological aspects, then you owe it to yourself to expose yourself once to the gentle sampling in the "High Flyer," just to be sure it's an honest aversion rather than reactionary prejudice. By the way, another writer superb at combining Anglican theology and great mystery is Sara Maitland - check out her book "Ancestral Truths."

Rating:
Summary: Starts off great, but becomes the book that never ends
Review: Howatch tackles a very diffcult problem, an understanding of the depths and devestations wrought by evil people. She does so by developing a very interesting character (evil personified) and another, a young female English barrister, who bears the brunt of the evil. Involved are some of her other characters from the Church of England series, e.g., Nick Darrow, a depiction of someone who is very human but trying hard and often successfully to help people. Harsher reading than most of Howatch' works, but fascinating stuff.

Rating:
Summary: A Moderate Let-Down
Review: I agree with the reviews by Episcocrank and Diane Davis. I was enthralled with the Starbridge Series (six books) even to the point of planning to read them again one day. However, Wonder Worker was a trifle disappointing and The High Flyer more so. The latter is far too long, and all of the "counseling" sessions were too prolonged and repetitive, as was Carter's dilemma itself following Sophie's demise. I won't give this author up, though, and I'll soon begin The Heartbreaker.

Rating:
Summary: A mesmerizing story!
Review: I think that Susan Howatch is one of the most gifted of the
contemporary novelists.

In this, her current work, we're given a main character by the
name of Carter Graham who's a skilled and successful lawyer.
She's learned to be tough and work in the masculine world of
high flyers. Carter shuns her real name, Catherine and all of
the nicknames that are used by her family like Katie and Kitty.
In the shedding of her old names, Carter feels stronger and in
control of her life.

In her mid-thirties, she meets the man who appears to fulfill
her qualifications for marriage. Kim Betz is attractive, sexy,
dynamic and very successful. Carter falls in love and marries
Kim only to find out that he is haunted by his past. Kim's
life seems to be riddled with secrets. His involvement with a
psychic healer adds another twist to the story.

This is a love story wrapped up in mystery and lies. The author has combined a walk into mysticism and the occult into a fascinating tale. The mixture of characters makes this
vintage Howatch.

Rating:
Summary: Howatch mesmerizes again with The High Flier
Review: My eagerly-awaited copy of The High Flier now lies on the living room floor, tempting me to read it all over again. As usual, once I started this latest novel by Susan Howatch, I couldn't bear to put it down!

Set in 1990, this book is the latest installment in the Starbridge series and once again we see Alice, Nick Darrow, and the other denizens of the Healing Centre at St. Benet's church. This time, however, the story is told from the point of view of Ms. Carter Graham, a 35-year-old lawyer who nearly "has it all."

Carter's life is following her plan perfectly, and her most recent success is her marriage to Kim, a fellow lawyer-barracuda. Things aren't what they seem to be, though, and Carter finds herself sorely in need of the healing powers of Nick Darrow and crew.

As with all of Howatch's books, the emotional wrenching and soul-searching is so powerful that I found myself experiencing it on a personal level. Once again, the Ultimate Reality is explored and experienced, however reluctantly.

And now I know that I will be forced to wait several more years until Ms. Howatch produces another novel. My name will be on the waiting list!

Rating:
Summary: faith and mystery - perfect blend
Review: Nashville City Paper BookClub Column - May 27, 2004

I also really liked The High Flyer by Susan Howatch (Ballantine Books). Londoner Carter Graham's life comes crashing down around her and Howatch continues her tradition of resolving her characters' problems with a dose of religion.

Nashville City Paper BookClub Column - May 27, 2004

Rating:
Summary: Look out below!
Review: Susan Howatch has written one of my all-time favorite books, but this isn't it. While her exploration of the psychological and spiritual issues central to human behavior is skillful and thought provoking as usual, "The High Flyer" left me with a feeling of distaste. Maybe it was the lily-gilding of her central malevolent figure. I couldn't help thinking the insights into the nature of evil would have seemed more relevant had he not been portrayed in almost cartoonish proportions. Pick a sin, any sin, and he's committed it. Most ethical battles are fought in a gray area without the benefit of such a clearly delineated enemy.
Or maybe it was the grating repetition of cloying phrases like nutterguff, fruity-loops, tiger-thumper, fluffette, etc.
Most likely, it was the reduction of the strong female character to a quivering mass of uncertainty, an empty vessel needing to be filled with the beliefs of others - primarily men of varying degrees of sexual attractiveness - in order to find peace. Forcing her heroine to examine and reorder her priorities is one thing, but Howatch seems to condemn her basic strength and independence as well, and - for me - that just didn't fly.

Rating:
Summary: Howatch's subject matter never fails to capture my interest.
Review: This book like the Wonder Worker continues in the vein of the Church of England series, which is one my favorites. While the plot was fairly strong, the writing was not up to Ms. Howatch's usually excellent standards. The bare bones stuck out too much--I felt like I was reading an earlier draft that had not yet had the rough edges polished off. The dialogue, especially Carter's interior dialogue was clunky, repetitive and unconvincing. Many of the events seemed labored and over the top. Did her husband Kim really have to be a Nazi and involved in the occult, and in perverse sex? Themes were pushed hard instead being more quietly illustrated by the story itself. Howatch still writes a gripping spiritual thriller, but this needed more work.

Rating:
Summary: nutterguff
Review: Why do I keep reading Susan Howatch novels? Because I can't resist the positive way she depicts Christianity in general and Anglicanism in particular. Because I am enthralled with her images of a loving God and supportive, healing communities of people.

What I am finally realizing, though, is that Howatch's novels are actually romance novels. In High Flyer, the cunning corporate female protagonist so sharply and tellingly depicted in the early chapters of the book abruptly degenerates into yet another sniveling, quivering Howach heroine desperately in need of male protection by chapter 10. Such a sudden and drastic transformation is just not believable. And, oh my, there are a plethora of knights in shining armor poised to rescue her. Her next love interest is already slavering at her feet even before the plotline conveniently disposes of her husband. Books like this one are at once entertaining and infuriating.

And, amid all the psychobabble, how often do real adults employ (constantly!) terms like "fruity-loops"?