The Great Fire : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Over-rated
Review: This is an ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful novel. The theme is the effort to recapture life after the chaos and destruction of WWII. The answer appears to be love, particularly a sort of very romanticized, relatively selfless form of romantic love. The primary character is a British writer in love with a teenage girl. His character is contrasted with a friend who is also searching for some authenticity in his life. The theme is certainly worthwhile.
Unfortunately, while Hazzard is certainly a skilful writer, her skills are deployed in a way that makes this book attractive. Her highly allusive prose has a generally flat quality and becomes monotonous despite her attempts to engage a variety of characters and situations. Her characters and not particularly engaging, a major defect in a novel with a large psychological component.