I’ve been a fan of Amanda Craig’s writing since reading Hearts and Minds (though The Lie of the Land is probably my favourite so far). This was, I believe, her first novel. It received mixed reviews upon its release, but has been re-issued because it features crossover characters with Craig’s later novels. And I’m very glad it was.
This novel is not an easy read, by any stretch. It explores the shark-infested waters of the overlapping social circles of journalists and the powerful elite they orbit in late 20th century London. It’s meant to be a satire, I believe, but is also a cutting observational novel that exposes the soft underbelly of this hard world and the cutthroat motives and actions of those within it.
We meet a variety of different characters – some climbers, some already at the apex of success – and juxtaposes them against characters who are never going to be part of their world and those who have fallen from it. In the process, we see how power damages those who have it as much as those who don’t, and the reality that money is neither the true goal of life nor guaranteed even when it is acquired. There are characters that begin as emotionless symbols and become people, and people who end up hardened because of the hurt they’ve suffered. Almost none of the characters in this book are bearable, let alone likeable. Even the couple of characters who are essentially decent people either never get a real go at life or have their own Achilles heels.
This is one of those books that can be appreciated for its brilliant character depictions, social commentary and moral exploration, but that isn’t exactly one you enjoy reading. At least, I didn’t. There were places where I marveled at the prose and the emotional impact of Craig’s writing, and there were many parts where my discomfort was so palpable that it was difficult to keep reading. There are disturbing parts, disgusting parts, and very many despicable ones. But there is so little to genuinely like or enjoy in this story that I can see why it may have turned some readers off. It’s not meant to be read for fun, it’s meant to be read for brutal truth and to see some of the worst human beings are capable of bringing out in one another and themselves.
That said, I still recommend it. Craig has a particular knack for capturing the complexity of whichever issue she chooses to focus her laser-sharp gaze on, and no matter how easily you think you’ll be able to slip moral certainty into the events and characters she presents, you will invariably end up in a quandary. I’m someone who really loves understanding people’s motivations and what has made them who they are, regardless of whether I approve of their actions or not. So her writing is always a wonderful experience for this part of my mind that constantly searches for interesting back stories and grey areas. I also think that, in todays firebomb online landscape and flashpoint news stories, it’s important to spend some time thinking about the type of world journalists have always had to navigate and the consequences of what and who they cover – and how. These days we can all be journalists with a few taps of our smartphone screen or a few minutes spent on our computer keyboards. We can add our voices to issues we perhaps don’t fully understand, and the consequences of our online activities are rarely given much thought, nevermind taken with a sense of responsibility. This book will bring those consequences into sharp relief, and show how the consequences affect the perpetrator as much as the subject. Not an easy read, but definitely a worthwhile one!
A brilliantly witty satire of modern manners, dissecting and connecting modern London, from its literary circuit to its hospitals and slums, as well as giving a funny and poignant portrait of childbirth and motherhood. This gripping, moving and hiliarious novel introduces seven characters, each of whom has a profound effect on each other’s lives. Each must choose between probity and self-interest in love and work. Some compromise themselves completely; others oscillate between vice and virtue. Others are redeemed by twists of fate. For in a vicious circle, nothing is certain except change. For five years timid Mary Quinn has supported her lover, Mark Crawley, in his rise to one of London’s most savage political journalists. Now Mark has started a calculated affair with Amelia, daughter of a newspaper magnate. Mary ‘s translation from jilted lover to a figure of power and vengeance is mirrored by Amelia’s change from vain, snobbish socialite to exhausted mother. A dazzling plot and lucid, absorbing style characterise this deliciously satirical portrait of the way we live now. – Goodreads
Book Title: A Vicious Circle
Author: Amanda Craig
Series: No
Edition: Paperback
Published By: Abacus
Released: January 1, 1996
Genre: Fiction, Human Nature, Politics, Class, Journalism, Relationships
Pages: 443
Date Read: June 18-July 16, 2024
Rating: 7/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.87/5 (320 ratings)