First Published: 2012 by Bloomsbury
(London)
Date
Started: 27th June 2013
Date
Finished: 8th July 2013
Genre:
Historical Fiction
Read For:
Casual
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Audrey Death
suffers from Encephalitis Lethargica, an illness
from the end of World War I, and has since been in a coma at
Friern Hospital in London. In 1971, maverick psychiatrist
Dr Zack Busner arrives. In his attempts to bring her back to life, he will have
memories that will haunt him for the rest of his life.
Umbrella
opens up with a quote by James Joyce, 'A brother is as easily forgotten as an
umbrella', and when reading the book, it's understandable as to why Will Self
used it. It may seem strange to think that 'a brother is as easily forgotten as
an umbrella', but upon reading this it seems true, although strange to
imagine.
Written in a contemporary form and displaying
traits of modernism, the book can be a bit of a challenge to read. The
protagonist can switch at any moment, there is hardly any paragraphs which make
it look clunky, and there are no chapters whatsoever. Yet the way it's written
blends well with the story. It's almost as if the reader is shifting in and out
of consciousness between the protagonists, like Audrey herself does with
her past life and her present life in the hospital.
Umbrella was
a nominee of the Man Booker Prize 2012. Although it's not a light read it's a
book that should be read. It's difficult to get into it at first, and the
constant switching of protagonists can be confusing at times, but if you want
to read a good book, this is one that I can recommend that you should read.
