Thursday 11 July 2013

Umbrella by Will Self

First Published: 2012 by Bloomsbury (London)
Date Started: 27th June 2013
Date Finished: 8th July 2013
Genre: Historical Fiction
Read For: Casual
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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.


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