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A review by knkoch
Under the Net by Iris Murdoch
adventurous
challenging
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Another Murdoch book down! As is common in what I've read of her books so far, the central figure is a middle-aged man without a full grasp on himself, his work, his situation, or the way he's perceived. Jake is a jollier iteration of that type, not so gloomy as Hilary from A Word Child nor as doomed a bachelor as Bradley in The Black Prince. The whole story in Under the Net is much more like a caper, with horse races and showbiz dogs and a leftist agitator named Lefty. Again, it was great fun to see the set pieces come together in my mind as I read, like the fireworks over the Seine, the rally on the Roman movie set, or the spooky silent mime theater performance. And god, that chase scene at night in the park in Paris KILLED ME.
I love the way Murdoch's novels inevitably include a set of interfering, dismissive, frivolous friends who nevertheless end up enabling or abetting the MC's profligate ways. These friends have such a keen way of calling BS on Jake's myopic self-perception and self-destructive tendencies, and yet he sees into their true natures, too. Friends are good at that sort of thing, aren't they? I don't often see friendships in contemporary stories written this way. Perhaps we write so much about the soulful, loving, supportive side of friendship that we may miss the irritating, casual, eye-rolling feeling of having a good time with people whose objectives likely conflict with our own.
I also enjoy the way Murdoch titles her novels. Rather than emphasizing a character, they're always about the ideas of the book. I tend to read mostly character-driven stories, so this is a refreshing change for me. Under the Net was harder to parse out than some of the others, especially because it's only referenced as a phrase once in the novel. But to me, it has to do with getting underneath our tendency to theorize or moralize about the world, getting past the structures we've made to understand it, and instead trying to grapple with the actual substance and specifics of life. Over and over again, Jake's misunderstandings of the situation cause him endless hassle and effort. The simplicity of the dog cage, solved by a taxi driver who examines it for 30 seconds, is a perfect example. The chase in the park, his absolutely lovesick pining for Anna, his certainty of their imminent reunion and future, and it turns outHE WAS FOLLOWING THE WRONG WOMAN! Everyone is capable of getting so spun up in their own theories about a situation that they become blind to the actual, observable details.
Can't wait to read another Murdoch book soon!
I love the way Murdoch's novels inevitably include a set of interfering, dismissive, frivolous friends who nevertheless end up enabling or abetting the MC's profligate ways. These friends have such a keen way of calling BS on Jake's myopic self-perception and self-destructive tendencies, and yet he sees into their true natures, too. Friends are good at that sort of thing, aren't they? I don't often see friendships in contemporary stories written this way. Perhaps we write so much about the soulful, loving, supportive side of friendship that we may miss the irritating, casual, eye-rolling feeling of having a good time with people whose objectives likely conflict with our own.
I also enjoy the way Murdoch titles her novels. Rather than emphasizing a character, they're always about the ideas of the book. I tend to read mostly character-driven stories, so this is a refreshing change for me. Under the Net was harder to parse out than some of the others, especially because it's only referenced as a phrase once in the novel. But to me, it has to do with getting underneath our tendency to theorize or moralize about the world, getting past the structures we've made to understand it, and instead trying to grapple with the actual substance and specifics of life. Over and over again, Jake's misunderstandings of the situation cause him endless hassle and effort. The simplicity of the dog cage, solved by a taxi driver who examines it for 30 seconds, is a perfect example. The chase in the park, his absolutely lovesick pining for Anna, his certainty of their imminent reunion and future, and it turns out
Can't wait to read another Murdoch book soon!