Fiction / Slice of Life
Many of us know Len Deighton for some of his more famous books such as The Ipcress File or SS-GB. This one I’d say counts as one of his more obscure works and if ever there was a hard book to rate, it would be this one. The story is about a “fictional” famous actor and a writer who has the task of writing his biography. We see glimpses of the actor’s current life which appears to be at it’s peak, and him wondering where…
…things are going next. From the actor’s worries and concerns we learn more about him as a person and the core personality that he deeply hides behind his charm, hospitality, and friendliness.
It’s a stunning read. The writing makes you feel like an actor like this could exist, also particularly the other people we meet along the way – the producers, the directors, the people that work behind the scenes in filmmaking. Some of those other people feel very realistically written.
Nothing of an over-the-top nature happens – no murder, no spy intrigues, no saving the world. But this is the essence of the book. The drama that occurs are all matters of everyday life. The actor wondering if the peak of his career is now behind him, the producer reminiscing about days gone by (and showing us glimpses of how the actor was when he was newer to the industry), and the unseen and never spoken rivalry that some people may have.
It is not normally the kind of book I would read. I went into it hoping for a spy thriller but instead received something very different and more grounded. Is it the Len Deighton book I enjoyed the most? Perhaps not, it’s just not my type. But I can say without hesitation that it is the best written Len Deighton book I have ever read. I am not kidding.
Score: 4 / 5
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