To preface this review, I have to say that Fingersmith, also by Sarah Walters, was my favourite read of 2006. I also have to say that I generally have the greatest respect for book reviewers from certain publications, such as the Independent and Times book review.
The Night Watch was probably the most disappointing book that I have finished in the last few years. Most books that I do not enjoy are abandoned on page 100-150; some take a little longer, as others more learned than myself have heaped praise upon them. When a book is so praised as being shortlisted for the Booker and Orange prizes it must be good? Well no, actually, it is just that perhaps critics are just afraid to say what they think. I am not, and I have to tell you that this book sucks, big time.
In others of her books, Ms Walters’ sexuality lends subtle tendencies to her characters in a pleasing and sympathetic way. In this book the characters’ sexuality is as subtle as a flying mallet, and dominates the proceedings. This, unfortunately, leads the storyline, in my opinion to the expense of other themes.
I expected the story to flow, with well constructed prose and a systematic storyline, but again, The Night Watch disappointed. How about this for award winning prose:
“….Thank God they never made it to the house! The man’s pretty cut about with glass from one of the windows. The others were more or less knocked flying, you’ll be able to tell how badly….”
…The wood surprised Kay, even now: in the days before the war she’d imagined that houses were made more or less solidly, of stone_like the last Little Pig’s in the fairy tale.
The rear of the house, however, was more or less intact. They went through a creaking passageway and emerged, bizarrely, into a kitchen, still with cups and plates on its walls, its electric light burning and its black-out curtain up. …..
OK, so the first example was narrative, but all of those clumsy “more or less” were within one page of script (194,195). If that is prize winning literature then my name is Mao Tse Tung. And what is so bizarre about walking into a kitchen from a passageway? It having crockery still on the walls may be bizarre but that is not what was written. It would make sense without the comma after kitchen, but that may prove that Ms Walters needs to consult the clever Ms Truss regarding the importance of good punctuation. And if poor Ms Walters can’t think of a more thought-provoking simile of solidity than the house of a little pig, then perhaps she needs a rest.
I can only wonder if the book critics who praised this sad example of the literary star system, actually read it. Does reputation mean more than performance? Can it be the “referee syndrome”? ( A referee who makes a bad decision, by not awarding Bolton an obvious penalty will award them one later, on the most feeble of pretexts).
Ms Walters has written some fine books, but this certainly ain’t one of them.
I liked it.