Book 23 - David Lodge "Deaf Sentance"

[jazzy_dave]

David Lodge "Deaf Sentance" (Penguin)







Having not read any of Lodge's other novels, and being one from my recent Penge East rail station haul, I can't offer many comparisons between this book  and those others by him but I will say that this book is evidence of a highly polished writing style and an astonishing font of knowledge. Of the "campus" genre (why does that always seem to suggest books about college antics?), this novel's very moving storyline is tied together by an interesting examination of linguistics, all against the backdrop of the protagonist's middle-age hearing loss. The hearing loss theme is autobiographical; the rest, well... is up to the reader to guess.

The main plot is fueled by a number of heavy-hitting themes -- retirement, marital discord, late-onset deafness, death, family matters, sexual frustration/temptation -- but manages to tie them together well enough. That the book is written in the form of the protagonist's diary helps tremendously. Desmond Bates is not a particularly interesting man, but he finds himself in certain situations that pique the interest and manage to weave together to create a rather interesting tapestry of life. Lodge handles some of these themes better than others, but the overall result is a gentle plotline with a likable character. The reader almost can't help but feel compassion and sympathy -- or empathy, even, for those in his frame of life.

I must admit that I was a bit frustrated by the "crazy American" plot device, which I've noticed appearing in several recent novels. Alex Bloom's antics, though definitely necessary as a catalyst for shaking up the protagonist's otherwise relatively peaceful but challenged existence, were so wild and over the top as to be rather unbelievable and almost compromising to the otherwise tender plot. She's almost too crazy to be believed, and Desmond comes out entirely too unscathed after interacting with her.

Overall, though, I'm quite impressed with the book, and will definitely be looking to reading the other two novels from the same station bookcase find.