Interesting plot, terrible (cringeworthy) dialogue!
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I chose this book beacuse the blurb sounded interesting- sex, dark forces, healing powers, cults etc.. and it was!
What I did found bemusing however, was that the author almost did not see 'suited' to writing the narrative/dialogue for the story...
What do I mean?....well, I noted that the four main characters often refered to things using the same vocabulary, e.g. they would all say similar things independedntly of each other such as referring to a situation as "that terrible scene", or "I had to leave that scene", "what a messed up scene that was" and so on!!
As if four different people would all speak in the same way and have the same limited vocabulary???!!!
I thought it was an oversight by the author to have four different people all speaking in the same manner and using the same geeky lines!
Also, the central male character "Gavin" is supposed to be really cool, young and sexy. However, throughout the book he says really cringeworthy, camp and frankly ridiculous things, and ends up sounding more like a middle class, middle aged woman, saying what she THINKS a young, sexy man would say....and getting it SOOOOO wrong.
An interesting book, worth a read, but let down by the poor depth of characters and the cringworthy vocabulary of ALL the characters who all try to be cool and end up spewing moral, priggish, middle class twaddle instead!!!
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Another Magical book from Howatch
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What can I say about this book except that it is EXCELLENT? Howatch is my favourite author so maybe I'm a little biased BUT it is great. She brings in characters from her other novels ( from the Church of England series and the immediate previous book, The High Flyer)which I geatly enjoyed and regularly re-read.
I cannot agree with those who think we have had enough of Howatch in this vein - there is no doubt that Howatch is a master of the art of writing. I just wish she would hurry up and write another!
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Good story, but the dialogue will make you cringe!
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I've been a fan of Susan Howatch for years. The Starbridge novels had me gripped in my teens. However, when I read 'The High Flyer' (the book which precedes 'The Heartbreaker') my admiration for Howatch's writing waned. As a result I wasn't on the lookout for the next in the series - 'The Heartbreaker' - I just came across it by chance the other day. I decided to give her another go because Howatch, even at her worst, does spin a good yarn.
I have to say from the start that, despite all my misgivings and the criticisms I'll outline below, I did actually enjoy this novel enough to give it 3 stars. This is because I found I cared what happened to the characters even though they were for the most part almost completely unbelieveable as people in the real world, and also because I was glad to find myself once again absorbed in the world of Nicholas Darrow and Lewis Hall - clergymen who are engaged on a daily basis in rooting evil out of the world.
The story centres around Carta who we met in 'The High Flyer'. Carta has abandoned her high flying city career and we find her engaged as a fundraiser for St. Benet's new healing centre. She becomes involved with a male prostitute, Gavin, who caters for the gay market even though he's straight. Carta finds Gavin irresistibly attractive even as she realises that his complicated life could well have a very negative effect on her own.
Gavin is equally attracted to Carta and from the start tries to woo her with overtly sexual come ons. However, this is where Howatch is out of her depth. When she has her characters use modern slang I cringe and have steel myself to read on. It invariably reminds me of either a priest trying to be cool and 'down with the kids' (kind of like Graham Norton's character in Fr. Ted!) or listening to your granny trying out phrases like 'doing my head in'! For example, Gavin, a cool man of the world type habitually uses phrases like 'Frosty Puss', 'Barbie-boobs' and refers to Jesus as 'The Bloke'. Give me a break!
The dialogue is also completely unnatural and forced. No way do real people talk like the people in this book! Every chance she gets, Howatch has a character up on a soapbox preaching and lecturing for all they're worth. In the real world, these would be people to avoid at parties at all costs!
When they're not lecturing each other at length the characters are obsessively introspective, coming out with coherent, well-thought out streams of consciousness on all manner of moral and ethical dilemmas - in this book mostly to do with homosexuality. The opinions we are treated to are not particularly novel, interesting or thought-provoking.
In conclusion, although my admiration for Howatch's writing lies firmly with her earlier work, this was definitely readable and at no stage did I want to abandon the book. The story was compelling enough to make me want to get to the bottom of why Gavin was so entranced and trapped by his female manager (pimp); what had happened in his past to make him so fearful of certain characters and whether Carta would work out her relationship with her boyfriend or end up with Gavin.
If you haven't read any of Howatch's previous books, I wouldn't recommend starting with this one - I'm not sure it would make sense. I would definitely recommend starting with the Starbridge books - there you'll be introduced to Nicholas Darrow at his best and the healing process will make more sense. Then you'd probably enjoy this one.
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Has she lost it?
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Susan Howatch is a master at storytelling, but somehow her recent books are not up to par. Her blend of theology and Jungian analysis was really amazing in the Starbridge series and she has tried to do it again in the St. Benet trilogy, but it is not as deep and meaningful as it used to be. Maybe modern day stories is not her forte. Maybe speaking through clergymen gave her more freedom to express herself and her views. Who knows? Where is the Nicholas Darrow of Mystical Paths? It's as if he's another person entirely. In fact, these books seem to have been written by another person entirely, a Susan Howatch wannabe. I gave the book three stars, only because it was written by her and, to be honest, there are some rare glimpses of her old self in it. Is that enough? I sincerely doubt it. If you are new to the Susan Howatch experience, you might actually enjoy this book, but if you want to find out what she is really all about, you should get the Starbridge series or The Wheel Of Fortune, the last book from her saga period. And then you will be able to witness the Howatch magic.
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Dark Versus Light
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Susan Howatch has lived up to my high expectations once again in "The Heartbreaker". She writes with amazing quality and depth, mixing just the right amount of prose with a story line which never fails to keep me turning the pages. Having read "A Question of Integrity" I had a good knowledge of the background to the story despite not having read "The High Flyer," and this was a great help in understanding some of the characters and their motives.
Admittedly this is not easy stuff to read about as it explores the dark side of life in the form of prostitution and some of the many forms of evil practised by those seeking power over others in a criminal manner. The narrative is real and honest but never in bad taste. Our hero goes in search of the light, feeling scared, torn and yet led at the same time. He finally has the opportunity to learn about the true nature of love and its healing powers. The story explores the concept that little in life happens by mistake and once the journey to the light has begun people are brought together by an unseen hand for good reason. I personally believe in these concepts wholeheartedly, and to read about it in a novel so skillfully crafted, left me aware of the powerful message here for all readers who want or need it.
I can't wait to see what comes next from the pen of this truly gifted writer. I hope she doesn't spoil things by overdoing the same theme.
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