Title: The Patrick Melrose Novels
Author: Edward St. Aubyn
First published January 1, 2012
680 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780312429966 (ISBN10: 0312429967)
Rating: 4.04
Overview
Edward St. Aubyn’s acclaimed novel cycle, The Patrick Melrose Novels, presents a compelling portrait of privilege, self-loathing, and addiction. This single volume collects the first four novels of the series, including Man Booker finalist, Mother’s Milk.
From the sadistic and terrifying figure of David Melrose to Patrick’s own journey from child abuse to heroin addiction and recovery, these beautifully written novels offer a harrowing yet hilarious examination of the English upper class. Follow Patrick’s story from the family’s chateau in the south of France to New York City and back to England, where he grapples with recovery, child-rearing, adultery, and loss.
Edward St. Aubyn offers a starkly honest and unapologetic glimpse into the world of the declining British aristocracy, replete with decadence, amorality, greed, snobbery, and cruelty.
About the Author
Edward St Aubyn, a London-born author, was educated at Westminster School and Keble College, Oxford University. He has written six novels, with his most recent work, ‘Mother’s Milk’, receiving critical acclaim and being shortlisted for the 2006 Man Booker Prize.
The book also won the 2007 Prix Femina Etranger and the 2007 South Bank Show award for literature.
St Aubyn’s debut novel, ‘Never Mind’ (1992), won the Betty Trask award. This book, along with ‘Bad News’ (1992) and ‘Some Hope’ (1994), forms a trilogy now published as ‘Some Hope’.
His other works of fiction include ‘On the Edge’ (1998), which was a finalist for the Guardian Fiction Prize, and ‘A Clue to the Exit’ (2000).
Editoral Review
In Edward St. Aubyn’s highly acclaimed series, the Patrick Melrose Novels, readers are immersed in a world of privilege and abuse, addiction and recovery, and the unshakeable hold of family ties. With wit, intelligence, and razor-sharp prose, St. Aubyn chronicles the life of Patrick Melrose, from his childhood in an aristocratic English family, to his adulthood as a troubled but resilient survivor.
St. Aubyn, a British author born in London in 1960, is widely regarded as one of the finest writers of his generation. His novels are known for their acerbic wit, psychological insight, and unflinching exploration of trauma and its aftermath.
The Patrick Melrose Novels, first published in 1992 and concluding in 2011, are his most celebrated works, receiving numerous awards and critical praise. The series begins with the first novel, Never Mind, set in the early 1960s, and follows Patrick from childhood to middle age.
Along the way, readers are introduced to his toxic father, David, and his alcoholic mother, Eleanor, as well as a cast of characters from the upper echelons of British society. The novels are rife with abuse, addiction, and mental illness, but they are also marked by moments of tenderness and hope.
The later novels in the series, such as At Last and Some Hope, explore Patrick’s struggles with addiction and his attempts at recovery, while also delving into the lives of the people around him. From the French Riviera to New York City, the novels offer a sweeping and often scathing portrait of the upper classes, their values and their follies.
St. Aubyn’s prose is at once elegant and brutal, imbued with a biting wit and a keen eye for detail. The dialogue crackles with a dry humor that belies the darkness at the heart of the story.
The characters are complex and fully realized, their struggles and motivations painfully human. At times, the novels can be difficult to read, as they deal with heavy themes such as sexual abuse, addiction, and suicide.
Nonetheless, the writing is so compelling that readers will find it hard to look away. One of the strengths of the Patrick Melrose Novels is the way in which St. Aubyn combines social satire with psychological insight.
The novels are, in part, a critique of British aristocracy, but they are also a profound exploration of one man’s journey through trauma, addiction, and recovery. By delving into the inner world of Patrick Melrose, St. Aubyn shows us the human face of privilege and its destructive effects.
While the novels are undeniably brilliant, they are not without flaws. At times, the structure can be unwieldy, and some readers may find the novels too bleak or difficult to read.
Additionally, some critics have noted that the series is somewhat insular, focusing only on the lives of the wealthy and leaving little room for other perspectives. Nonetheless, for those who appreciate dark, intelligent fiction, the Patrick Melrose Novels are a must-read.
St. Aubyn’s writing is a tour de force, and his exploration of the human psyche is both profound and insightful. The series is not without its challenges, but for those who are willing to take the journey, the rewards are manifold.
Overall, The Patrick Melrose Novels by Edward St. Aubyn are a work of exquisite craftsmanship, marked by intelligence, wit, and unflinching honesty. While the novels can be difficult to read at times, they are worth the effort, as they offer a poignant and unflinching portrait of trauma and recovery.
For fans of literary fiction, this series is a must-read. I give it a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
