The Master

Colm Toibin

While reading this book, I repeatedly thought that it might have been helpful to have known more about James' work! I've only read Turn of the Screw and Washington Square so many of the book references were lost on me. Further, I thought something was "missing" in this book. It almost seemed like a series of vignettes to me more than a linear story but that impression did lessen somewhat as I moved through the book. On the other hand, it did hold my interest and I thought it very well-written so in the end I was a little more forgiving although not as impressed as I'd expected to be.