Mixture of Frailties

What a pleasure to have discovered Robertson Davies. The Salterton trilogy is true, classic literature, with the depth and breadth and prose and character development that fully engages the reader, and humor and pathos and insight. This is not lightweight; it's like a pleasant bit of exercise or a satisfying meal. At the same time, there is a very nice measured pace to it -- although not a page-turner, it never sags; it felt good to read it just a few pages at a time, because even a few left you with enough to process. The only slight blot, in my opinion, is the ending. One of the major premises of the book is that the ultimate worth of one's life, certainly the wellspring of artistry, is one's depth and skill of feeling; there is an awesome bit of dialogue on how most people fall short of emotional greatness because they fail to fully process the events that happens to them. This is a familiar theme in the classic Western novel. Accordingly, the main character, Monica, an aspiring opera singer, undergoes an "education sentimentale" that takes out of her provincial narrow-minded (and -hearted and -spirited) beginnings and exposes her to the great creative winds of classical Western culture and art, where she begins to grow as an artist and a woman. Against this background, the emotions accompanying what should have been the novel's great climactic moment -- her discovery and handling of her lover's suicide -- are surprisingly small. Although she believes herself to be to blame, she lets herself off so matter-of-factly, so effortlessly -- there is a refusal or inability to process that thoroughly trivializes everything that came before, even though I don't believe that was the author's intention. Even more disappointing is the last-minute marriage proposal, in the style of Bleak House but without its emotional foundation, so that the whole thing seems contrived, as though the author didn't quite know how to get out of the plot he had created. It's a very good plot, at that; in fact, it is precisely because everything that comes before is so artistically sound and convincing that the ending falls flat. It's disappointing because I don't think it's intentional; unless I am greatly mistaken, this is not a novel about failed promise, and Monica is not a satirical character; we really are meant to believe that hers is a soul that has transcended itself. Except it hasn't. But this is still good stuff -- better in its weakest part than the strongest writing of many, many others. I will certainly be checking out his other books.

A Mixture of Frailties opens at the funeral of Mrs. Bridgetower. During the reading of her will, her son, best friend and others are told they are to form a committee to find a young women to fund that will get an education in the arts with the money Mrs Bridgetower has left behind. Her son with get just about nothing but the responsibility to maintain her home as the property of the trust. Once a young lady is found, Monica Gall, it switches over to her narrative. Monica is a singer and is sent abroad to England to study with several different people. This story is about her experience abroad over the next few years. A Mixture of Frailties is the third in The Salterton Trilogy but I had no problems reading it as a stand alone book. I loved this book. I will admit that it took several weeks to get through for some reason, but I adored it nonetheless. It's hilarious in a nonchalant way. That's just the way it is. A wealth of humor comes from the cast of different characters that Monica encounters and the situations that arise. It was a refreshing piece of literature. It seems everything I read these days you don't have to think much about and could read half asleep. This book is rich with description and humor is found in every situation which I liked very much. I liked the character of Monica and identified with the point in life she was in. With this opportunity she grows, changes and finds out who the person she is to become is. All the secondary characters were well flushed out and meaningful to the story.

To my taste, with this book Davies hit the big time. It's a wonderful story of a developing artist, instantly familiar to anyone who has been involved with the performing arts. Add to that the fact that Davies begins to really hit his stride in developing his mature style, with offbeat but recognizable characters, a plot that drives forward without ever seeming to rush, and his real appreciation for artists and students, and you have a real winner.