Something Special: A Story

"Something Special" is a short tale by Iris Murdoch. According to the copyright page, it was first published in 1957. The Norton edition contains illustrations by Michael McCurdy.This short (55 pages) book tells the story of Yvonne, a young Irish woman who is being pressured by her mother and uncle to settle down and marry. But there is a disconnect between Yvonne's desires and the reality of her life. Towards the beginning of the story her uncle blames this on "the little novels she's for ever reading." As the story unfolds, Yvonne embarks upon a pivotal night on the town with her boyfriend, Sam."Something" is an effective character study of a young woman at a transitional phase in her life. Murdoch's prose is as intriguing for what is not said as it is for what is said; she really challenged me to go past the characters' dialogue and to try to understand the unspoken thoughts that lay behind their words and actions. The perception of beauty is also a significant theme in this book.