The Girl in a Swing

Richard Adams will doubtless always be best remembered for his first novel, Watership Down. Although it seems at first glance a simple, albeit engrossing, story of some rabbits seeking a new home in the face of impending disaster, it is also a gentle yet forceful reflection of the way human societies work.None of his other novels has quite caught the public imagination in the manner of that first one, though his proto-historical fantasies, Shardik and Maia are remarkable in their own ways. Indeed, in a recent interview, Adams declared Shardik his best book.But he is mistaken. His masterpiece, though it is very different indeed from anything else he's published, is The Girl in a Swing of 1980. This novel, not even mentioned in the interview, was billed on the cover of the first paperback edition as "a haunting and erotic story of the supernatural." Those who have passed the book by on account of this description and those who reject it because of their difficulties with its grave moral perplexities, have rejected a work of the greatest depth and power. It contains, among other things, some of the most achingly beautiful prose in modern English literature.One of the things that sets The Girl in a Swing apart from the Adams's other work is that it involves human characters from our time in a setting we can readily recognize. The action takes place in Copenhagen, in a small English town and, briefly, in London and Florida. The chief protagonists are Alan Deslands, a young, learned and earnest dealer in porcelain and china and Karin (or Käthe in some editions), a beautiful and prodigiously talented German woman he meets on a business trip to Denmark.Since Alan is the narrator, and a skillful one, the reader readily forgives a certain priggishness in him, perhaps even enjoying it a bit. He is clearly a person to admire and, despite his manner, to like. In his adolescence he acquired a kind of second sight in the presence of strong sexual energy. The resulting visions, though usually unwelcome, have not seemed of great importance to him before the events of the novel. As the story unfolds, he experiences them more often, but is not always able to separate them out from the more mundane realities of his life.Karin, whose beauty is almost unearthly, is well educated and cultured. She possesses every brilliance and talent one could wish. But when we meet her, she is rather poor, earning her living as a multilingual stenographer. At first she cannot quite believe that the distinguished and desirable Alan would be interested in her and, for that matter, he dares scarcely hope that a woman as beautiful and seemingly perfect as Karin would be interested in him.They do connect, though, and their union seems better than perfect in every way. Yet there is no perfection in this world and it becomes clear that Karin, who has not told Alan anything of her past, harbours a secret which imperils their happiness. In time, between her abiding fear and Alan's psychic vis

If you can find a copy of this haunting story of love gone wrong, don't ever let it go! It is by far Adams' best work and one not to be missed. The star of the show is the mysterious, enigmatic Käthe, a woman with too many secrets to hide and far too little to reveal. As the book unfolds, you'll want to get to know her. After it ends, you'll wish you could forget. But be warned! Girl in a Swing is a haunting book in every respect and one you'll remember for the rest of your life!

If there is one book I will remember my entire life, this is it. Richard Adams spins love and horror into a delicately-woven web of lyrical prose that is guaranteed to break your heart. The story is gossamer-like in its beauty, yet expresses an intensity of horror I have yet to meet in any other book to date. This is a story that will haunt you years after you've finished the final page. It absolutely will not let you alone, although sometimes you may wish it would.

I measure the initial depth of a person by whether or not they are willing to tackle this book; the eerie intensity and sense of recoiling from the inevitable, tragic ending start to echo within one's heart and soul long before that last wave breaks on the beach in that climactic almost-last scene. I agree with one of the previous reviewers in their assessment of the pathos of this work being equal (perhaps surpassing) anything else comparable in this century's works of literary art. A book that haunts one's dreams.

She is haunted by a mystery in her past, he is haunted by her beauty, I am haunted by the story. For this book holds revolting human evil, and an incredible, lyrical love - and they are both tied together. For years after reading it, I could not shake the sensation of horror that came over me when I thought again of what had been done. How could anyone do it? And yet, the spell of love that is cast in the beautiful telling of this story is equally haunting. This is no average horror story. Readers who find Clive Barker and Dean Koontz the height of enjoyment may not appreciate the delicacy, and gradual building of this lovely tale. The language of this book is nearly poetic in its beauty. It is rich with detail, complex, and fully convincing. This is a sophisticated piece of work, and incidentally, nothing like any of Richard Adams other books. (I have read most of them, since after reading this book, I wanted to investigate its author.) This book is a gourmet meal, full of fine ingredients, exquisite flavors, and subtle blendings and contrasts. It is excellent.