Timothy Findley (1930–2002)

I gather book recommendations in a fairly indiscriminate fashion, from friends, family, acquaintances, strangers I’m introduced to at weddings, other books, libraries, social media, blogs, newspapers, etc. I’ve been doing so for many years. As a consequence, there are books on my To Read list that trigger no memory of why I ever intended to read them, let alone who recommended them to me. ‘Famous Last Words’ is one such mystery. I think it’s been on the list (in its various forms) for at least eight years. Then a few weeks ago I happened upon a copy in a charity shop. It is an odd novel, technically a conspiracy thriller told in a peculiar form of flashback. It begins in the closing weeks of the Second World War, as Allied soldiers reach a prestigious hotel to find the corpse of Hugh Selwyn Mauberly. He is known as a Fascist sympathiser and has left a detailed confession written across the walls of three hotel rooms. This tells the tale of a conspiracy involving the former King Edward VIII and his wife, von Ribbentrop, and Charles Lindbergh.

Given this flashback structure, the sense of tension in the novel is erratic. Various moments and events are extremely tense but, ultimately, the reader knows from the start what will happen to Mauberly. Moreover, the stakes regarding the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (who are central to the conspiracy) never seem hugely high in retrospect. Nonetheless, there is a well-developed air of paranoia about the whole thing. Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, is by far the most interesting character seen through Mauberly’s eyes. Mauberly himself does not come off well and his motivations are somewhat baffling. Similarly, the soldiers who find Mauberly’s testament display an interesting variety of perspectives, but Quinn, the other main narrator, remains enigmatic. I found his sympathy for Mauberly hard to understand.

‘Famous Last Words’ reminded me at times of [b:The Magus|16286|The Magus|John Fowles|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1441323311s/16286.jpg|1816475] (the paranoia, confusion, and sense of events being manipulated by those much more powerful) and [b:Earthly Powers|8822|Earthly Powers|Anthony Burgess|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1355598044s/8822.jpg|1282899] (the heavy atmosphere of dread and various elements of Mauberly's characterisation). Both are, I think, better structured and more powerful novels, though. (Especially [b:Earthly Powers|8822|Earthly Powers|Anthony Burgess|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1355598044s/8822.jpg|1282899], which is sublime.) ‘Famous Last Words’ has a neat conceit and some very memorable imagery. However it cannot sustain tension when the reader already knows too much of the ending. Also, Mauberly’s motivations are not clear enough, nor the reader deep enough in his mind, to make him a truly compelling narrator. An unusual novel, though, and there is plenty to enjoy about it.… (more)

2.5 stars

Robert is a young Canadian who decides to enlist in the army to head to Europe to fight in WWI.

This started off better, but I had zero interest in the “love” story parts of the book. Told by the younger sister of Barbara, the female side of that love story, they were long and not in the least bit interesting (at least to me). The war and the fighting were of interest, and there were war situations I’ve not read about before (at least not that I recall). The book also jumped around quite a bit.… (more)

Rereading this after more than a decade and half since my first encounter. I remembered very little of the plot other than the basics, and I think this was to its benefit.

The writing is sumptuous and full... but also intensely readable. Findley is tightly controlling the words on the page to easily allow you to sink into a flow of words, ideas, and images, always powerful but never overwhelming.

One review says that Findley, as a former actor, has a sense of the theatrical and I think that's what's so delicious about his prose here. So many small gestures are recorded with an actor's eye to what they can express, even if it is a little arch or melodramatic. It may not be to everyone's taste, but it's very intentionally and masterfully done.

Taking Jung and allowing him to be mistaken, to stumble, to be human in all of the ways that matter, actually enhances some of the Jungian thought inside the book, because we witness it come from struggle rather than some burst of inspiration.

Some of the critiques of the novel have said it meanders too far, or that it doesn't resolve it's plot threads, and again, this feels very intentionally and masterfully done. What I can see in each of these reviews is the yearning for resolution and clear meaning that we hope for in most of the stories we consume... but Findley is intending to make us face a lack of certainty, a lack of safe conclusion.

There is a thread of hope at the end, though. There is a way through everything that the novel offers, but it does require work. Again, as a theatrical writer, Findley is asking the audience to be a part of the ending, through it's attempt to interpret.… (more)