Hotel du Lac

It would be hard to think of a novel that stood more in contrast to the prior. Hotel du Lac (a controversial winner of the Booker in 1984, up against Ballard's Empire of the Sun, among others) has a certain understated charm. Reading it almost 40 years on from publication, it feels almost as if set in a different era — one where they did things differently, or at least where a code of etiquette operated that might not be fully recognisable to a modern reader. A disgraced middle-aged lady finds herself at the eponymous hotel out of season. There she has an opportunity not only to observe her fellow guests (and judge them), but to introspect on her own (flawed) life choices. An unexpected proposal — albeit in the form of a marriage of convenience — provides the crux of the novel. I thought not only of Jane Austen, but also Sakaya Murata's recent novel. As unexpected as the proposal, so is the protagonist's ultimate course of action. The reader cannot help but smile wryly. Some great observations overall on human nature; pride versus prejudice and being true to your own beliefs.

By Anita Brookner