The Good Soldier

Fascinating to read this back-to-back with its late 20th Century interpretation. It's certainly fair to say that Knox's novel is more readable than Ford's. Edwardian sensibilities now seem remarkably anachronistic. That religion played such a strong role in decision/behaviour/convention 100 years ago seems as hard for a modern reader to comprehend as the notion that divorce was almost unheard of (also referenced in The Good Soldier). The novel does read as quite a frustrating one—a perspective recognised by many of its critics—since Dowell, its narrator, is neither likeable nor necessarily a reliable commentator on the events that come to pass. The idea that there are limits to human perspective (knowing only one side of the story) is a fascinating one, especially since Dowell's knowledge of what the other's underlying motives were (similar to Richard's in Summerland) evolves as he learns more information. He—and we as readers—are forced constantly to assess what may be considered as ‘truth’. Just as it strains credibility that Edward really was a ‘good’ soldier, so it is hard to condone Dowell's course of action. Even if deprived of full knowledge, he is also a victim of his own passivity. 7/10.

By Ford Madox Ford