October 21, 2006
Saint Drabble
Am OUTRAGED by this sorry excuse for a review of The Sea Lady in today’s G&M. All right, not that I’ve actually read the novel in question, because as I explained previously, I am waiting to savour it. But I’ve still got a right to outrage. My two main points are these: that the review gets the main character’s name wrong throughout, and that the “review” is mainly composed of excerpts of Drabble’s prose out of context. The scant criticism seems mainly to do with too many facts and too many mermaids, and little consideration of what Drabble might have intended of her devices. This review seemed unfair to me, though I will admit I’m perhaps a bit protective.