March 11, 2008

It's not just me

My husband is now reading Nikolski, inspired by my exuberant praise for the novel last week. So of course I was a bit apprehensive: I had declared Nikolski “perfect”, what if it failed to measure up?

Last night when I came to bed, I tried to ease him into the story. Saying things like, “The beginning’s a bit strange, I know. It’s hard to tell what’s happening but it will make more sense soon, and you’ll get used to the writing style, and soon the prose will string itself right through your mind, and the fish!!” (For it happens that I am going through a period of being obsessed with fish).

And Stuart said, “I love it already. But be quiet, I’m trying to read now.”

It’s rarely such a pleasure to be shushed.