This book reminded me closely of Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon squad. For one, it’s about a familiar figure rendered on the page in the guise of a set of literary tropes. Two, it plays around with reader expectations on plot and form. Three, I was repeatedly told how great it was. Four, I didn’t think it was, actually. Five, I felt fooled by reviews.
I was reminded in an odd way of Flaubert’s Dictionary of Accepted Ideas here; this was not because the novel is anything like that book, but because there’s a given accepted idea that this book predicates its very being on That idea is that Philip Roth was a real shithead. Now, I fully agree that Philip Roth was likely a real shithead, and it seems that Lisa Halliday would know that as well as anyone, having dated him for awhile. What I am not convinced by is that a) that’s the lesson that happens in this novel because the figure, in the opening section, who represents Roth just honestly doesn’t across as much of a monster. He’s kind of controlling, but not abusive. There’s an imbalance in the relationship but he never seems to use it to gain anything. He makes odd and potentially hurtful remarks, but nothing all that cutting. He’s cold and indifferent to the younger writer, but she’s not swept off her feet by him. He’s pompous, he’s a little overrated in his ideas, and he’s not very interested. His biggest crime is that his body is old.
Anyway, not to defend Philip Roth because he has his defenders and he’s dead. And also, I don’t honestly think that Lisa Halliday was turning him into a monster. Instead, I think readers imprinted on this character all their prejudices of Roth onto this character to make a monster out of him. In the last section, he’s sleazy, and crosses lines, but again, doesn’t push it far.
Anyway, it feels like a well-written but empty piece of writing. Interestingly, there’s a self-criticism the Roth character makes in the final section about his stories being impeccably written, but thematically empty. *cough cough* Don’t put the most ideal criticism of your own work in your character’s mouth.
Anyway, there are great novels written by a young ingenue really digging into the (actual Nobel prize winning) writer figure who treats her terribly, and that’s Flight from the Enchanter, The Philopher’s Pupil, A Message to the Planet by Iris Murdoch.
(Photo: https://www.amazon.com/Asymmetry-Novel-Lisa-Halliday/dp/150116676X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=NBE90COJ3WEX&keywords=asymmetry+lisa+halliday&qid=1550331720&s=gateway&sprefix=asy%2Caps%2C416&sr=8-1)