Customer Reviews

Finding Myself

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4 star:		(1)
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While Toby Litt's novel Finding Myself may be a great beach or rainy day read--which it most certainly is--his novel is also a worthwhile engagement with subjects of gender, metafiction, and contemporary British culture. Surprisingly, the paperback cover has lost the best indicator the hardcover copy offered of this complexity--Finding Myself is a secondary title, given to the book by the character-editor after rejecting the author-narrator's honorific title "To the Lighthouse." The homage to Virginia Woolf becomes immediately apparent as the narrative unfolds into a stream of consciousness style. As in Woolf's novel, Litt's narrator is obviously feminine, but with a contemporary twist. His narrator is a 21st century woman--she is brash, sexy, and constantly proving herself to be a strong and independent woman. However, unlike many other beach-read female characters, his protagonist is also quite vulnerable and susceptible to the pressures of her culture and social status. She is simultaneously likeable and contemptable, a complex and well-rounded character. Although Deadkidsongs is a more literary and arguably better book, Finding Myself is my favorite Litt book.

Do not judge this book within the first few pages. I found it difficult at first to get into but once I did, I was hooked. I have not had such an enjoyable reading experience in quite some time. Victoria, the main character, is so witty, yet completely unaware of it. One should end up hating her throughout the book but I became more and more attatched to her as I continued reading through her "manuscript". Perhaps there is a little Victoria in all of us. Read it, you'll know what I mean.

it takes a short period to get into the swing of this unusually structured book - the concept revolves around a stream of conscious style diary narration which has been subject to the blue pen comments of her editor - who was herself part of the diary events being recorded.

the voice of the narrator gradually reveals the immense ego and pettiness of the narrator, which is one of it's most enjoyable aspects.

it's immensely readable and very enjoyable. a great rainy day read.