Customer Reviews

Instrument

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The Instrument is primarily focused on the character of Robert Yancey (Yank) Lucas, a playwright who has just written his first play. He manages to get Broadway to put on his play and in addition, his play catches the attention of Zena Gollum, Broadway's leading actress.

Lucas and Zena have a torrid love affair, despite Zena being married. However, even this is not able to make him happy as Lucas struggles to be himself as his play becomes a huge success. Eventually the media and fanfare surrounding him begin to encroach on his freedom. He escapes it all by leaving in the middle of the night and driving to a remote village in Vermont. There he meets up with a variety of women, whom he beds while writing his next play.

I am not sure what to make of this book. It was an interesting character study as well as the workings of Broadway and show business. However, Lucas wasn't a very redeeming character and seemed to take his bedroom antics with a touch of "easy come, easy go." The writing and story was interesting but, my complaint was that I was a little baffled as to the purpose of the story and what O'Hara was trying to communicate.

I'm a 63 year old woman. Never, in all those years have I come across female sexuality even vaguely like those drawn by O'Hara in this character study.

Even Yanks twisted attraction to the lady who runs the boarding house was so utterly otherworldly - that I began to shake my head.

Yank's indifferent sexuality and appetite became more and more surreal as the story moved on.

I don't think O'Hara knew what to do with this tale. I think this was a case of a short story that he put down after the escape to Vermont - Perhaps O'Hara needed some quick cash, so he dug up an old story line - and fed it to is publisher.

Very very disconnected and strange characters. I've never met a living soul like any of the people in this novel AFTER New York.

We've all been played for chumps with this one.