Gender confusion and sexual foreplay abound in this absurdist, tantalizing mystery--the American fiction debut of one of our greatest literary critics. A trio of travelers journeys to the Hague for a Vermeer exhibition, and unwittingly becomes involved in an international terrorist plot.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
The Red Hat in question in John Bayley's novel is the headgear worn by a young woman in a Vermeer masterpiece; it is also the McGuffin that gets the plot rolling. At the center of Bayley's tale is Nancy Deverell, a rather androgynous young woman who travels from London to the Netherlands with two friends to view the Vermeer exhibition. Nancy's companions are Charles, a gay man, and Chloe, Nancy's best friend and Charles's fiancée. Once at the exhibition, Nancy realizes she could be the twin of the woman in Vermeer's Girl in a Red Hat. Before you can say chapeau, Nancy finds herself involved with a mysterious stranger who might be a secret agent or possibly a bellboy and up to her neck in kidnapping, terrorism, and murder--or maybe not. Bayley, a leading British critic, plays an energetic literary shell game with his characters which may have fans of postmodern fiction clamoring for more.
From Library Journal
Androgynous narrator Nancy, reputedly gay friend Charles, and his fianc?e Cloe visit the Hague for a Vermeer exhibition. Cloe disappears, Nancy has a midnight rendezvous with a mysterious stranger who claims to be a Mossad agent, then Cloe reappears as if nothing had happened. Later, back in London, the narrative voice changes. Cloe's friend Roland, sent to France in search of Nancy, subsequently deconstructs most of what she said occurred in Holland. An introspective, whimsical, erotic, moody, and ultimately eyebrow-lifting debut; for most literary fiction collections. [Literary critic Bayley is former chair of the Booker Prize Committee and married to novelist Iris Murdoch.AEd.]ARex Klert, Mitchell Community Coll., LRC, Statesville, N.
-ARex Klert, Mitchell Community Coll., LRC, Statesville, NC
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
-ARex Klert, Mitchell Community Coll., LRC, Statesville, NC
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
A major dissapointment.,
This review is from: The Red Hat (Hardcover)
This is the first John Bayley book I have read. After the many wonderful things I have heard about this book and this author, I was so disappointed. I finished the book, but it was hard. I thought the storyline was disjointed (and unbelieveable) and hard to follow. There's not even a single section or paragraph to this book that I can think back on and say, "Well, that part was okay." The second part was even more disappointing than the first.
1.0 out of 5 stars
disappointing,
This review is from: The Red Hat (Hardcover)
I was initially attracted to this book and eagerly awaited its arrival in my mailbox for two reasons: my regard for John Bayley's exceptional literary criticism and his moving, eloquent book "Elegy for Iris" and my pleasurable reading of three other recently published novels related to Vermeer ("The Music Lesson" by Katharine Weber, "Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Tracy Chevalier, and "Girl in Hyacinth Blue" by Susan Vreeland). I wanted, therefore, to like this book but I just couldn't. Although Bayley draws on fascinating (and au courant) themes such as androgyny, sexual fantasy and the comingling of art and life, his book is rather stuffy and tedious and the voice of Nancy Deverell, who narrates the first part of the book, is off-putting and unbelievable. I enjoyed Bayley's spirited and irreverent attitude toward Vermeer, but those expecting a tribute to the artist's quiet genius will be disappointed, as will those who expect insight into the nature of the complex relationship between art and life.
0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Very disappointing.,
This review is from: The Red Hat (Hardcover)
After all the wonderful things I heard about this book, it ended up being a major letdown. I had trouble following the storyline, and could never really tell whether this was supposed to be a realistic account of what happened or just somebody's vivid imagination. I was kind of hoping the second part of the book might clarify some of my questions from the first part, but all it succeeded in doing was furthering my dislike for this book. If you have something else you would rather read, I would suggest doing so.
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