Bought in February 1977 from the 2nd hand book store in the town where we then lived, but never as far as I can tell, read until now.
One of the late James', where the prose had become, at best, prolix. The plot is typically Jamesian; the ambassadors have been sent from somewhere near Boston to retrieve an errant wealthy American youngster (Chad) who has been, his mother rightly suspects, seduced by Europe and a European woman.
The main ambassador, Strether, is similarly seduced by Europe and (not literally) the same woman and tries to convince his mother (who Strether will marry if his quest is successful) that Chad has been hugely improved by Europe and his platonic, as Strether believes, relationship with this woman. So he appears to have fucked up on all counts.
A very difficult book to follow in all respects; for long periods it was unclear to me (and possibly Strether) whether it was the woman or her young daughter with whom Chad might be tangled. And Strether’s own relationship with Maria Gostrey, who seems the nicest character in the book, was obscure to me throughout.
Comments