In
the early 90s, a middle-aged American finds love in the form of an aristocratic
Parisian architect, named Julien. This amuses the American, Austin, for
his previous lover (who jilted him), was also named Julien. So, Austin's
new lover becomes 'Big Julien', whilst his ex becomes 'Little Julien'.
There
are a few problems with this new relationship. Firstly, Julien is
married, and has a tragic past. Secondly, Austin is HIV
positive. So, much of the first part of the novel is concerned with
Austin's reluctance to come totally clean with his lover. After
all, Austin's already insecure about the age gap between the two men.
Would not such a declaration make himself look far less attractive? A
middle-aged man, with excellent social contacts in the French aristocracy, but
with no real money to show for himself?
In the first part of the novel, it is very hard to feel anything for Austin or
Julien, since their world is one which is closed off for most of us. It
is hard to feel sympathy for those who move in circles which can quite happily
invite Lauren Bacall to a party - it's hard to emphasize with such poor rich
folk. And we get to see very little of the romance or bond between Austin
and Julien. Since the whole novel revolves around Austin, it seems strange
that Edmund White chose not for him to narrate the novel in the first
person. So Austin seems more remote than he should, whilst Julien appears
almost inscrutable. Sometimes the author is also quite clumsy in
referring to the period in which the novel is set. Do we really need to
know that White's protagonists fly into France, rather than traveling by train,
since the channel tunnel was not yet complete?
Once Austin leaves the rarefied setting of France, and goes to teach in
Providence in the U.S., the novel improves immeasurably. Austin and
Julien are separated by the drama of American immigration laws. For a
while, it seems to the casual observer that Edmund White could be pandering to
the Cultural Studies crowd (in which school his work is often appraised), by
his use of language. It's ironic that Austin's French audience jokily
accuse him of being too theoretical, since his lack of theory seems to be the
one thing holding him back at the American university, as he's caught in the
minefield of political correctness. Here, Austin takes a swipe at the
deconstructionists, post-structuralists, and gay theorists. It's also in
America that we meet another one of Austin's previous lovers, Peter, who is
slowly dying of AIDS. Julien dislikes this spoilt, whining American, but
Austin cannot abandon the man he'd promised he'd nurse through his illness...
Edmund White's characters do come alive, after a while, and the portraits of
Josephine and Henry McVay are excellent, along with Ajax, Julien's basset
hound. Here is where Edmund White it at his most powerful. As for
the 'married man'? At the resolution of this novel, it seems that Edmund
White's choice of title could be more complex than it initially appears.
AuthorTrek
Rating: 7/10.
Kevin
Patrick Mahoney.
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