Mrs. Osmond

Freedom. Every time I finish reading a novel by John Banville, I think about the delight he must feel in his freedom to have fun by writing the books he wants to write. In his latest novel titled, Mrs. Osmond, Banville takes Isabel Archer, the heroine of Henry James’ novel, The Portrait of a Lady, and twists the story in ways that made me smile. While the prose can be tough slogging at times as Banville writes in the style of James for this homage, the shift in plot made up for any challenges. Isabel returns to Gilbert Osmond in Italy with a surprise and she is admired by the way in which she turns the tables on a bad situation. This novel is all about freedom and Banville’s joy in writing it comes through, especially for those readers who enjoy literary fiction. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Mrs Osmond from amazon.com.