Swashbuckling

At the moment I’m reading a swashbuckling novel. I chose the book as something light & action-packed. I seem to have been reading rather heavier novels of late.

I’m being forced to realise some of the requirements of such a genre by the deficiencies in this novel.

This book has paragraphs that go on for a couple of pages at a time – rather off-putting. I would have accepted it if I was reading a Victorian novel, Dickens for example, but not from a contemporary writer. Much of the time is spent on description – interesting in that it is primarily set in Seville, Spain, a city I’ve never visited – and going off on tangents to events that have happened in the past or will happen in the narrator’s life after the time the novel is set in. The problem with both these stylistic features is that it detracts from any suspense & action. The little side-track to a bit of romance I can accept but this is too much.

My consolation is that it is short book. That being so I feel I should stick with it. Maybe all the swashbuckling will occur in the last 75 pages, for that is all I have left. I hope so.

I’m telling myself it is the translation. It was originally written in Spanish. However, if that is the case it doesn’t say much for the translation. I suspect, though, the translator has been using these rather intimidating long paragraphs, reminiscent of Proust, to capture something of the essence of the original text. Certainly other contemporary Spanish authors I’ve read have not had these stylistic characteristics.

For me a swashbuckler is about action & pace. A few historical details, a bit of romance, etc. are fine provided they don’t interfere with the pace – they just put the action into historical, geographical & other context. Unfortunately that’s not the case in this instance.

When we go to the library later today, I’ll certainly be looking out for something with a bit more pace & pizzazz. I still for the need to be swept away by fast pace, something that will leave me not wanting to put the book down. Let's hope I can find one.