Jonathan Kemp: London Triptych

A grippingly fine first novel and a first-rate achievement. The triptych elements refer not only to the three narratives - set in London in 1998, 1954 and 1894 but to a set of paintings that is the major late-life achievement of one of these characters - the 1954 one.

The book gives a vivid and thoughtful account of ‘the gay experience’ told through the eyes of three very different people and as well as giving a picture of the social setting of that experience at these times, there is also the common theme of each of these people ‘looking for love’ in various places and ways - sometimes they find it, sometimes not, sometimes it seems it might be permanent, sometimes, more often than not, it is not, but this common search very effectively links the three narratives even though their settings, events and outcomes are very different - and the brief introduction of one character at the end of another’s narrative is well and touchingly done. It is not over-emphasised and all the more effective for that.

Each character is well differentiated in terms of writing style, and matching the narrator - the 1954 style being much more subdued, pedantic almost at times I thought, and with longer, more introspective sentences as opposed to the buzzing 1894 Wilde-era character. although for all, vivid details in the prose shine bright -I liked the fact that in an early scene, when the narrator has just arrived in London, he encounters an extravagantly exotic young man who is vividly described (a Club Kid, I think) but he also notices the chipped nail polish - a nice touch - and the wonderful description of his exotic flat with a furry carpet that is described as looking like a ‘muppet culling’. Brilliant image!

All of these people have the drive to be themselves and true to themselves and they do all, in various ways, achieve this - not always happily and not always with the indication that it will last but nevertheless, a strong and powerful over-arching idea.

Character development is full and convincing and at the end we feel that where they all are is where they should be and all have achieved some sort of peace and/or acceptance which they were all looking for from the start and was why they all came to London in the first place.

The police, also play an important role and this is well reflective of their roles and relationships with the gay community at each of these various times - certainly in the 1894 and 1954 sections.

An excellent book .