With A Boy’s Own Story, after coming to terms with the author’s rather ornate writing style, the main problem for the reader is trying to work out whether the tale is being told in hindsight, or are the current thoughts of rather precocious youth. a pity because apart from this, possibly deliberate, ambiguity the characters are very well imagined.
White can actually tell a story, there is a very long paragraph towards the end where he rounds up the subplots in a very sharp and funny way, the humour is quite zany in its part.
Plough through this book, you will enjoy it for the incidental charm, the central character is just a piece too previous for local tastes. And the writing is too overripe for a genuine masterpiece.
Links:
| Title | A Boy’s Own Story |
| Author | Edmund White |
| Publisher | Picador Classic |
| Amazon Link | A Boy’s Own Story |
| Pages | 256 |
| Price | £7.31 |
| Other Formats | Audio and Kindle |
