本棚登録 : 
感想 : 
Pinkie, a 17 year old gang leader murders Hale. He fabricates an alibi using Spicer, one of his gang. Spicer fears and gets paranoid that Rose, a 16 year old waitress, witnesses Spicer passing himself off as Hale.
To ensure his safety Pinkie murders Spicer and plans a marriage to Rose as a wife would not testify against her husband.
Ida Arnold, who had a brief encounter with Hale just before his death, suspect the murder and tries to save Rose from Pinkie.
Part One is Hitchcockian, fast paced and cleverly plotted. From Part Two onwards its tone changes completely, from a detective story into an intense psychological drama of Pinkie (and Rose). This abrupt change can be regarded as a flaw as the author admits that he should have destroyed Part One but I think it is minor.
Very convincing characterisation of Pinkie is the backbone of the whole narrative. Although he is evil and cruel he suffers from his own ignorance, immaturity and shabby upbringing. It is interesting that he dislikes common pleasures such as alcohol and sex; he drinks soft drinks at pubs and he is a virgin who recalls his parents’ sex with disgust.
His relationship with Rose is dynamic in a sense that his perception of her forever swings between hatred and fear. Though Rose represents innocence and is deceived by Pinkie, she has a strange power over him with her stubbornness, maternal instinct and Christian faith which is shared by him.
Ida is a symbol of humanity and justice yet she is not depicted as a serious person as if the author is dubious about an idea of justice.
Justice is done at the end but in an ironical manner.
What I felt both logically and emotionally is that Evil and innocence, the right and the wrong, they are not opposite pole, they are uncannily interchangeable.
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- 感想投稿日 : 2010年5月26日
- 読了日 : 2010年5月26日
- 本棚登録日 : 2010年5月26日
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