Spark, Muriel (Vol. 8) - Spark, Muriel 1918–
Spark, Muriel 1918–
A Scottish-born novelist, poet, short story writer, playwright, essayist, and biographer, Spark now lives in Rome. Her novels are distinguished by her satirical approach and the sense of intellectual distance she puts between herself and her characters, an imaginative assortment of tyrannical nuns, languorous jet-setters, and enigmatic spinsters. (See also CLC, Vols. 2, 3, 5, and Contemporary Authors, Vols. 5-8, rev. ed.)
[Muriel Spark] seems to lack some important, or at least useful human dimensions—such as humor, compassion, generosity or tolerance.
This intrinsic compression of spirit she tries to disguise in satire, and brings it off well, as our attention is usually drawn to the glittering rapier and its victim, not the wielder. But does she satirize society, fashions in people, fads in pretension and hypocrisy? No. What Spark is after is the quick of her character's soul, and that is less satire and...
[The entire page is 4943 words long]
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