May I belatedly congratulate Faber on their excellent initiative to re-publish first novels by well known writers as a celebration of the publishing house’s eightieth birthday. It’s an original idea to celebrate both the Faber anniversary and the authors in this way.
You will not, therefore, be surprised to hear that I was immediately smitten and decided to try “Bliss”, Peter Carey’s first offering. It was not a difficult choice for me, having always been a Carey fan. Though read some time ago, I truly enjoyed “Oscar and Lucinda”, “Illywhacker” and “The True History of the Kelly Gang”.
All these three books verge on the absurd and Carey never fails to see the world from his own idiosyncratic perspective, a perspective which generally falls on the right side of believable and readable. His writing also has pace and takes the reader along with effortless ease.
Not quite so, I’m afraid, with “Bliss”, whose main character, hail fellow well met advertising executive Harry Joy, having had a near death experience following a heart attack, believes he has gone to hell. Subsequently, amongst other things, his children have an incestuous relationship, his wife sets fire to a New York advertising agency and Harry himself takes up with a hooker called Honey Barbara. The book ends with Harry apparently having found real joy with Honey Barbara in the rural community where she originated.
I think the heart attack was intended to demonstrate how death can be a necessary prelude to life. I’m afraid, despite my desire to like the book, it was all just too whacky, too over the top. Very much a first attempt, I’m afraid.
