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Gentlemen and Players: A Novel (P.S.)by Joanne Harris |
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For generations, privileged young men have attended St. Oswald's Grammar School for Boys, groomed for success by the likes of Roy Straitley, the eccentric Classics teacher who has been a fixture there for more than thirty years. This year, however, the wind of unwelcome change is blowing, and Straitley is finally, reluctantly, contemplating retirement. As the new term gets under way, a number of incidents befall students and faculty alike, beginning as small annoyances but soon escalating in both number and consequence. St. Oswald's is unraveling, and only Straitley stands in the way of its ruin. But he faces a formidable opponent with a bitter grudge and a master strategy that has been meticulously planned to the final, deadly move.
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"Vale, magister" -  |
Gentlemen and Players: A Novel Review |
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Joanne Harris's "Gentlemen and Players," cleverly combines satire with a mystery thriller. It's set in an English elite grammar school for boys called St. Oswald's. Told in first-person alternating chapters by the revenge-bound sociopathic imposter posing as a teacher and Roy Straitley, the elderly Latin teacher who wants just one more term (which would make it an even hundred) before he retires, it's all about the sociopath's attempt to bring the school to its knees.
We learn quickly that the sociopath is the son of a porter (i.e., the caretaker), John Snyde, who was done a bad turn by the school. And now the son, who went to a "comprehensive" (i.e., public school) has returned to St. Oswald's (which he used to infiltrate as a child) under an assumed name. He creates a chain of mayhem, beginning with stolen pens and escalating to far more serious crimes, and brags on them in his chapters. Straitley tries to uphold the honor of the school although his colleagues (all with Dickensian or chess-derived names) believe he's well past it and try to get him to retire. Indeed, had it not been for the chaos the imposter has created, that is exactly what would have happened. But as it is, the old Latin teacher stays on the job, and adds amateur detective to his CV. T'would be a crime to reveal anything further about the plot, but surely there is no harm in praising the author for the way she evokes the time (autumn) and the place (the school and its grounds). You'll probably smell the chalk dust, and hear the chatter of the boys and the drone of the lessons, and get dizzy at a scene on a rooftop. To say nothing of the stalking menace of the sociopath, lurking in the shadows, planning the next move. Until . . . Notes and asides: The novel, originally published in the UK, has apparently been edited for an American audience. Some busybody has attempted, and badly, to change Britspeak for American. "Trainers," for example have sometimes been allowed to remain in Brit, while at others they have been changed to the U.S. "sneakers." However nobody thought to change the more obscure "Casualty" to "Emergency Room," although I'm sure U.S. readers will quickly figure that out. Since this silliness can hardly be blamed on the author, no stars are deducted here. The author has written a mini-essay in the back about her teaching years, and translations of the Latin are supplied there, too. |
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It's all how you play the game -  |
Gentlemen and Players: A Novel Review |
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A very different type of book for Joanne Harris. I followed the chess game between the two main characters with interest. I think if the cover hadn't hinted at a surprising twist, I would not have guessed early on what the twist would be. But it did and I did. |
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Great twist ending, medicore plot -  |
Gentlemen and Players: A Novel Review |
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This book was recommended to me in my discussion forum about books with twist or surprise endings. I thought that the end was great, I didn't see it coming at all. However, the book reminded me of Seinfeld, it just wasn't about anything. It's very narrative and descriptive where I would have preferred more action less talk. However, if you like books like that this one would be perfect. |
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Great story - |
Gentlemen and Players: A Novel Review |
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This is a great book. I thought the writing was superb The ending had a nice little twist, not too predictable. |
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Smart, British Grammar School Mystery - |
Gentlemen and Players: A Novel Review |
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"Gentlemen and Players" may not be the best known of Joanne Harris's works, "Chocolat" undoubtedly holds that title, but this novel is a riveting story worthy of praise for its intelligence and ingenuity. Centered around the public (private for those of us in the US) St. Oswald's grammar school for boys where things begin to go terribly wrong - and we are not talking paper airplanes and spit balls disorder, more like school for scandal.
As the school, and surrounding town, attempt to come to grips with the institution's unraveling, Harris weaves a set of plot twists that will have you flipping through the novel's pages trying to understand what you missed. This is a story of strategy and cunning shrouded in mystery and secrecy, which makes up for the fact that several rather repetitive descriptions. Although satisfying, this novel is also disconcerting not only because of its subject matter, but also because Harris challenges readers to accept that not everything in life works out neatly according to the rules (no matter how badly we desire it). This novel will make you think and feel, which is truly something wonderful. Harris herself dedicated over a decade to teaching in the British school system and her devotion comes through clearly in every chapter, not to mention a lovely essay reflecting on her teaching career in the P.S. edition. One word of caution to readers before diving unreserved into this novel piece of literature - this is a story involving children and not everything that happens is good. If you are bothered by this type of thing, it might not be the choice for you. Do not let this caution put you off entirely, but it was not something I was prepared for when I began reading. |
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