Book Review: A woman and two men stranded on an island named Robinson, owned by a man named Robinson, inhabited by a man named Robinson. What does it all mean? Muriel Spark's second book moves from the sparkling wit of her first novel, The Comforters, to character-study, religion, and a touch of philosophy; all of Spark's books are radically different from the one preceding. Our protagonist in Robinson is a strong woman, January Marlow, assertively feminine ("I don't feel quite myself without make-up"), standing up for herself in this strange land, and doing what she needs to survive. She keeps a journal while on the island with the thought that she might "later dress it up for a novel." One of the men is aggressive and offensive, the other gentle and sensitive. Robinson is distant, judging, and intends to maintain his authority. This short book contains multitudes: violence, blood, death, superstition, religion, belief, and more. We learn to know well all the characters, and then follow their interactions, including Miguel, a young boy both independent and at the mercy of the forces dancing about him. In the end, the reader cannot help seeing the religious symbolism at the heart of the book, but I think Spark goes into the symbolism for a penny, not a pound. It is simply coextensive with the story, the plot, the characters, but does not overwhelm or subsume them. You can enjoy Robinson without the symbolism, and you can enjoy the symbolism while still absorbing the story. A quick and excellent read, enjoyable and mildly challenging at the same time. Enjoy the story, let your thoughts be provoked, or both. {note; Goodreads lists this as first published in 1954, but it was first published in 1958}[4 Stars]
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