A Far Cry from Kensington by Muriel Spark (1988)

Mrs. Hawkins, a formidable book editor, relates the private account of her early years in London.

Book Review: A Far Cry from Kensington is one of Muriel Spark's most autobiographical novels, but not in any way that makes it easier to pin down. Seemingly a satire about publishing, it includes numerous charming bits of valuable advice for both life and writing. If you read A Far Cry from Kensington near other people, you will certainly want to read these bits aloud to them. It mixes the serious with the comic with the tragic. There is hate and revenge. It's also a novel of literal transformation. As in Spark's previous novel Loitering with Intent, a young woman, here Mrs. Nancy Hawkins, comes to London to make her way in the world, and there learns much about writing, publishing, and the evil that lurks around corners. She is brave, bold, and not to be trifled with. Nancy, and Spark, use humor as a deadly weapon. A Far Cry from Kensington is the story of Nancy's (and Spark's) metamorphosis from a raw but courageous and talented girl to a triumphant woman of the world. All set in 1950s London. So good.  [4½★]