The Black Tower – P.D. James
Jan 6th, 2011 by Ashley
The Black Tower is the book that got me into the beautiful writing of P.D. James. I first read it when I was in college; it was part of a then-ongoing collection of mystery novels (in Chinese translation.) I was fascinated by the complexity and the sophisticated description of her characters’ psyche. But honestly, I didn’t quite remember what it was about when I picked it up again this time.
— Spoiler alert —
The Black Tower is the 5th Adam Dalgliesh story, and it seems to me that it is the equivalence of Lawrence Block’s Eight Million Ways to Die in terms of character development. Incidentally, Eight Million Ways to Die is the fifth Matthew Scudder novel. In The Black Tower, Dalgliesh learned that his fatal disease was merely a mis-diagnose. Ready to face his death, he was not prepared to go back to the life as he knew of. Through the progression of the book, Dalgliesh faced the internal as well as external conflicts and eventually broke through his questions and doubts regarding to his own existence. While in Eight Million Ways to Die , Scudder’s alcoholism brought him to the edge of self-destruction. Throughout the book he was struggling with himself and he finally came to terms with his problem in the most heart breaking way.
What’s brilliant about Ms James’ writing is that her characters, not likable in any ways, are vividly and “accurately” portrayed. We always know one or two persons that fit the description and thus we’re able to relate. Her voice is gentle, not too cold and distant, yet never over-passionate. Her choice of words are always elegant and delicate which enchant and engross the readers so that we are drawn uncontrollably into the world she painted.
The Black Tower has the elements of a gothic tale and the “mystery” in the story is not what really matters. For me, it’s an intriguing journey that Dalgliesh went through and rediscovered himself.