Type of bind: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
Format: Bargain Price
Label: Knopf
Manufacturer: Knopf
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 400
Printing Date: January 10, 2006
Publishing house: Knopf
Release Date: January 10, 2006
Sale Popularity Level: 663246
Studio: Knopf
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Arthur is a child of Scottish decent growning up in England with his mother and siblings. His father, deemed a worthless alcoholic, is carted off to an insane asylum never to be seen by his family again. Arthur, with his intelligence and determination, educates himself, becomes a doctor, and then becomes the world famous author and creator of Sherlock Holmes.
Meanwhile, George is being raised in a small town by a Vicar and his wife - the Vicar of Indian decent and his mother, Scottish. George grows up a sheltered naive boy without many friends. But somehow he seems to have enemies because when he is in his 20s he is framed for the slaughter of numerous farm animals, is convicted, and sentenced to a 7 year prison sentence of which he is forced to serve 3.
George and Arthur become the most unlikely of aquaintances when George seeks Arthur out to endeavor to clear his name. Arthur takes on the cause and begins his own investigation - the type to make Holmes proud. Through this strange friendship a supportive relationship emerges. All the while we learn more details of each's family and relationships with others. The two could not be more different but forge a friendship based on odd similarities.
This novel starts out wonderfully. Each section is told from the viewpoint of either George or Author, switching back and forth. I am a particular fan of this style of storytelling, and for about the very first third to half of the book it worked well. As you were reading about one, you were eager to get back to the story of the subsequent - the story intrigued you enough to keep going to find out what would happen next. Then the author told a few chapters from the perspective of other characters - only a few times - that seemed out of place and random. These points of view appeared and then disappeared as quickly. It interrupted the rhythm of the story.
About halfway through the novel the story itself fell apart. The chapters got longer and longer and more self indulgent. They became the self righteous rantings of each character lamenting and whining about his own individual predicament. The characters ceased being sympathetic and instead were annoying. By the end it didn't matter what happened, only that it came to an end.
What started out as very well written resulted in a huge disappointment. It averages out to...average.
Rated by buyers 
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A perfect book. Subtly beautiful. Completely engaging. Julian Barnes throws just enough of his change-ups so that you are never exactly sure what direction he is going.
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