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imho-reviews / fiction /
Tuesday, 26th November 2002, 12:05pm
An opinion by: Rascal
 The Salterton Trilogy

The Salterton Trilogy by Robertson Davies

Like many a good Canadian, I have read Davies' acclaimed "Deptford Trilogy", and comparing it to The Salterton Trilogy, the latter disappoints. I wanted to assume that The Salterton Trilogy was written first, in the way that you can excuse earlier works on account of the author's inexperience of life. This trilogy is just not very DEEP, unlike The Deptford Trilogy, which somehow manages to construct a fascinating mythology that is firmly rooted in the understated chilly existence of English-speaking Canada, a difficult thing indeed. Much of The Salterton Trilogy pokes fun at that Canadian social frost, but in a satiric manner, not at all magical.

But hey, the Salterton novels do improve in order of their appearance: Tempest Tost is a light comedy of manners about the amateur production of Shakespearean theatre in the university town of Salterton. Leaven of Malice takes a more affectionate look at some of the town's inhabitants, allowing for more characterization and less caricature. My fave was the last novel, A Mixture of Frailties, a rags-to artistic-riches story of a young woman of Salterton. Monica Gall, daughter to fundamentalist christians, receives a fairy-godmother-style scholarship to develop her singing talent in London. Her growth and awakening as an adult and artist are chronicled, with lots of good stuff about bohemian London lifestyles. This is excellent vicarious living for all girls with artistic aspirations. I loved reading it as much as I loved The Little Princess by France Hodgson Burnett 25 years ago. Also, at the end of this novel I was finally able to recognize the Davies I had known and liked so much before: the author who had placed a round white stone in the mouth of a suicide's corpse. A Mixture of Frailities has a very satisfying, un-saccharine ending. Monica's actions in the end put her in league with the best citizens of The Deptford Trilogy.



Readers have left 2 comments

I personally thought that the novel expressed in each character the inner-personal thoughts and feelings that we all experience at some point in our lives. My favorite book was the Tempest Tost actually. It was cut with shards of humor, and the everyday problems that arise when too many people attempt to join together on a project. Especially when the entire group is mixed of people of different experiences and backgrounds. The Salterton Trilogy is by far one of my favorite reads. I'm no expert, but I am very experienced in both the reading and writing of novels. Though Davies could have done a better job with the literary aspect of the novel, that in itself does not degenerate the quality of a well written novel.
Jennifer on Monday, 11th February 2008, 10:52am
Like many others I had never heard of Robertson Davies until someone gave me a copy of The Deptford Trilogy when I was in Grad School back in the 80's. I was blown away that small town Canadian characters were central to such an international story with enthraling elements of magic, mysticism and Jungian psychology. I didn't know what to expect when I ran across the individual novels of the Salterton trilogy many years later. However, I was again immediately fascinated - this time by the characterization and the author's close observation of the social layers of Canada in the 50's. The richness of these novels comes from Davies' actual experience as an actor/director, as a journalist and as a college lecturer. HIs novels made me feel I was taking an authentic trip into a little theatre production, into the workings of a mid-sized newspaper and across the Atlantic to London's artistic and bohemian community.

I wouldn't trade either of these trilogies for the the complete works of modern blockbuster authors such as Turow or Grisham.
Roger on Monday, 1st September 2008, 2:04am

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