PENGUIN The Blue Afternoon

Notwithstanding that I agree with other reviewers that there is "padding," I found this book to be among Boyd's best. The setting in the Philippines, just after America had become the ruler, was eye-opening. The characters were very well-developed. One of Boyd's best characteristics is that his surprises are credible.

The love story between a young Filipino doctor and the beautiful wife of an American officer touches lightly the drama of the times. But then the mere surroundings, Manila, San Francisco, Lisbon and then Panay and the emotional strength they carry with give us an idea of their predicaments and of the dull existence we are in.

I am a William Boyd Fan but this book was so disappointing and I gave up reading after the second chapter.

You might not like all of William Boyd's novels, but you can never criticize his work for lacking originality or interesting characters. "The Blue Afternoon" certainly sits firmly in unusual context(s)--the Philippines 1903, Los Angeles and Lisbon 1936--and boasts some fascinating characters. In the latter category, the principals include a Filipino/Scottish surgeon, an American married woman who is the love of his life, a 30-something daughter who he has never seen and a Filipino anesthesiologist who aspires to be the first man to fly. There are abundant meaty secondary characters in support of the story.Largely a tale of passionate but thwarted love, the storyline is intelligent and credible despite the exotic settings and extreme ambitions and actions of its characters. As always with Boyd's books, you find yourself saying, "man, how did he come up with this stuff?" He is truly a fine writer with outsized imagination and creativity.

Je n'ai pu à aucun moment m'attacher aux personnages de cette histoire et me suis surprise à lire "en diagonale" un auteur que pourtant j'apprécie et j'admire pour ses constructions narratives et son style foisonnant. Dommage ...