The Rehearsal
Written by: Eleanor Catton
Published by: McClelland & Stewart 2010

 

Here is a dramatic book about - drama, coincidentally enough. Eleanor Catton writes her debut book on a very dramatic, controversial topic: a High School sex scandal between a middle-aged jazz band teacher named Mr. Saladin, and one of his students, Victoria. This book jumps between the perspectives of three characters: a saxophone teacher, a boy named Stanley who is a student at the local Drama School, and Isolde, Victoria’s younger sister.

After the scandal between Victoria and Mr. Saladin, Isolde becomes a pity case at her high school. As she learns about the scandal between her sister and the teacher, she is quickly introduced to a fellow student, Julie. Julie is rumoured around school to be a lesbian. Isolde and Julie quickly become friends, but that friendship is challenged when the students, mainly the girls, start saying that Julie and Isolde are lovers. Isolde also meets a young budding actor, Stanley, and quickly becomes friends with him as well. Isolde finds herself forced to determine her sexual orientation.

I was very let down to one simple thing in this novel - the lack of details, when it comes to the relationship of Victoria and Mr. Saladin. I want to know how it started, how far did it go, and how long did it last. Catton makes these two characters very minor players, only used sparingly, to keep us in the dark.

This novel allows you to understand the characters’ struggles, making them realistic, and easy to relate to. "The Rehearsal" is a book with a very descriptive and controversial story line. This novel has a lot of sexual innuendo. I would not recommend this book for young teenagers. This book is much too descriptive and controversial for even today’s young teenagers. This novel jumps from character to character, and situation to situation. For those not used to a jumpy book it may be difficult to "get into" but in the end worth every bit of trouble. On occasion, the reader is uncertain whether the scene is real, theatrical or imagined. The actors speak with foresight, the "real" people with insight. Both are eloquent, poetic. Though jumpy, this book is well-defined, and descriptive enough to keep you, the reader, enthralled. The ending especially leaves you wanting more and more, wishing that there was no end in sight. Now feel free to do what I do and sit down on the couch with a warm blanket and a nice cup of tea, and ENJOY!!

Article by: Kaity Rockwell
posted:30 Nov 2010

Related Link: http://www.mcclelland.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780771019838