Two old university friends meet in the years following graduation to catch up. Ted is a salesman and married to Kate, their mutual friend, and Robin is unemployed (and unemployable) dossing about not doing much, avoiding doing his thesis, and basically being depressed. And then poor Robin is accused of a shocking crime and his life begins to unravel.
I quite liked Jonathan Coe’s second novel, A Touch of Love, but it’s a tough book to summarise. Like all of his work, the tone of this story is light and comedic, so it’s not really about the criminal accusation, and, even when it is, it’s dealt with rather amusingly. But then that’s kind of the book’s major failing: its lack of focus, making it hard to understand what Coe was driving at.
I suppose if it’s about anything, it’s about heartbreak and regret, the topics of a gazillion songs. Robin was secretly in love with Kate but he never said anything to her or acted and so Ted ended up marrying her even though she, and Robin, might’ve been happier together. Or not - it’s unclear whether Robin’s current low mental state is a result of an unsuccessful love life or whether he was always this way. And in that regard it’s not badly done. The regret and might-have-been moments are rather poignant.
But it’s also a light satire on academia, particularly the humanities, and a fairly gentle critique of 1980s Britain (anyone else remember John Menzies and BHS?): the conservative politics, subtle racism, and the perceived increasing vacuity in the general populace. I think that’s why the book is not terribly memorable - Coe’s going after too many things, in a relatively short book too, but without leaving much of an impression on any of them. In that sense the title - A Touch of Love - is appropriate; it’s bland and forgettable, without much to suggest it.
And yet - I liked the novel too. It’s really well-written and surprisingly entertaining - enough that I blew through it in a weekend, no problem. There are four short stories dotted throughout, “written” by Robin, all of which were fun as well as providing an insight into his gloomy, lonely life and mind.
I didn’t really understand the point of the “crime” Robin committed, given how bizarrely it develops out of nowhere, other than to give him an arc, of sorts, and introduce us to Emma, his solicitor, whose life we also get to know. Was it to illustrate the random nature of existence? But Emma was an interesting character to get to know too so none of this stuff really bothered me, it’s just to say again that I have no idea what Coe was trying to say with this novel, if anything.
This is also the funniest Coe novel I’ve read yet. I particularly enjoyed the imaginary interview Robin gave in his head about his short stories:
“Interviewer: I suppose the university used to play an important part in your collective intellectual life.
Robin: Yes, it did. It was where we used to buy our sandwiches.
Interviewer: What would you say were the main characteristics of the group?
Robin: Pallor, depression, extreme social gracelessness, malnutrition and sexual inexperience.”
(p.133-134)
“Interviewer: Tell me about your writing. What are the distinguishing characteristics of your writing?
Robin: My writing falls into two distinct categories. There is my creative writing (not the best word, I know, but I can’t think of any other) and my critical writing. Now what distinguishes my creative writing, what it all has in common, what gives it a sort of thematic unity, is that it is all, without exception, unpublished. None of it has ever appeared in any printed form whatever, and none of it has ever attracted even a word of praise or approbation from any agent, editor or publisher’s reader.”
(p.134 - I didn’t copy out the whole answer because it goes on for a page but it’s all really funny)
It’s slow to start with but it builds up, and maintains, a good head of steam so that it’s a quick and, by turns, funny and entertaining read. It’s not Jonathan Coe’s best book, and you can see he’s still developing as a writer, but it’s accomplished too and definitely worth a look if you’re a fan of the author.
3.5 stars/5
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