The Driver’s Seat by Muriel Spark
I’ve been wanting to re-read this short novel for some time now so I when I stumbled upon it at the library it seemed the time had come. This is easily one of Spark’s quirkier works. The story follows Lise as she is getting ready to go on holiday. I’m not sure how much more I can say about the plot without giving too much away. Let’s just say that Lise is complex and more than a little unhinged. But only certain authors are capable of writing unhinged characters this well. Spark does such amazing things with Lise that keeps readers constantly on our toes.
Lise crosses so many lines of sanity and responsibility that you would think it would make a rules-y, organized person like myself a little crazy. Instead I found myself relishing the insanity of this book and all the perils it contains.
It’s only 109 pages. You should read it tonight.
hogglestock 
That’s a wonderful poster. I have this book. May well just sit down and read it in one go…. :)
LikeLike
I love Muriel Spark (my favorite novel of hers is A FAR CRY FROM KENSINGTON; her autobiography, CURRICULUM VITAE, is also very good) and I love the movie adaptation, which is primo Liz-in-the-seventies when she was willing to try anything. However, I find it’s best to think of the book and the movie as two unrelated entities because in theme, tone, and execution they are completely different (although the movie does follow the novel’s plot line, more or less). The movie also has an Andy Warhol cameo–you can’t get much more early-seventies hip than that!
LikeLike
I didn’t know there was a film version of this – will have to check it out!
LikeLike
[J] Dammit, Thomas, how do you expect me to get a copy to read tonight? That’s so cruel, to wind up my interest in such a way it is it impossible to fulfill it. I shall now be forever disappointed! ;~) Seriously, though, this one’s got to go on my watch list – might pick up a nice copy on the internet.
LikeLike