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by G.K. Chesterton First Published 1912 I hesitate to write a review of "Manalive" because it is one of those books that can't properly be described in a review without somewhat peeling away the charm of the book. It is the story of Innocent Smith. He is a somewhat odd man. The story takes place in a bording house where Innocent Smith has blown in and convinced one of the ladies in residence, Mary Gray, to marry him. The rest of the people think that the young lady has lost her mind because she only met Mr. Smith earlier that day. In their attempts to dissuade Miss Gray from marrying Innocent Smith, they uncover disturbing things about his past. Though he seems charming and childlike, he has been accused in the past of attempted murder, burglary, and polygamy. They stage a trial within the boarding house to determine his guilt in these matters, to convince Mary Gray to refuse him. If I told you the results of the trial, that would give away far too much. This is a book where you will start reading it and think, "This is all very nice, but what is the point?" I say this as a warning not to give up too quickly. It is delightfully written and the beginning parts that seem odd should be fun enough to read to keep you going until the real action at the end. And all that stuff at the beginning really does have a purpose that isn't obvious until later. I don't exactly know how to describe the feeling of the book, as that is the main reason for reading it. It is a book that leaves you feeling oddly exuberant. It is similar to the feeling of the movie "Amelie" in that it is quirky, slightly weird, and absolutely charming. "Manalive" can be purchased for a few dollars at most book stores, and it is also available online at Project Gutenberg for free. It is under 200 pages. There is really no good reason for you to not go and read it. I promise that it is worth the time. It is a very underrated classic, like most of the works of G.K. Chesterton. |