The Life and Death of Sophie Stark

Maybe I've just read a lot of books on the longer side recently, but it felt like I read this very quickly. I loved the use of multiple narrators, telling the life story of Sophie Stark, an eccentric film director, from their own unique perspectives. If you love unreliable narrators, then this is definitely a good book for you. Here, there are 6 of them! This is fantastic character study, despite the fact that by the end of the novel, you are still unsure who Sophie really is. It feels like none of the narrators truly understand her, and in the same way it's impossible for the reader to get full picture of what makes her tick. Is she inhuman, manipulative, or is she simply misunderstood, unable to understand social norms, an outcast? I predicted her fate completely, so I can't say I thought the ending was brilliant, but overall this was a super compelling and quick read that I'd highly recommend.

Sophie Stark is the complex unlikable character at the center of The Life and Death of.... She's the focus of the novel, yet her voice is never heard. She's never given the chance to tell her own story. Yet through the eyes of others the reader gets a sense of who Sophie Stark is and that image is perhaps more telling that than if Sophie herself told the story. It's through these voices, these implications that Sophie is a real bitch, that the reader begins to see Sophie as the persecuted as well as the persecutor.

Anna North's novel certainly succeeds in creating characters who are multi-dimensional and interesting. The Life and Death of Sophie Stark is an excellent portrayal of the darker side of people. The language and pacing fit the story well. And the questions of victimhood are raised so subtly that one must either be ignorant of their existence or applaud the author for her craft.

All in all, The Life and Death... is a very strong book. Perhaps the concluding chapters weren't quite as sharp as the bulk of the book, but they did what was needed to finish the story. This novel did make me question my own criticism of art. I tend to err on the side of caution when judging a book or piece of music or whatever... but from time to time I speak my mind. I think honesty is important, even in art, but one must weigh it against perspective. Artists need to be open to criticism if they are going to expose their works to the world; in the same breath, critics need to keep in mind that artists are merely human and that their words can harm. Even without this extra consideration, The Life and Death of Sophie Starks deserves the five stars I award it.