My Purple Scented Novel by Ian McEwan was a cleverly written short story.  It had the making of a great full length novel but this is not to take anything away from the story that was delivered.

It started out with a declaration about a life taken and the narrator indicates the words that follow can be considered his confession.    Well, naturally I was intrigued.   Without sharing too many details - it is after all a short story - a one-sided story of two friends unfolded.    It spoke to me of unadmitted jeaousies, deceitful behaviours and undeserved acts of magnanimity.       I had to wonder about how a person could behave in such an unconscienable way and display what seemed to me a complete lack of remorse.    The story kept my interest throughout and left me wishing it had been a full length, purple secnted novel.

Thanks to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and NetGalley for the free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First published in 2016; published by Vintage on June 19, 2018

“My Purple Scented Novel” is a short story of literary evil, the worst kind of evil imaginable in the world of serious literature: plagiarism. Two lifelong friends have known each other since college. Both are writers. One turned out to be successful. The other had children. Eventually, the world believes that one stole a novel from the other, and in fact that’s what happened, but the theft is not what it appears to be.

The reader might wonder what motivated the evil writer to act as he did. Jealousy? He denies it. A desire for wealth and fame? He claims to be content with a drafty house, a professorship that is dragging its way to tenure, and a legacy of out-of-print novels. But given his fiendish conduct, the reader might be disinclined to believe a word he says.

Maybe the evil deed is something that Ian McEwan could imagine himself doing if not for the talent that assured he would never be a mid-list, out-of-print author. Perhaps all great writers are a bit evil, at least in their imaginations.

Perhaps the point of the story is not so much the writer’s motivation as the deed itself, the audacity of behaving in such a selfish way and getting away with it. If it weren’t so awful, the display of chutzpah would almost be admirable.

“My Purple Scented Novel” was first published in the New Yorker and is now available as a Vintage Short. It is quite short, but McEwan fans who don’t want to read it (or listen to McEwan read it) on the New Yorker website now have the option of downloading it to a reading gadget. The story is worth a reader’s time regardless of how the reader decides to experience it.

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I’m not a huge Ian McEwan fan but I did enjoy this 48-page Vintage Short Story. I would give it a solid four out of five stars. I should really try reading more from this author it’s not fair to judge his entire catalog based on the two novels I read.

Clever short story about an author stealing a novel from his closest friend and how it changes their relationship.

Originally published in the New Yorker in 2016 and available free on-line, this relatively enjoyable but ultimately rather ordinary short story about literary theft has now been deemed worthy of being issued as a separate publication, rather than simply being included in a collection of McEwan’s short fiction – I assume to cash in on the author’s fame. The premise is quite interesting, for sure, and it’s well written and well-paced and raises some interesting points about friendship and plagiarism, but overall I felt it was nothing special.

A rather simple story for a renowned author to write.NetGalley wants a 100-word review, which doesn't equal the length of My Purple Scented Novel, so it seems fair. I enjoyed the story okay, but it just doesn't resonate as I would expect an Ian McEwan story to do. Nonetheless, I did read it in its entirety, so that left me wondering what the author could have done beyond this simple story. Sometimes simple is just what you get, right? But thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

As someone who tends to put writers on a pedestal, it came as a shock to find out that they can be just as petty, ego-driven as the mere mortals.

This is a very short short story about plagiarism. The worst of all, it's about stealing from your only friend, your best friend.

It was an enjoyable read, albeit, I needed it more. Good thing there are still so many McEwan books I haven't read yet.

A fast and interesting short story that is about the theft of an author's work. This is the first thing that I have read from this author, but I will be reading more in the future!

A lovely novella. Read in one sitting. Interesting look at how two writers who are close friends survive throughout triumphs and failures.

I received a copy of this Vintage Short from Netgalley. Ian McEwan's books are always intriguing, but sometimes his work feels lacking. It's probably sacrilege to criticize his writing, but I found the central concept of this short story cliched and familiar.

Writers Jocelyn and Parker have been friends forever, always attempting to write the next great novel. But, soon their lives change - Parker falls in love and takes up a teaching job to support his growing family. Jocelyn writes a screenplay, which is immediately picked up for production starring well-known actors. Thus, their seemingly similar paths diverge further and further away from each other. Jocelyn is the talk of the town, a new beauty on his arm every other day, while Parker must trudge through life and its endless disappointments. Jocelyn is a prolific writer and renowned in literary circles. Parker's writing is obscure. As Jocelyn peaks, Parker plateaus and falls away. But then, Parker, now in his fifties, makes a bold decision that will go on to affect both their lives.

There is an air of Maupassant and a hint of Chekhov to the story's aspirations, but Parker's plan is too far-fetched and also not dissimilar to plots we've read or seen before. The fact that Jocelyn never once recalls writing the original novel that Parker obviously plagiarized is not quite plausible. Three years isn't long enough for a writer to forget their words, and McEwan, of all people, should know that. Words and phrases that you've written feel real - almost tangible.

This has such a hum-drum quality to the story's proceedings, a formulaic approach that thwarts subversion, and is thereby unable to lift the words to a gripping narrative. This 'novel' idea is, in a word, predictable in how it is laid out. I guess, by not being 100% convinced by the central conceit of the story, the reading experience becomes less memorable.

One of the best McEwan's in my humble opinion (and I've not read all his oeuvre). The friendship reminded me a bit of his Amersterdam.

This was seeing a master craftsman at his work, where every word has it's place and is necessary. At the same time no unnecessary words or tangents. Superb craftsmanship in my opinion. And I'm still amazed, angry, almost laughing at the audacity. Nah as McEwan says, friendships get complicated like any other thing human.

Parker Sparrow and Jocelyn Tarbet have been friends since the beginning. They've suffered the slings and arrows of fortune together as young writers, they've slummed it and shared girlfriends and dreamed of a greater future. But now, in middle age, it's clear that Jocelyn has pulled away from the pack. His novels flow out of him with ease; he's on the verge of becoming a national treasure. Meanwhile, Parker and his family live up north, where he struggles to combine writing with a university teaching post. He's written novels too, of course. They just don't seem to pour out of him as Jocelyn's do. And he's yet to reach the level where any new book is automatically a bestseller. Not that Parker's envious. Not at all! He and Jocelyn have been friends forever, after all. But then, one day, chance presents Parker with an irresistible temptation. McEwan's short story, originally published in The New Yorker in 2016, was written to mark his own 70th birthday (and, indeed, he appears in a brief, unnamed cameo). It's a delicious tale of literary skulduggery and resentment, centred on a strangely likeable antihero. 

This review will be published as part of a short-story compilation post on my blog The Idle Woman later in June.

Amazing what McEwan was able to evoke in just a few pages of story: the diverging lives of once-equal friends; character and place and motivation and momentum; a terrible act done in secret and desperation and never discovered. This is the mark of a great storyteller.

I often have a difficult time with short stories but I will try anything McEwan writes. I have not universally loved everything he has written but he has written more than one novel that I unabashedly love. This is short even for a short story but it still managed to pack a punch and I was satisfied at the ending.

I received a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

There is something magical in the way that some author are able to write a short story that has a great impact as this one had on me. Thing is, even if you spend 15 minutes to read it, then you will keep on thinking about that forever, isn't that a great ability to have?

C'é qualcosa di straordinario nell'abilità che hanno alcuni scrittori di rendere una novella da 15 minuti, qualcosa a cui continuerai a pensare per tutta la vita, tipo questa.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

A special thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

McEwan pens a wonderful short story about the perfect literary crime to celebrate his 70th birthday!

Written as a confession from Parker Sparrow about his friendship and betrayal of celebrated novelist, Jocelyn Tarbet, this short is riveting from the first word. He is so clever, McEwan actually makes you root for the narrator even though he has plagiarized his best friend. Gah! So brilliant.

The writing is razor sharp, witty, and clever. Simply fab!

Short but great. Whether the author writes a short story or a novel I can count on great quality writing as well as a fun storyline. Can not wait for his next novel.

A perfectly fine and fun short story from a man who hasn't published a book in the format for decades now. I do wonder that the victim, being a smart and with-it novelist, would not have had a better idea of what had happened, but hey, his imagination clearly isn't as great as McEwan's. Four and a half stars.

A wry short story of authorial theft that distills a great deal of what makes McEwan an excellent author himself. Did he steal this idea from someone?

Clever. Short. Deadpan. Story about plagiarism. Where did McEwan get the idea?

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read a copy. I gather it’s also available online.