UV by
Serge Joncour
This novel falls into a tradition of unsettling suspense novels in which French writers
have excelled for half a century. Boileau and Narcejac, who wrote the book on which
Hitchcock's 'Vertigo' is based, were especially good at creating mystery and unease.
Joncourt may be indirectly indebted to his predecessors, but his prime concern is in
the exploration of character rather than the creation and unravelling of a mysterious
plot. The flaw in the book is that the characters are not as interesting as one would
wish. This, coupled with the anti-climactic nature of the book's final section, means
that 'UV' promises rather more than it ultimately delivers.
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