The Swimming Pool Library - Alan Hollinghurst (7/100)

Fuente de la imagen: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30106.The_Swimming_Pool_Library

Nota: Gracias Papelito Clandestino por el préstamo y la recomendación. Me gustó la forma en la que se desenvolvió la primera parte del libro y la construcción de un personaje inglés y flemático que es trasparente en sus experiencias.

The Swimming Pool Library was Hollinghurst's first novel and published on 1988. It is the story of Will, a man of my age (25 years old) who is financially favoured by having inherited early part of the fortune of his grand father, a noble man who means something important and trascendental for the main character.

Presented like a liquid lover living in London, not worried about getting a job because of his economic capability. He is in love with a black poor man called Arthur. His life develops in the Corry a place dedicated to swimming and doing excercise where he meets many of his lovers. Above in the note, I mention how much I loved the development of the first part of the story. 

The first part introduces the basic elements that will be meaningful at the end. Will is homosexual, has a doctor friend called James, saved the life of Charles (an old aristcracand) and is in love with Arthur. The black lover is living with him when suddenly gets to his home hurt. He confesses he has killed the partner of his brother.

Afterwards, Arthur disappears and Will focuses on Phil, a young muscled man that goes to the Corry.

London gay scene is presented through Will's trips around the city: The places where people hungry to have experience go, the schools where violation, love and sexual exchange mark children's hearts, the art environment and the swimming pools.

Lord Charles, the man he saved has the desire that Will writes his story. His diaries indicate how he lived and fell in love in Africa with a small boy. As a gay man he was followed and prosecuted by Will's grandfather, whose vision about LGBT population was strict and quite retrograde. 

A world of confussion and new born life starts when Will realizes who his grandfather was. On the other hand, he finds accidentaly Arthur again and watches Phil sleeping with an old friend.

To be honest, what I liked about the book was the state of peace and freedom to experiencie that Will had because of his beliefs and financial position. I feel the book tried to take part of the transparent and dark descriptions of Oscar Wilde. However, beyond the good descriptions of particular characters and magic landscapes, the story itself might have been strengthened.