Status: 07.08.2024 06:00
“Eve” by Amor Towles takes us into the – not always glamorous – film world of the 1930s. Unfortunately, the story does not develop any pull, but turns out to be a somewhat long-winded episodic narrative.
This novel begins almost like a film: An older man and a young woman meet on a train – on the way from New York to Los Angeles. In 1938, it is a journey that takes days. The two eventually start talking quite casually:
Then she held out her hand across the table. “My name is Evelyn Ross.” She had a good grip. “Charlie Granger.” She took a fresh cigarette from the pack and lit it. “And what’s your story, Charlie?” Read sample
As a reader, you get to know Eve in the first third of the book from the perspective of the other characters – including Charlie, a former police officer, and the actress Olivia de Havilland.
Breakthrough with “Gone with the Wind”
When they arrive in Hollywood, Eve and Olivia meet in the bathroom of a restaurant and quickly become friends. Olivia has already landed a few roles, but suffers from the fact that her life is controlled by the bosses of a film studio. She is on her way to becoming a star and is currently filming “Gone with the Wind” with director George Cukor:
“It will probably be one of the biggest films of the year, if not the decade, and Cukor thinks I’m just right for one of the lead roles – a young woman who is lovely and sincere, but also resilient and determined.”
Olivia de Havilland is ultimately nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of Melanie Hamilton.
A blatant attempt at blackmail
So far, so historically true: Amor Towles skillfully mixes fact and fiction here. But his book is still not a “historical novel”. In his story, the actress’s clean, innocent image is threatened with tarnishing. And this is ensured by an envelope that is handed to Olivia by a messenger in her hotel:
In the envelope were two photos and a handwritten note. They were glossy black and white photos and they showed Olivia naked. (…) When Eve read the message – a demand for money and the announcement that a phone call would follow – she felt her face grow hot and her hand begin to shake.
A blatant attempt at blackmail. But Eve takes on the matter and wants to protect her friend from bad headlines.
Confusing, boring plot
This could have been a brisk story in the second part of the novel. But Amor Towles stays true to his style and tells the story from many different perspectives. This makes the plot rather confusing and seems to be artificially drawn out. Every minor character is told in detail. Unfortunately, this is extremely boring. And Eve, as a strong, independent female character, almost gets a little lost. That’s a shame! Especially because Towles can be such a great storyteller – as he showed with his novel “A Gentlemen in Moscow”.
The bottom line is that “Eve” tells of the dark side of the Hollywood dream factory in the 1930s. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t have the pull of blockbuster films, but turns out to be a somewhat long-winded episodic narrative. Less would have been more here.
Eve
by Amor Towles
Number of pages:224 pages Genre:Novel Additional information:Translated from the American by Susanne Höbel Publisher:Hanser Order number:978-3-446-28125-7 Price:24 €
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NDR Kultur | New books | 07.08.2024 | 12:40
