I read this book having spent some time in and around Collioure (which is where Patrick O'Brian lived) and along the Mediterranean coastal edge of the Pyrénées between France and Spain—so, where the story is set. And what attracted me to it initially was an interest in the identity of the place, where the Catalan flag flies both sides of the border; and the language, food and culture are definitely of 'The Catalans'; and also due to a curiosity about the attractions of the area to 20th century artists, including Matisse, Picasso, Dali and Mackintosh, up to and including the era of the novel's setting and O'Brian's residence there (O'Brian was a biographer of Picasso). So, I read it because of an interest in the surrounding background, rather than the subject of the storyline and was hoping for some insights into the uniqueness of the time and place, at the time of its writing—which was what the write-up on the book jacket seemed to promise. In that I was a little disappointed, since the themes of the plot could as easily have been set in any provincial village almost anywhere in Europe, where social hierarchies and moral values from the 1920s (or before) had carried forward into the post WWII period. Yes, there is confirmation in the detail of the narrative of the story's actual location, though little that extends much beyond what is still self-evident in the landscape and character of its older architecture and surviving culture. I didn't feel the scenario was specifically Catalonian or that the telling of the tale depended greatly on O'Brian's observations of something unique, both of which I had expected.That leaves an odd sort of romance involving mismatched relationships and an assortment of intense feelings among the protagonists, not necessarily for the right reasons—and none of whom seem especially likeable. The stuff of gossip and family feuds, with the beautiful Madeleine as a passive pawn for most of the plot; and an ending that made me momentarily think that the last page of the book had been torn out. Readable, yes—will I be reading anything else by Patrick O'Brian any time soon; probably not, despite his reputation as a novelist.
I was curious to read The Catalans, one of O'Brian's early novels, because Stephen Maturin, the ship's doctor of the Aubrey-Maturin series, has a Catalan background. As it turns out, the main character, Alain Roig, shares a lot of Stephen's characteristics.The book is short, with some very beautiful descriptive writing. It takes place in a small fishing town on the Mediterranean near the Spanish border, sometime, I think, between the wars. The author clearly has a great love for the region and its people. He lived in the city of Collioure for many years with his wife. With great economy, he manages to paint a detailed portrait of the area, its history and the families involved in the story. By the end, I found myself caring very much about what happened to Alain and Madeleine. The pace is slow, but it builds to a dark, heart-thumping finale.
What do You think about The Catalans: A Novel (2007)?
Going to the Catalans and want to bring along a companionable novel to add depth to the charm of that region of Spain?...What's that? You've never heard of Catalan? Yeah, me neither, not until I started reading the works of Patrick O'Brian.It seems this Irish author, mostly known for his Master & Commander series, spent a good part of his early life in the Catalan area, and so the place and its people come into play in his work. Don't make the same mistake I made going into this. This is not a non-fiction about Catalan, as the title may seem to allude. I overlooked the "A Novel" part when I read it, not realizing it's a fictional novel about a small village of people; a humorous, colorful, tightly wrapped tale of a native son's return and his involvement in a minor, local scandal. While not O'Brian's most brilliant work, it is very good nonetheless. The real gold is in the details. There are parts that read as well as any travel article. You feel immersed in the culture. The characters are as colorful as you could wish. The Catalans: A Novel is a real journey to a real place.
—Jason Koivu
At this second reading I have drastically changed my feelings about this short novel from those I had five years ago when I first read the work. The book is a discussion by O'Brian about the culture he found upon moving to a Catalan village in the South of France shortly after WWII. The story and the characters serve to tell us about that culture and some of the author's questions about human relationships and religion. The quality of the writing is still very good, but I find with this second time through that I really don't much like the culture or the characters or the story.Rating 2009This work gives you the beautifully crafted prose one expects from O'Brian. The story is appealing for the well-bred literate adult and I only rate it 4 stars, rather than 5, because it is a little too sedate for my tastes.
—Ross
