THE FINISHING SCHOOL, by Muriel Spark, Doubleday, 181 pages, $16.95.
Dame Muriel Spark is a literary institution in England and the United States — dating from the huge success of "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," (1961), which was also a popular film.
A native of Edinburgh, Scotland, Spark has now, at the age of 86, finished her 22nd novel, "The Finishing School." Written in a proper, British style, this book is irresistible enough to allow readers to overlook its flaws — chiefly Spark's annoying little asides, which disturb the flow of the book and would have been better left out.
The focus is on Rowland and Nina Mahler, who establish an itinerant European boarding school for eight wealthy, often spoiled teenagers, both girls and boys. It is called College Sunrise and currently is housed in Switzerland. (It used to be in Belgium)
The Mahlers, who are in their late 20s, use the school as a steady source of income so Rowland can write his novel. He does teach creative writing, but he leaves the administrative responsibilities to Nina. She also teaches etiquette seminars.
When 17-year-old Chris Wiley, a brilliant redhead, enrolls, he tells the Mahlers he intends to write his own novel about Mary, Queen of Scots, and the murder of her husband, Lord Darnley. Rowland, who is suffering from writer's block, becomes personally threatened by the exceptionally talented young man. At one point, Rowland becomes so distressed he says, "I could kill him — but would that be enough?"
In the meantime, Chris steadily works on his novel, making good progress but expressing little concern for historical accuracy, which also offends Rowland. Moreover, Chris refuses to show Rowland the novel-in-progress, even though Rowland is a creative-writing teacher. The theme of the book, introduced early, is jealousy. Rowland is consistently dispirited as Chris continues to write and talk about his work. Ironically, Chris's novel is also about jealousy.
Spark intones, "And jealousy is an affliction of the spirit which, unlike some sins of the flesh, gives no one any pleasure. It is a miserable emotion for the jealous one and with equally miserable effects on others."
One day, when Chris is away, Rowland lets himself into Chris' room and makes a concerted but unsuccessful search for the manuscript. Chris has been careful to hide it in case of just such an eventuality.
When Nina convinces Rowland he needs time away to get over his obsessive feelings about Chris, he agrees and spends some time at a monastery. Soon, Chris comes to join him because he finds that Rowland's obsessive behavior actually has become a muse for his writing.
The first two-thirds of the book move along brilliantly, with Spark demonstrating an admirable talent for light satire with moral overtones. There is an early hint that Rowland's obsession with Chris might have sexual connotations as well as literary ones. Rowland and Chris argue about the technique of writing the novel — Rowland suggesting that when a novel works, "the characters take over." But Chris is adamant that in his case, the characters "live the life I give them."
The final third of the book is a bit disappointing; Spark seems in a hurry to wrap up the plot and make everything turn out neatly. It's as if she doesn't have time to finish it. Chris's solid talent and self-possession suddenly slip to normal when potential publishers criticize it — and this seems inconsistent. If the author had thrown herself into the last third, climaxing with as much wit and wisdom as she practiced in the beginning, this would be an absolutely terrific novel.
Instead, it is merely good.
E-mail: dennis@desnews.com