Finishing the novel I was first of all surprised at how much I'd forgotten about it, especially the ending which I couldn't remember at all, beyond knowing it had a lot to do with Holden's sister Phoebe. What was particularly striking was how right the ending seemed this time round. That image of Phoebe on the roundabout and her brother in the rain has a brooding yet oddly warm valedictory quality that uncannily synchronises with the mood of the novel.
In fact, the increasing power of the episodes towards the end of the novel, and the sense underlying them that Holden really is falling apart in an entirely believable way, has an iron grip on the reader. Well, this one now. Reading the book many years ago I'm embarrassed to say they pretty much left me cold and seemed like hard work. The sequence with the Antolinis, and Holden's first conversation with Phoebe are just spot on - seemingly offhand but deeply resonant. Phoebe is utterly right as a child and Holden's almost obsessive adoration of her is totally convincing, as is his distrust of Mr Antolini's ultimate motives for helping him.
Has any other writer ever done the disturbed sexuality of adolescence as well and honestly as this? And the whole thing Is so deeply, appallingly funny!
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