Gallery Books, October 13, 2015.
Four Stars
Much has been written about Samuel Clemens and his alter ego, Mark
Twain. In Cullen’s new novel, Clemens is reaching the end of his life, and
reflecting back as he writes his biography. His hubris is strong throughout the
story, as he is more concerned with his reputation than recording what actually
happened in his life. He procrastinates finishing the autobiography, fearing
that its end will be his as well. However, there were clearly some major differences
between the real Clemens and his fictional construct, Twain – so in reality,
his autobiography is a fictional work, describing the man he wished the public
to see.
Clemens took his fictional name from a riverboat term, but it is also
observed by another character that Twain means “twin” – Mark is Samuel’s twin,
or alter ego. They each showcase a different side of his personality. Even
today, Twain is seen as the jolly American humorist, while – in this version,
at least – Clemens appears as an angry old man. The contradictory nature of the
man is what makes his story so interesting.
Twain’s End focuses on the
women in Clemens’ life, including his wife and daughters, and most of the novel
is written from the perspective of his secretary, Isabel. While she clearly
respected and even idolized him, he treats her as an emotional punching bag. Clemens
accuses Isabel of trying to steal from him, of ruining his relationships and of
trying to marry him – yet when she decides to marry another man, he truly turns
against her. Obviously, Clemens felt more for Isabel than he let on. He was
clearly charming, and Isabel fell for his womanizing ways. She was led to
believe that she was an integral part of the family, but she was cast out
without a second thought.
This novel was very well researched, with plenty of historical detail.
It was all interesting, but sometimes it slowed down the plot. The slow pace of
the novel was made up for with strong character development and intriguing
anecdotes about Clemens’ life. Because we often study historical figures in
isolation, it was surprising to see Helen Keller turn up in Clemens’ parlour
for tea. I was captivated by the conversation between the two, as their
friendship was not something I had known about.
The character of Isabel was very simplistic, and she was only likeable
once she got out from under Clemens’ spell. She was more useful as a lens to
view Clemens’ private side, and explore issues of public personalities and celebrity.
Twain was a flawed yet lovable character who Clemens could hide behind – he was
idolized by Americans as the voice of the people, in spite of his many personal
issues. However, fictionalized biographies such as Twain’s End add layers of depth to readings of classical literature
such as Huckleberry Finn, and learning more about the man behind the iconic
character of Mark Twain is always worthwhile.
I received this book for free from Gallery Books and NetGalley in
exchange for an honest review.
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