Personality by Andrew O’Hagan was first published in 2003 and it won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize that year. I have to admit that that was the only reason I read this one as I have a bit of a personal challenge going on – trying to read all the books that have won that prize.
The author does begin with a note to the reader claiming that this is a work of fiction, but in truth it is very heavily based on the life of the Scottish child star Lena Zavaroni who becane wildly famous at the age of ten when she won Opportunity Knocks in the 1970s, for several weeks running. O’Hagan didn’t even bother to change ‘his’ personality’s place of birth or family circumstances. It didn’t feel like the 1970s and he got names wrong – Quivers Jelly might sound right but it was actually Chivers.
Young Maria Tambini of Rothesay, Isle of Bute, whose parents own a cafe in the town is well known locally for her amazing singing voice and when a talent scout is in the audience at a concert where Maria is performing the upshot is a spot on the very popular talent show Opportunity Knocks. A warning to readers from me is that the ghastly human being Hughie Green appears quite a lot in this book, but as a decent human being, not the vile man that we all discovered him to be after his death, although most of us probably had our suspicions. So at the age of 13 Maria is an international star, living in London with her female manager and her husband and having very little contact with her own family. Surprise surprise she develops anorexia nervosa and does a tour of TV shows talking about her problems, just as Lena did!
There is one sex scene in the book between Maria and her very caring and loving boyfriend, not that you would get that idea from the way it is written and the language used to describe it is just so wrong for the situation. I was wondering if O’Hagan was hoping to win that Bad Sex prize.
The only difference is the ending, and by that time we’re getting into a version of the crazy fan à la John Lennon, with a twist to that too. Hurrah, the author used his imagination. I cannot imagine how this book won the James Tait Black Prize, there must have been many better books published in 2003.
I so hope that the next prize winner I read is better. I’m so annoyed that he ripped off a very sad life, she was used and abused enough in her lifetime.
Sounds awful! I hate when authors so blatantly use a tragic celebrity in this way. I remember Val McDermid – usually a favourite of mine – did it a few years ago with Jade Goody’s story, and it put me off her for a long time. Haven’t completely forgiven her even yet! Think I’ll skip this one…
FictionFan,
I didn’t realise that about Val McDermid. I really don’t know how they have the nerve to do it, it’s such a cheek. They shouldn’t bother writing at all if they’re so stuck for plots. I wish I had skipped this one.
SPOILERS!
Finally, someone who sees this book for what it really is.
I have so many problems with this novel that it borders on obsession! Firstly, I found the way O’Hagan approached a fictionalised story of Lena Zavaroni to be in very poor taste – I do believe such a novel could have been achieved, but dealt with a lot more sensitively and respectfully.
And on the topic of respect – I found the storytelling to be very sexist. The women, including Maria, are far too flawed to be likeable, whilst Michael is a kind of “Mary Sue” character who is far too perfect and devoted to be believable. The impression you get is that it’s almost all because of him that Maria recovers. O’Hagan gives Maria no respect, in the sense that we hear narratives from seemingly everyone apart from her, until the final two pages. This is her story, and she doesn’t even get to tell it. I do wonder if this was O’Hagan’s intention, perhaps as a commentary of fame or something, but I still find it unpalatable, especially coming from a male writer.
Considering Maria spends the majority of the novel battling an eating disorder, the fact that her recovery spans a chapter of only four pages is a huge cop-out. There is mention of Maria being put on a treatment programme at Guy’s Hospital – but what the treatment involves, O’Hagan doesn’t bother to tell us. He never explains why this time, Maria recovers, when all the other times she has failed.
You were right about the s*x scene – you go so far into the novel without anything like that having happened before, so that when that scene does happen, it’s a huge shock and doesn’t sit right with the rest of the book. Far too explicit and discomforting to read – and the language used really doesn’t convey in that moment that Michael actually loves Maria, like he claims to like a broken record in all the other chapters.
Random complaint that doesn’t fit anywhere else: Why does O’Hagan write a passage where Maria performs a show in front of Princess Diana in the 80s, with PD voicing her concern over Maria’s weight, when PD would have been suffering from her own eating disorder at that point in history?
I think the novel enraged me so much because I’d been thinking, for some time, of writing my own novel based on past struggles with eating and mental health, and to read “Personality” felt like a slap in the face. Luckily, it prompted me then and there to finally start writing that story of mine – I was determined to write something better! I’m not published, but I will keep going. Believe it or not, I’ve kept my copy of “Personality” ever since – to remind me how NOT to write a novel about the life story of a woman battling such demons.
Rachel,
Well at least “Personality” was useful to you as it encouraged you to get writing! The whole thing is in poor taste – as you say, but I was really annoyed that I had wasted my time with it when I could have been reading a better book, I have so many books I have to get around to reading. I don’t even recall the PD bits now, but it is a while since I read it. Thanks for dropping by and taking the time to comment. Good luck with your writing.
Thank you very much! And best wishes with reading the many more books! (And hopefully more enjoyable ones at that!)