by Hayley Charlesworth
Barbara Vine is the pen name for Inspector Wexford author Ruth Rendell, and it is under this pseudonym that she pens some of her darker mysteries. Her 1994 novel No Night is Too Long is no exception, telling a deliciously dark story of obsession, betrayal, and passion. It is a book that, while intense and complex, simply demands to be read.
Barbara Vine is the pen name for Inspector Wexford author Ruth Rendell, and it is under this pseudonym that she pens some of her darker mysteries. Her 1994 novel No Night is Too Long is no exception, telling a deliciously dark story of obsession, betrayal, and passion. It is a book that, while intense and complex, simply demands to be read.
Tim Cornish is a creative writing student, arrogant, brash and self-confident. He becomes immediately infatuated with geology lecturer Ivo Steadman, desiring him at first sight. But this is no romance. Tim is obsessional about his developing relationship with Ivo, right up until the moment Ivo confesses he loves Tim, at which point Tim’s heart turns cold. Make no mistake, Tim is not the most likable protagonist, but Vine’s great achievement is that she makes Tim a relatable protagonist.
While Ivo lectures a cruise off the coast of Alaska, Tim is left on land, where he meets Isabel. He instantly falls for her, but is trapped by his obligation to accompany Ivo on the next cruise. What follows is a terrible confrontation between the former lovers, with dire circumstances.
No matter what terrible things they do, each member of this triangle is in some way sympathetic. Ivo is clearly more dedicated to his work than to his relationship, but is frequently put in impossible situations by his young lover. Isabel is a damaged woman lured into an exciting relationship with Tim thanks to a difficult marriage. And the present-day Tim, one of the three narrators who carries the majority of the book, is haunted by his terrible actions.
Vine is a master of mood, her storytelling infused with sexuality, passion and darkness. The book is complex, enigmatic, with perfectly constructed description of setting that only adds to the foreboding plotline. The Alaskan coast is beautifully captured, as are the fierce and fearsome waters and the isolated island on which Tim and Ivo have their dramatic and devastating confrontation over Isabel. Even more surprising is just how deep Isabel is connected to these characters, but saying any more on that would spoil the experience of reading this excellent book.
There are three narrators in total in No Night is Too Long, but Vine excels with Tim, capturing his self-assured past gradually devolving into paranoia and fear. Likewise, her progression from Tim intensely loving Ivo to looking at him with disgust and ultimately despair, feels completely natural, so excellently does she understand her characters. Containing a shocking finale that still grows naturally out of the narrative Vine has so masterfully constructed, No Night is Too Long is simply fantastic storytelling.
No Night is Too Long was also adapted into a TV movie starring Lee Williams and Marc Warren as Tim and Ivo. An interesting comparison can be made between the two, with the actors perfectly capturing the characters, but with a distinct change in the conclusion of their story. Both endings are excellent, and both are ultimately rewarding.
While Ivo lectures a cruise off the coast of Alaska, Tim is left on land, where he meets Isabel. He instantly falls for her, but is trapped by his obligation to accompany Ivo on the next cruise. What follows is a terrible confrontation between the former lovers, with dire circumstances.
No matter what terrible things they do, each member of this triangle is in some way sympathetic. Ivo is clearly more dedicated to his work than to his relationship, but is frequently put in impossible situations by his young lover. Isabel is a damaged woman lured into an exciting relationship with Tim thanks to a difficult marriage. And the present-day Tim, one of the three narrators who carries the majority of the book, is haunted by his terrible actions.
Vine is a master of mood, her storytelling infused with sexuality, passion and darkness. The book is complex, enigmatic, with perfectly constructed description of setting that only adds to the foreboding plotline. The Alaskan coast is beautifully captured, as are the fierce and fearsome waters and the isolated island on which Tim and Ivo have their dramatic and devastating confrontation over Isabel. Even more surprising is just how deep Isabel is connected to these characters, but saying any more on that would spoil the experience of reading this excellent book.
There are three narrators in total in No Night is Too Long, but Vine excels with Tim, capturing his self-assured past gradually devolving into paranoia and fear. Likewise, her progression from Tim intensely loving Ivo to looking at him with disgust and ultimately despair, feels completely natural, so excellently does she understand her characters. Containing a shocking finale that still grows naturally out of the narrative Vine has so masterfully constructed, No Night is Too Long is simply fantastic storytelling.
No Night is Too Long was also adapted into a TV movie starring Lee Williams and Marc Warren as Tim and Ivo. An interesting comparison can be made between the two, with the actors perfectly capturing the characters, but with a distinct change in the conclusion of their story. Both endings are excellent, and both are ultimately rewarding.
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