The Black Prince

I can honestly say that, despite having studied English Literature at university, I was unaware of the richnesson-all-levels-simultaneously that a novel could achieve until I read The Black Prince. It’s as much of a fun thrill-ride as it as a serious philosophical examination of human nature. It’s about love, betrayal, divided loyalties, rivalry, ambition and the heartbreaking ludicrousness of everyday life. Only at the end of the book do we discover that it’s also a highly original mystery novel. Murdoch’s characters and her dialogue reflect, with an accuracy that is both hilarious and slightly chilling, the way people would speak if they didn’t feel obliged to mask their true, messy psyches.