It's been a rough year of losing a job, writing going nowhere or rejected, life direction uncertain, etc.
I am looking for novels with characters that are trying to create their masterpiece (book, painting, etc) but failing time after time. The sadder, the better. The only one I know and a great read is "Of Human Bondage" (Somerset Maugham).
Any recommendations, even periphery to what I am looking for, is appreciated.
by MrMontaigne
3 Comments
I just finished Devil is Fine by John Vercher and really enjoyed it. Though the main character’s creative standstill is more of a subplot than the main plot.
I recently read the novel Blue Ruin by Hari Kunzru which may fit this prompt pretty well. A lot of conversations around failure and what it means to create and be an artist.
[https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/196845471-blue-ruin](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/196845471-blue-ruin)
Hope things start looking up for you.
Lush Life, by Richard Price. Main character is a waiter/writer.
The Shining…Jack Torrance is a writer and English teacher, takes the job at The Overlook Hotel because he lost other jobs and opportunities through drink and anger problems. His struggles to write feature in the plot.