Spadework is a dud! Why Findley, why?

Timothy Findley`s `Spadework`` is by far Findley`s weakest novel.  It was awful.  So bad, in fact, that it was nearly unreadable.

Now, I generally like Findley.  I loved Last of the Crazy People, Pilgrim, The Piano Man`s Daughter, Not Wanted on the Voyage, Headhunter, and The Wars.  I thought that his diction was precise and his imagery and symbolism were poignant and profound.  I thought that the way he approached his subjects and themes in these other novels was breathtaking, but unfortunately Spadework had none of these sorely wanted attributes.

Even the central symbol of the novel, the cutting of the telephone line by Luke the gardener, lacked a crucial buildup and could have been made to feel much more significant through a more generous application of figurative language and imagery.  This was the moment where communication was disabled, when understanding between the characters was interrupted and disbanded.  And yet, I didn`t care.

Keith Garebian gives a fair review in the Quill and Quire, but I think it`s important to note the brilliance of his other novels in comparison with this dud.  That comparison alone makes Spadework atrocious, and something to be avoided and rejected.

Furthermore, the fact that Griffin is lured into a homosexual relationship, and then is essentially driven back to ``decency`` by the wife of his seducer is something that is almost offensive.  It almost seems like Findley is advocating homophobia the way Griffin is ``cured`` of his homosexual identity so easily. If there was even some dark hint in the novel that this `cure`` was not a solution to the problem but merely another covering up of identity I would be so much more comfortable with this choice of ending, but the fact that everyone lives happily ever after makes me question why Findley, who I thought was a homosexual man himself, would choose to do this!  To me, it just doesn`t make sense.

Even the `pithy diologue`` was, for me at least, terribly forced and lacking sincerity.  For a novel about the world of theatre, I would have expected a more theatrical style especially where diologue was concerned.

So for these, and other examples of mediocrity, I suggest you stay away from Spadework.  I wish I had.