
They say, not to judge a book by the cover – well I did, and yet again a modern novel fell flat. A bright orange cover, with a woman in fifties dress looking out into the sun – and the promise of something reminiscent of Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley, I got sucked in. Tangerine by Christine Mangan is not terrible, it’s very readable, generally well written and quite a page turner in places, and towards the end of last week I felt in need of an easy escapist read, so it kind of fitted the bill. Yet still I was vaguely dissatisfied with it throughout. This should tell me to stick to vintage fiction and modern classics, however as I mentioned in my last post my #20booksofsummer pile is made of quite a few modern novels – and so I persevere.
“Everything changes, sooner or later. Time moves along, without constraints—no matter how hard one may attempt to pause, to alter, to rewrite it.”
The novel opens with a short prologue an unnamed woman sits by a window in Spain, remembering a time in Tangier. Cared for by nurses, it is at night-time that she has time to think about the past.
The rest of the novel is set in Tangier in 1956 – we know it’s 1956 because it says so on a page before the start of chapter 1. There is very little in the way of period detail except a few references to political unrest among locals seeking independence from Spain. The sense of place is stronger though – dark narrow streets, local women adorned in bright colours, crowded markets, cafes serving mint tea – the blazing Moroccan sun.
Alice Shipley has come to Tangier with her new husband John, she is very young, and her marriage came about quickly following hard on the heels of a terrible accident at the private American college she had attended for several years. She hasn’t adjusted to life in Morocco well at all, while her husband is out and about all day everyday Alice hides away inside their flat. Too nervous to go out into the crowded medinas, shutting herself away from the oppressive heat. Her marriage is not a big success and Alice isn’t happy.
So, the last person Alice expects to find knocking on her door is Lucy Mason, who she had shared a room with at Bennington college. Alice and Lucy haven’t spoken for over a year – since the accident, which left Alice fragile, with only the haziest, confused memories of that night.
“Whatever symbiosis existed between us was real, tangible, and now, without her presence I could feel the absence of it, as if she were an extension of my own person. She was, I realized, that awful, wretched part of me that should be locked away and boarded up forever – like Jane’s madwoman in the attic. She was the unfiltered version, the rawness that no one should ever see. She was every wicked thought, every forbidden desire turned real and visceral.”
There is immediately a slight tension between the two, but Lucy is delighted to be back with her old friend and so Alice invites her to stay at the flat. Lucy is fearless and confident she embraces Tangier as soon as she arrives and encourages Alice to get out of the flat and explore a little more of the country she has been living in for months.
“Tangier and Lucy were the same, I thought. Both unsolvable riddles that refused to leave me in peace. And I had tired of it – of the not knowing, of always feeling as though I were on the outside of things, just on the periphery.”
Soon though a familiar feeling starts to creep over Alice, she has begun to feel controlled by Lucy – more stifled now than she ever was before. Memories of Bennington haunt her – and Alice starts to get flash backs of the accident. Then Alice’s husband goes missing.
The story is told in two first person narratives, alternating between Alice and Lucy. Despite the fact that each woman is a very different character – their voices are almost identical – and given that one is American, and one British there really should have been more distinction. Gradually, we learn more about what happened during the years Alice and Lucy were together at Bennington, which ended so abruptly and tragically.
I generally don’t do well with thrillers – I dislike those plot devices that quite literally make you fly through the pages despite yourself – finding it too breathless and hectic – I suppose I like subtle – and thrillers aren’t very.
Having said that I quite enjoyed this, it is well written overall, my gripes are minor ones, and the story really zips along once it gets going. There were a couple of things in the story I was unconvinced by – yet there’s a good sense of tension and secrets to be revealed. For me, this was an ok, 3 star read which I had probably expected too much of but was perfectly readable. Christine Mangan’s debut is a deeply chilling story of obsession and manipulation.
I imagine they will make a film of Tangerine in time, and I might even go and see it.
Those “X novel” meets “Y novel” endorsements are never a good sign, sometimes they are lazy and totally off base. But you’re right, it has a great cover!
They are quite lazy, and usually inaccurate.
‘A modern-day Jane Austen’ is the one that finishes me:)
Oh yes definitely, that’s one to avoid.
I agree with you about the cover of this book – it’s very eye-catching and appealing. What a pity the book itself didn’t quite live up to expectations. The message I’m taking away from this is stick to Patricia Highsmith – luckily, I still have plenty of her novels left to read!
Yes, stick to Highsmith. I certainly haven’t nearly enough. I have had one tbr for a while.
I have this one waiting on my shelves mainly because of its Tangier setting which appealed to me. It sounds from your review as if I should have taken it on holiday. Those glib comparisons emblazoned on front covers are so irritating, aren’t they?
Yes, it’s probably a good holiday read. Many readers will probably like it more than I did. To be honest there’s nothing terrible about it.
Now you see, I would never have been taken in by this cover because I am repelled by the colour orange. Of course, if it had had a green cover or a purple cover then that would have been a different matter altogether 😉.
I’ve been swayed by covers before and it’s worked out. Very pink covers would repell me I think. 🤣
Which is why, no matter how tempting, I try not to pick my novels by their covers. I admit, that if I didn’t read your review this cover would be hard to resist.
I am not usually so swayed by a cover, though I have been similarly swayed before and it’s worked out well.
I don’t like the cover, is that strange? The woman is awfully skinny and that orange shade is not nice… I found the book in a charity shop and skimmed through it but decided it wasn’t worth spending £2 on.
Ha ha, well we all respond to images differently. I think you were probably right to save your £2 for something else.
Hmm, have ended up with a hardback copy of this. I will give it a try, but I can see that it may wing its way to my daughter sooner rather than later as she has actually visited Morocco!
Don’t let me put you off, you might really enjoy it.
I had exactly the same reaction when I read this book last year!
BTW – the hardback cover used the same woman photo but didn’t orange out the background – just black and white with green titles! Even more appealing.
Ooh yes, I like the sound of that cover.
Not just me then. 😊
I don’t think this is for me – I might watch the film if they make one though!
I can imagine a film being rather good. A lovely, atmospheric setting at least.
I’m much the same as you Ali – get seduced by the idea of a modern novel but then most of them don’t live up to the hype and I wish I’d read something Russian or translated or a classic instead. Sounds like this was just about ok and not much more! 🤣
Yes, it was OK, an escapist read which other people may like more than I did.
I actually enjoyed this novel more than I thought I would. There were many draws for me: the setting in Morocco, The Talented Mr Ripley vibe, some nice twists. It was a good debut – yes, not very original at all, though.
Yes, worth remembering that it’s a debut,as there are some good things going on in it, and this is just not my favourite genre. Other readers will enjoy it more than I did.
You know you can swap books in the 20Books project as much as you like, right? I have always had a swap when something’s suddenly not appealed or been awful when I’ve started it. So unless you want to make yourself read certain books, you can swap back to something more comfortable!
Yes, I know. However, at least 3 of those modern novels on my #20booksofsummer pile are literary, so should suit me better. If I take them off I will end up not reading them, and all but one are books I bought so they should be ones I want to read. I will intersperse them with older titles and slot in a couple of Furrowed Middlebrow titles. I’m currently reading no 9 of 20,so I should have time for a couple of extra. 😊
Wow that’s impressive!
I gave up half way through because 1. I could see exactly where it was going; and b. it was just too dark. Plus, Alice came over as awfully dim. You’d have though the bracelet episode would have given her a clue…
I don’t blame you giving up, I might have done the same if it wasn’t such a quick read.