Reading 1001 discussion

Read 2012
This debut novel by John Fowles tells the story of an abduction of Miranda Gray by Frederick Clegg and is told from two perspectives, the perpetrator of the abduction and the victim. This book was published in 1963 and is considered the first psychological thriller. Frederick Clegg is obsessed with Miranda Gray. Frederick Clegg is orphaned, raised by an aunt. He is socially awkward and a collector of butterflies. Miranda is a beautiful young woman who is studying art on scholarship. The shift in perspective is dramatic and takes us from the mind of Clegg to Miranda through a diary that Miranda has kept through the ordeal. Through this narration technique the reader is able to gain insights into both characters. There are allusions to The Tempest. Frederick Clegg refers to himself as Ferdinand and Miranda the object of his love. While Miranda refers to him as Caliban, a deformed man or monster from The Tempest. Fowles is a British author who has several great works of literature. Previously read The French Lieutenant's Woman and soon to read The Magus, I looked forward to reading this debut novel of John Fowles.

This book has been on my TBR for a while after being referenced in the TV show Criminal Minds, so I knew to expect it might be a bit creepy. And it was pretty clear from almost the first few pages that this is a book from the perspective of one of the psychopaths that turns up in crime shows as serial kidnappers. In this story, a butterfly collector turns to a more challenging specimen when he wins a lot of money and can turn his daydreams about capturing the woman of his fantasies into reality. In the second part of the book, we also get the victim's perspective.
Besides being nowhere near as morbid as it could have been, this book also in a way addresses the experience of too many women trapped into marriages where they are expected to 'learn to love' their spouse eventually. The scenario in this book is obviously criminal, but if this book was set in a different place or century, the idea of a man capturing and keeping his chosen woman would seem less unusual, even though the cruelty and unfairness of the story would be the same.
This is the third book I have read by Fowles, and I liked this one a lot better than the others (The Magus, A Maggot). I gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads.

Rating: 4 stars


A sociopathic entomologist becomes obsessed with a young woman from a higher social class. After an unexpected financial windfall, he decides to abduct her, in hopes that she will get to know him and fall in love with him. The story is told both from his perspective and from hers, which was a new technique at the time. This book is believed to be one of the first psychological thrillers. As in his other books, Fowles borrows from classic tragedies in his plot.

The Collector by John Fowler
I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. It kept me gripped from start to finish. It’s a very fast-paced read and took me two days to finish. The story is told from two perspectives - Frederick Clegg and Miranda, the woman he has become obsessed with and abducts. I enjoyed the parts told from the perspective of Clegg more. The way he justified everything he did was particularly creepy.

I was really captivated with this one and gave it 5 stars. The perspective shift was really effective, and the sense of dread from Miranda's part was perfectly achieved.

Some of the analysis of the book I've read talks about it as a parable for the upper class paranoia about the growing new money and middle class at the time, and I can see that angle.

But, what really stuck out to me was how well Clegg fits into this "nice guy" incel predator profile that has become particularly noteworthy in recent history, and even reflects the manifesto of a certain mass killer who I'll not name. It's arguably ahead of its time in this way. The end where he starts to feel remorse over Miranda's fate end then decides she 'deserved it' when he reads he diary and sees she never really loved him just perfectly encapsulates this mentality that these men have that women owe them affection, that their being treated well is predicated on it and not something an actually good person would extend regardless.

I read this as a teenager in the late 1970s, and it was my absolute favourite book for a while. I still have my copy from that time. I had never read anything like it before, which may not be saying much as I was pretty young obviously, but I'd read a lot of mysteries.

I read it again a few years ago, and I was still gripped. I think the character of the "collector" is very creepy and very real, and the way he justifies everything carried me along with him in a way that made me realise that people like him may be nearby and not that different from anyone else, just slightly but crucially out of tune.

To say I enjoyed this book is probably the wrong turn of phrase, but it definitely had me gripped from the start. You just can't stop from following Clegg along as he makes and carries out his horrifying plan for Miranda. Wasn't really sure how to rate it, went with 3.5 stars as I think Clegg's narrative was stronger than Miranda's, I thought the book lags a bit in the 2nd half. But then the ending is so chilling, the way Clegg acts during and after Miranda's illness and his future plans, left me feeling very disturbed as the book ended.

This was my first Fowles and I was surprised at how fast and consuming a read it was. The predatory "nice" guy is completely shallow and unable to comprehend how different his mind works. Miranda, his beautiful victim, has an active imagination and a desperate desire to actually experience life. The fact that the book gives us both perspectives allows the plot to stand in on a number of allegorical levels: the numbing shallowness of the middle class of the time and how it was suppressing its most talented youth, the assumption that men deserve the love of a good women regardless of the nature of their treatment of that woman. The book also referenced not only The Tempest, but a number of modern, for that time, crime stories. Caliban, the monster, versus Miranda, the butterfly comes down to a very disturbing ending. Or should I say, continuation?

*****

I rarely shell out 5-star reviews, but The Collector leaves me no choice. From beginning to the end, I was hooked; even after finishing it, I couldn't stop thinking of the myriad facets and layers Fowles has weaved within this novel. He managed to describe the mind and modus operandi of a psychopath (or obsessed collector here) without falling into the usual clichés; he brilliantly constrasted two perspectival versions of the story; he painted a strong social critique of the vacuity of the middle class of the early 60s; not to forget the obligatory Shakespearean references that such masterpieces usually contain; and I am sure I have failed yet to recognize other aspects hidden in the text. A guaranteed re-read in the future!

H wrote: "To say I enjoyed this book is probably the wrong turn of phrase, but it definitely had me gripped from the start. You just can't stop from following Clegg along as he makes and carries out his horr..."

H, I agree with you that Clegg's narrative was stronger than Miranda's and the book lags a bit in the 2nd half. My experience too.

The Collector by John Fowles
4 stars

First published in 1963, The Collector is hailed as the first modern psychological thriller. This is a tale of obsessive love, a lonely clerk who collects butterflies and of the beautiful young art student who is his ultimate quarry.

I really didn’t know anything about this book but I was pleasantly surprised. It is told from two perspectives; Frederick the butterfly collector and Miranda the young art student he kidnaps. Part one was from Frederick’s perspective and was my favorite part, I was sucked into the story despite the subject of kidnapping. Part two is from Miranda’s point of view and covers the same time period as part one. I was less interested in being in Miranda’s head, although heart breaking at times. So as not to spoil the ending, I will leave parts three and four out. I did like how the book ended as I thought it realistic to the character.

“I’m an entomologist. I collect butterflies. “Of course”, she said. “I remember they said so in the paper. Now you’ve collected me.”

“He’s a collector. That’s the great dead thing in him.”

I think the book deserves to be on the 1001 list and I look forward to reading more from this author.