The Diplomat by Chris Womersley

 Edward, the narrator of this story, is like a reincarnation of Modigliani minus the masterpieces.

Edward despises his fellow Australians; they are overweight, badly dressed, insensitive and culturally unaware although he makes exceptions for his and his wife’s parents, which is rather sweet. He and his supremely talented wife, Gertrude, escape to Europe where they hope to live a fulfilling, artistic life.

Chris Womersley has created a very real and quite heart-breaking character. Edward is self-destructive but also self-aware. He is completely honest in acknowledging his faults and his mistakes, of which there have been many.  He hates conservatism but doesn’t pretend to have lived up to his belief in his own superiority in following his alternative path. He is sad and kind and overwhelmed by grief and guilt but is still able to come up with wryly amusing and touching comments on his attempts to survive the life he has created.

I took this book to bed with me and had to stop reading for a while in order to get some sleep and then picked it up next morning and didn’t put it down again until I had finished reading it. It was utterly compelling, and brilliantly written. It is a 5 star plus read.

Published by Picador, Pan Macmillan Australia.