The Bells: A Novel by Richard Harvell

http://www.amazon.com/Bells-Novel-Richa ... 0307590526

I saw a book review of this in The Washington Post a couple of weeks ago and thought I'd give it a read. Checked it out from the library and just finished it. Very interesting novel, and although a work of fiction, it does contain some historical references to Gaetano Guadagni, a famous Italian castrato singer. Guadagni becomes the teacher and mentor to Moses, the young eunuch from whose point of view the story is told.

A few decades back I read a novel that was based on the idea that the reformation never happened and the Roman Catholic church was all powerful in Christendom.

Cardinals were chauffered around in steam cars and the fictional world was generally a lot more backward that our world is.

The story centred around a choir boy with a particularly beautiful soprano voice and the question was should he make the sacrifice to preserve his voice.

In the end it was decided not to make it but as it happened he developed some medical condition that requires a bilateral orchiectomy to save his life.

It was a good read but I cannot remember either the title or the author. Does anyone else know of this book?

The novel is called "The Alteration" and is by Kingsley Amis.

Jesus loaned me his copy, and I have to say, it wasn't a very good story. Put me to sleep several times.

C van D (imported) wrote: Thu Nov 25, 2010 1:23 am The novel is called "The Alteration" and is by Kingsley Amis.

Thank you. I should have known that. But I didn't.

Paolo wrote: Thu Nov 25, 2010 7:19 am Jesus loaned me his copy, and I have to say, it wasn't a very good story. Put me to sleep several times.

I do tend to agree with Paolo. Kingsley Amis has some irritating mannerisms. Two nice touches though. The young boy, Hubert, is a pre-teen and cannot imagine what sex-pleasure is like, and what he'd be losing if he were made unable to "do it", so he asks advice from a friend who has actually fucked a girl. The friend compares sex pleasure to "the most delicious ice cream".

As Kortpeel says, the story is set against a pre-Reformation background. The operation facing Hubert is the one that Italian castrati were subjected to - of having his balls cut right out. In the pre-sexual innocence of childhood, the thing troubling Hubert most, is the fear that it was going to hurt - as no doubt it did.

Paolo wrote: Thu Nov 25, 2010 7:19 am Jesus loaned me his copy, and I have to say, it wasn't a very good story. Put me to sleep several times.

Same thing happened to me when I tried to read it. How bland it was!