'Under the Net' by Iris Murdoch
'One must just blunder on. Truth lies in blundering on.'—Review #267

You may have gathered from my newsletter last week where I introduced Iris Murdoch-tober that I am always hunting for Murdoch’s novels when I’m digging through used book stores. I found this copy of ‘Under the Net,’ Murdoch’s debut, in the stacks of the Strand, where it was among several other second-hand editions of her work. I chose this copy because the cover design includes cats, and I love cats. I was like:

Here’s the book’s cover:
Jake Donaghue is a young intellectual and writer who’s drifting through life. He works on manuscripts that go nowhere, drinks hard, and refuses to sell out and work a full-time job—he reminds me of Ethan Hawke’s character in ‘Reality Bites.’ Practically penniless, Jake makes a few bucks here and there by translating French novels; and as this story begins, he learns he’s just become homeless. After returning to London with a bunch of books acquired on a trip to Paris, he’s intercepted by his sidekick, Finn, who tells him his girlfriend, Madge, has turned him out in absentia. Madge has had enough of Jake’s sponging off of her and has moved on to dating Starfield, a bookie. Jake’s like:

He racks his brain for people with whom he could crash and decides to look up an ex: Anna. Jake hasn’t been in touch with Anna for years, but he thinks he can rekindle their relationship to keep a roof over his head. He tracks her down and shows up unannounced at her job, a theater for mime performances. Anna’s both happy and alarmed to see Jake, but she isn’t interested in him moving in. He can crash at the theater for one night only, she says, and redirects him to her sister, a movie star named Sadie, who might have a job for him as well as a place to stay. Jake catches Sadie at the hair salon, and she tells him, loudly over the blowers, that she’s been dealing with a stalker and she wants Jake to stay at her place to scare them off. Catching bits of celebrity gossip has the other salon patrons like:

Jake doesn’t like the idea of working for Sadie, but he doesn’t have much choice. On his first day on the job, though, circumstances lead to Jake unexpectedly reconnecting with a long-lost friend and interlocutor named Hugo, who’s made a ton of money producing films as well as fireworks and other explosives. Jake is thrown for a loop by Hugo being back in his life and pursues him on a madcap journey across London that involves a legendary bar crawl, a drunken debate on leftist politics, a swim in the Thames, gambling on horses, a confused love triangle, a double-cross and a brawl on a movie set. Jake also has an unforgettable meeting with Marvelous Mister Mars, a huge Alsatian (a German shepherd here in the U.S.) who’s a movie star (like Rin Tin Tin) and a very chill doggo, like:

I wrote last week about how I love when Murdoch’s characters get into ‘cringy and embarrassing jams of their own creation’ that are fueled by misunderstanding but that also often lead to catharsis. It was a treat to see that pattern begin in ‘Under the Net.’ As Jake chases Hugo, he is forced to not only reckon with his confused relationships to friends and lovers, as well as with his freeloading ways, but he also must grapple with the fears and insecurities faced by anyone with artistic pursuits. What does he really want from his creative life? What is preventing him from forming meaningful connections in his friend group? Can he be a true and authentic writer if he also works a day job? Isn’t work inherently destructive to artistic dreams as one is forced to spend day after day like:
Murdoch crafts a lighthearted and witty story that explores whether we can balance our creative pursuits with our workaday requirements, and how we can find honor and dignity in work. I was particularly struck by a character who plans to leave a lucrative career to become an apprentice watchmaker—something he pursues simply because he’s interested in it. If only we all could afford to do that! And I loved discovering the meaning behind the cats on the book’s cover. As I was reading, I was perplexed about the cats since a dog is a central character, and the payoff didn’t come until the very last page. I won’t spoil it, but the cats capture perfectly the spirit of the book. I was like:

‘Under the Net’ is a clever and engaging novel about love, friendship, work and art. It’s a briskly written and upbeat read that has strong Generation X energy, and I flew through it. I enjoyed hanging out with Jake and spending time in his world. Whether you’re participating in Iris Murdoch-tober or not, ‘Under the Net’ is definitely worth checking out.
An opening excerpt:
When I saw Finn waiting for me at the corner of the street I knew at once that something had gone wrong. Finn usually waits for me in bed, or leaning up against the side of the door with his eyes closed. Moreover, I had been delayed by the strike. I hate the journey back to England anyway; and until I have been able to bury my head so deep in dear London that I can forget that I have ever been away I am inconsolable. So you may imagine how unhappy it makes me to have to cool my heels at Newhaven, waiting for the trains to run again, and with the small of France still fresh in my nostrils. On this occasion too the bottles of cognac which I always smuggle had been taken from me by the Customs, so that when closing time came I was utterly abandoned to the torments of a morbid self-scrutiny. The invigorating objectivity of true contemplation is something which a man of my temperament cannot achieve in unfamiliar towns in England, even when he has not also to be worrying about trains. Trains are bad for the nerves at the best of times. What did people have nightmares about before there were trains? So all this being considered, it was an odd thing that Finn should be waiting for me in the road.
As soon as I saw Finn I stopped and put the cases down. They were full of French books and very heavy. I shouted “Hey!” and Finn came slowly on. He never makes haste. I find it hard to explain to people about Finn. He isn’t exactly my servant. He seems often more like my manager. Sometimes I support him, and sometimes he supports me; it depends. It’s somehow clear that we aren’t equals. His name is Peter O’Finney, but you needn’t mind about that, as he is always called Finn, and he is a sort of remote cousin of mine, or so he used to claim, and I never troubled to verify this. But people do get the impression that he is my servant, and I often have this impression too, though it would be hard to say exactly what features of the situation suggest it. Sometimes I think it is just that Finn is a humble and self-effacing person and so automatically takes second place. When we are short of beds it is always Finn who sleeps on the floor, and this seems thoroughly natural. It is true that I am always giving Finn orders, but this is because Finn seems not to have many ideas of his own about how to employ his time. Some of my friends think that Finn is cracked, but this is not so; he knows very well indeed what he is about.
My rating:

‘Under the Net’ by Iris Murdoch was originally published by Chatto & Windus in 1954. The Vintage edition was published in 2002. 286 pages. $14.88 at Bookshop.org.
What’s next:
The novel we’ll feature to conclude Iris Murdoch-tober was selected by BoG subscribers in a poll. Look for a review on Oct. 26 of:
Books on GIF does not solicit or accept review copies. We feature books we purchase at independent bookstores around New York City and on our travels, or were borrowed electronically from the Brooklyn Public Library.
Before you go:
ICYMI: Review #266
Thanks for the shoutout! We were so excited to see this Iris Murdoch-tober post from
:Discuss this: Keep an eye on your inboxes on Oct. 19 for a discussion thread about our favorite Iris Murdoch novels. You can sign up to win a copy of ‘The Sea, the Sea.’
See this: Womb House Books, the Oakland and Etsy-based book store I’ve mentioned here many times, is launching a book-publishing arm that sounds really exciting. Check out their Kickstarter here.
If you enjoyed this review:
Thanks for reading, and thanks especially to Donna for editing this newsletter!
Until next time,
MPV
I just bought several Murdoch novels (digital) because of Murdoch-tober, and this one sounds like a perfect place to start. I've never read her, but I think I'll love her.
So I had to put this book down. Had a sudden death in our family and these characters could not hold my attention (really, nothing could). I may go back to it later, when I need lightness. Thanks for your excellent review.