Susan Hated Literature

Sep 08 2007

The Prestige

Published by Fence under Books

Author: Christopher Priest
ISBN: 0684817551 DDC: 823.014
Read for the RIP Challenge
See also: LibraryThing ; Fantasybookspot ; Review in Haiku

It began on a train, heading north through England, although I was soon to discover that the story had really begun more than a hundred years earlier.

The Prestige is a book that covers three different generations of two families, told by a number of different narrators, all in the first person, as they tell their stories in their diaries. Those of you who have seen the film version will be aware that the prestige of the title is the payoff to a magic trick. What you might not know is that this term was invented by Priest but has since come into common usage among practising magicians. The main story revolves around two feuding magicians; Alfred Borden and Rupert “Robbie” Angier. Throughout both of their careers the two magicians try their hardest to upset and humiliate the other, each action then having a reaction, and then a further action, as is often the way in these things.

Tags: 823.914, Christopher Priest, feud, historical fiction, magic, magicians, multiple narrators, RIP Challenge, rivalry, The Prestige

7 responses so far

Nov 16 2006

The Prestige

Published by Fence under Moving Pictures

Dir: Christopher Nolan
Writ: Christopher Nolan, & Jonathan Nolan

Hugh Jackman - Robert Angier
Christian Bale - Alfred Borden
Michael Caine - Cutter
Andy Serkis - Alley
Piper Perabo - Julia Angier
Rebecca Hall - Sarah Borden
Scarlett Johansson - Olivia Wenscombe

I really wanted to enjoy this film. I thought the trailer made it look intriguing, I liked the films of Nolan that I’ve already seen. And who isn’t a fan of Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman? But, something, I’m not quite sure what, felt flat and dull about this film.

The plot revolves around two magicians in London at the end of the 19th century. They start the story as friends, working in the same act, but then an accident happens and they end up bitter rivals. At first they try to ruin each other’s careers and lives, but soon both get caught up in “the ultimate trick” and try to figure out how it is done.

The plot unfolds through flashbacks and the reading of diaries, both men picking through the lives of the other. We start towards the end of the story, with Borden (Bale) in prison awaiting trial for the murder of Angier (Jackman), and at the end we return to that time for the grand finale.

All the acting is top-notch, but the story is a bit of a let down, and more than a little obvious. There are twists and turns, but all are signposted and although not everything turns out exactly as you might have thought, in most cases I could see what was going to happen. Then again I suppose that is part of the film, and for the most part the rest of the film makes up for this limitation.

What I really liked about The Prestige was the fact that there were no good guys and no bad guys, no one in a white hat to cheer on. Both rivals had their reasons for acting and the audience’s sympathies do switch from one to the other.

I did like the film, but I couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed in it.

IMDb | SSD | Slant Magazine | Me against the Keyboard