Saturday Matinee: Across The Pond

In 'All Souls,' Javier Marías narrates the story of an unnamed Spanish novelist who recounts his experiences as a visiting scholar at Oxford. The novel delves into his adulterous affair with Clare Bayes, a married woman, and his other relationships formed during his time in Oxford. It is a contemplative work that explores themes of time, desire, and the complexities of human relationships. The narrative is characterized by its non-linear structure and a stream of consciousness style, reflecting the narrator's thoughts and observations on his surroundings and the people he encounters. The novel also touches on the narrator's sense of dislocation and his struggle to fit into the Oxford environment, highlighting the contrasts between his Spanish background and the British culture.