The Restraint of Beasts
![]() First edition cover | |
Author | Magnus Mills |
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Language | English |
Genre | tragi-comedy |
Publisher | Flamingo |
Publication date | 7 September 1998 |
Publication place | United Kingdom |
Media type | Print (Hardback&Paperback) |
Pages | 208 |
ISBN | 0-00-225720-3 |
The Restraint of Beastsis a tragicomicdebut novel,written byMagnus Mills.In it, an anonymous narrator "the foreman" works for a Scottish fencing company, run by Donald who is consumed by work and the desire for "efficiency". The narrator is promoted to foreman and put in charge of Tam and Richie who prefer alaissez-faireapproach to work and so are at odds with both their management and their new foreman.
Mills' deadpan narrative voice is at times either revealing or naive, and both these interpretations of the narrator are supported throughout the text – it is up to the reader to decide where the narrator is ironic or genuinely emoting.
Plot introduction
[edit]The novel starts with a phone call, "Mr McCrindle's fence has gone slack", and sees the three main characters duly dispatched to the scene of Tam and Richie's previous job, which they have left in a hurry. The ensuingKafkaesqueincidents set the tone for the rest of the novel, where Tam, Richie, and the narrator find themselves "sent off" to England in work-related "exile".
Major themes
[edit]The Restraint of Beastsexhibits many issues and themes, most prominently that of work. Donald's drive for efficiency can be seen as thinly veiled fascism, whilst the "instability of three" deals with the balance of power between the narrator, Tam, and Richie. Since the narrator is a newly appointed foreman and cannot impose his will on either Tam or Richie he tries to reason with them: "We'd better have a go at getting this lot sorted out then." This results in a management style that conflicts with Donald, as obeying Donald implicitly is impractical: "it was clear that I would have to ignore unilaterally Donald's driving ban if we were going to get anything done at all". The theme of work as a domineering force in the lives of workers is prevalent throughout the novel, and is seen when the characters go back to Scotland from Mr Perkins's farm in England – Richie is confronted by the realisation that his boss Donald has implied to his mother that Richie was 'not coming back' and so the electric guitar Richie had his parents paying instalments on while he was away has been repossessed.
Reception
[edit]Upon release,The Restraint of Beastswas generally well-received among British press.[1][2][3]Globally, the work was received generally well withComplete Reviewsaying on the consensus "Generally very impressed".[4]
Awards and nominations
[edit]The Restraint of Beastswon theMcKitterick Prizefor 1999.[5]It was nominated for theBooker Prizeand theWhitbread first novel awardfor 1999, and was also praised by the (usually reclusive) authorThomas Pynchonas "A demented, deadpan comic wonder".
Adaptations
[edit]In 2006,Pawel Pawlikowskidirected a film adaptation starringRhys Ifans,Ben Whishaw,Eddie Marsan,andWarren Clarkebut it was suspended in mid-production when the director's wife fell seriously ill and died. In 2010, he said "We'd shot 60% of the film when I had to stop. The material looks great, like nothing I've ever done or even seen before. It could have been really great, definitely original".[6][7]
References
[edit]- ^"Books of the moment: What the papers said".The Daily Telegraph.3 October 1998. p. 77.Retrieved19 July2024.
- ^"Books of the moment: What the papers said".The Daily Telegraph.17 October 1998. p. 76.Retrieved19 July2024.
- ^"Books of the moment: What the papers said".The Daily Telegraph.24 October 1998. p. 78.Retrieved19 July2024.
- ^"The Restraint of Beasts".Complete Review.4 October 2023.Retrieved4 October2023.
- ^"Society of Authors".www.societyofauthors.net.Archived fromthe originalon 27 September 2007.
- ^Dawtrey, Adam (20 September 2007)."Pawel Pawlikowski takes on Stalin".Variety.Retrieved21 March2011.
- ^""The Restraint of Beasts" Directed by Pawel Pawlikowski ".