Alexander Mc Call smith - a bit of a mysogenist?

[Lucyellensmum99]

Now i could be getting this so wrong, but i just can't help but get that feeling sometimes. I can't put my finger on it, but, i have been reading the Isabelle Dalhousie series (in totally the wrong order as i tend to buy from charity shops) and i can't help but thinking he actually has a bit of a poor opinion of women.

This woman is a "moral philosopher" of independant means (she is seriously rich, an inheritance). Living in Edingburgh. Its all quite twee with a moralistic undertone. But he really does paint her as a little bit ditsy, niave and spoilt. She has just had a baby in the last book i read - she constantly palms him off on her house keeper. She has a younger lover who was originally her neices boyfriend. Her niece is not happy about this, even though she dumped him and he turned to the aunt for solace . (i dont think there is too much of an age gap between aunt and niece).

Oh and in the book "the correct use of compliments" he made reference to our multicultural society being a bad thing. That we were no longer a community and we don't even speak the same languages anymore

Am i misinterpreting here? I sort of like reading these books, they are escapist and i should like to be isabel, but then again, i wouldn't. Im not sure i'd like her as a person - i woudnt dislike her, shes just not my cup of tea.

Anyone else read these?

bump

Just me then?

i've read them as well. have you read any of the other books such as the lady detective or the Scotland Street novels - wonder what you would make of a character called Irene.

Isabel is a bit irritating TBH. I think Kat is about 27 (dn). I think we would all love to have her money and I would have loved to have had a housekeeper and still would.

it is escapism

also perhaps he does have a point about multiculturalism. is it that great? However he does write about Africa in his lady detective novels.

He is of a different generation I suppose

The Isabelle character is uncomfortable for many reasons but I don't think it reflects the authors view.

I just think Edinburgh when I read about her and indeed many other characters in this and the Scotland St series.

there is another thread about people in soaps you would like to slap.

I think Irene Pollock in Scotland Street has to be the most annoying character ever and could be nominated.

I like the Ladies Detective Agency books but could not engage with the Isabelle Dalhousie books at all - just didn't like them. Can't say the other books of his I've read struck me as misogenistic.

I've only read one of the Isabel Dalhousie ones, the one where someone fell to their death from a theatre balcony, I didn't think much of it TBH, just couldn't relate to any of the characters, but didn't feel it was misogynistic particularly. However I love the Ladies Detective Agency ones, always look forward to new ones coming out and they are full of strong, independent female characters, if anything the men tend to be portrayed as a bit weak and pathetic.

I enjoyed the Ladies Detective Agency books but couldn't stand Isabel whatsit. Then I figured out why... She's a man! Well, not really, but nothing she said or did felt quite right or like things a woman would do, and I found I was actually picturing her in my mind as a bloke! I think some men just can't write women convincingly, certainly not in the first person. I found the same with the Thursday Next books by Jasper Fforde, loved the books, but Thursday was a woman who just, to me, came across as thinking and acting like a man. Am I just odd or does anyone know what I mean?!

I also read that one where someone falls to their death from a theatre balcony. It had a massive plot hole in it, iirc. I really think if it had been by a lesser known writer it wouldn't have found a publisher. And the chracter of Isabel Dalhousie is ridiculous.

Didn't get on with the No 1 Ladies either.

I can't bear any if his books. All too twee for me, but I have heard him speak at a book festival and I also met him at another event, where we had a one-to-one chat, and I can tell you that he is a genuinely lovely gentleman. He's delightful company, and interesting and interested.

I didn't get a hint of mysogeny from him. He's slightly old fashioned, but is a proper gentleman. I came away wishing he was my uncle.

Christ. Spell it right.
misogynist

Independent.