The Collective by Don Lee

[TD Matzenik]

The Collective by Don Lee.
This is a wonderful easy flowing read, considering its depth of perception.
Lee’s fourth novel was published in 2012. It follows the development of three budding artists, two writers and a graphic designer, from University to middle life. It is a hugely entertaining book with extremely well drawn characters. The story includes comedy, pathos, and wit over a philosophical undercurrent. Racism is a major theme, but it is a well tempered story where the victims are not always without guilt.

If one is so inclined, it is possible to divide fiction into three types. The first is commercial fiction which is written to a market formula and is probably the most widely read. It is created for readers to pass their time and is not unlike the TV show script.

The second is the work which is written without the thought of financial recompense, and is inspired to examine the human condition in depth. If successful, such works may become part of our literature.

The third variety is probably more evident in contemporary fiction than in any other era. It is the writing which endeavours to entertain as well as provoke deeper reflection. The Collective falls into this category. Even though its characters are mostly graduates, the reader does not require an Arts degree to appreciate Lee’s insight.

The plot is simple yet very cleaver, and sometimes very funny. My reservations about this novel are few, but I believe valid. There is a minor character whose fate seems intended to tug at our sympathy a bit more than this story requires. And finally, Lee’s writing is fine in the prose of contemporary language, but has many uses of the clumsy term “had gotten” for the past tense of get. This awkward phrase is rarely heard outside the USA and tends to sound amateurish to foreign ears.
None-the-less, this is a very satisfying read, and I will return to this author for sure.