Invisible Furies

Book Overview:

"Invisible Furies" by Michiel Heyns is a novel published in 2012. It is the sixth book by the acclaimed South African novelist, Michiel Heyns, known for his insightful and often humorous explorations of South African society and culture.

Plot Summary:

The story revolves around Christopher Turner, a middle-aged South African who returns to Paris after a thirty-year absence. He is tasked by his friend Daniel de Villiers, the owner of a famous wine estate in Franschhoek, to retrieve Daniel's son Eric from what is assumed to be undesirable and possibly corrupt circumstances in Paris. However, upon arrival, Christopher finds Eric transformed from a brutish young man into an elegant and considerate youth. Eric is involved with Beatrice du Plessis, a beautiful and restrained older woman who is a former supermodel. As Christopher becomes more acquainted with Eric and his associates, he finds himself drawn to the enchanting city of Paris and the people in it, particularly Beatrice and Eric. The novel explores the tensions between the fatherland and a larger world, challenging Christopher's moral categories as he navigates the complexities of Parisian life and the relationships within it.

Key Themes:

1. Beauty and Ugliness: The novel delves into the aesthetics of Paris, questioning whether beauty is a trap for the innocent young or a self-validating attribute of a fully lived life.
2. Ambivalence and Transformation: Christopher's ambivalence towards Paris and his initial perception of Eric are contrasted with the transformative experiences both characters undergo in the city.
3. Friendship and Loyalty: The novel explores the complexities of long-standing friendships, particularly between Christopher and Daniel, and the moral dilemmas that arise when loyalty is tested.
4. Identity and Belonging: The characters grapple with their identities and sense of belonging, both in their native South Africa and in the cosmopolitan city of Paris.
5. Modernist Conceptions: The novel is deeply inscribed in the grand modernist tradition, reflecting on the tensions between individual desires and societal expectations.

Critical Reception:

While "Invisible Furies" did not receive any major awards, it has been praised for its complex and nuanced exploration of human relationships and the city of Paris. Critics have noted its modernist attributes and its ability to challenge traditional moral categories. The novel has been compared to the works of Henry James for its dynamic of middle-age addressing youth and its exploration of regret and commitment.

Adéle Nel's article on the politics of aesthetics in "Invisible Furies" highlights the novel's engagement with beauty and ugliness, contextualizing Paris as a specific urban space that enforces knowledge about these aesthetic properties. Another article by Nel focuses on intertextual memory in the novel, examining how characters, plot trajectories, and narrative situations reflect broader themes in contemporary South African fiction.

Overall, "Invisible Furies" is a rich and complex novel that offers a multifaceted exploration of human experience, identity, and the allure of Paris. Its themes and narrative style have been praised for their depth and insight, making it a significant contribution to South African literature.