Symposium (novel)
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Founder | Muriel Spark |
Symposium is a 1990 novel authored by Scottish writer Muriel Spark. It received high praise from John Mortimer in The Sunday Times, who regarded it as one of the finest books published that year.
Plot introduction
The story revolves around a dinner gathering organized by Hurley Reed, an American artist, alongside Chris Donovan, a wealthy widow from Australia. Among the attendees are:
- Lord and Lady Suzy, who have recently suffered a burglary
- Ernst and Ella Untzinger, comprising an EU commissioner and his spouse
- Margaret and William Damien, newly married and recently returned from Venice
- Annabel Treece and Roland Sykes, cousins working as a television producer and genealogist respectively
Through flashbacks, the plot delves into the guests' histories, touching upon elements such as a Marxist convent, a burglary operation targeting them, an eccentric Scottish uncle, and multiple mysterious fatalities. The evening concludes with the killing of one guest's mother.
Reception
- Symposium earned acclaim from Time Magazine for Muriel Spark's "sinister elegance" paired with "light yet deadly humor."
- Penelope Lively referred to it as "a complex puzzle... highly intelligent and thoroughly enjoyable."
- Scotland on Sunday praised its "razor-sharp narrative," highlighting the engaging dialogue that propels this perilous and devilish tale.