London Fiction at the Millennium

This book analyses London fiction at the millennium, reading it in relation to an exploration of a theoretical positioning beyond the postmodern. It explores how a selection of novels can be considered as second-wave or post-postmodern in light of their borrowing more from mainstream and classical genres as opposed to formally experimental avant-garde techniques. It considers how writers utilise the cultural capital of London in a process of relocating marginalized, subjugated or under-represented voices. The millennium provides an apt symbolic opportunity to reflect on British fiction and to consider the direction in which contemporary authors are moving. As such, key novels by Martin Amis, Bella Bathurst, Bernardine Evaristo, Mark Haddon, Nick Hornby, Hanif Kureishi, Andrea Levy, Gautam Malkani, Timothy Mo, Will Self, Ali Smith, Zadie Smith, Rupert Thomson, and Sarah Waters are used to explore writing beyond the postmodern. 'In this significant and welcome contribution to the field, Allen provides us with a sophisticated, detailed, and rigorous study of the move in contemporary fiction beyond postmodernism as exemplified by London fiction.'

Nick Hubble, Brunel University London, UK

Proposes a new way of understanding the? era that comes after postmodernism Examines work from some of Britain's foremost contemporary novelists, such as Martin Amis, Will Self and Hanif Kureishi Looks at how London writers at the millennium are appropriating and adapting mainstream writing styles and genres such as realism, the historical novel, the bildungsroman, and the use of the heroic character

Autorentext

Dr Claire Allen is a Senior Lecturer in English Literature at the University of Northampton, UK.

Inhalt

1. Mapping Millennial London Fiction.- 2. Restabilising Storytelling in the Female Historical London Novel at the Millennium.- 3. The Hero Returns - Character Motivation in London Millennial Fiction.- 4. The Heroine in the Millennial London Novel.- 5. Masculinities - Beyond the Postcolonial and the Postmodern in the London Novel.- 6. Outside of the Outside - Cultural Negativities and the Centre.- 7. Conclusion.