Originally published in 1971, An Accidental Man was the fourteenth novel written by Iris Murdoch and the second one I've read by her, following The Sea, the Sea (which I wrote about fairly recently).
Having been very impressed by The Sea, the Sea, I went into this earlier work of Murdoch's with certain expectations. Expectations, which I'm happy to say, were fulfilled.
On the pages of this novel, the author presents us with a gallery of characters. Each one, whether admirable or deplorable, vividly drawn and believable. Special mention must go to Austin Gibson Grey, the self-styled 'accidental man' of the book's title. Austin is a sinister figure, a man who commits all sort of villainous acts, all while believing that the misfortunes he has suffered in the past (including a childhood incident which left him with a permanently damaged hand), absolves him of any real responsibility.
In short, An Accidental Man is yet another fantastic novel from an author who is quickly becoming one of my favorites.
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