Halfway through Curtis Gillespie’s debut novel is this quote from American journalist and author Janet Malcolm: “Every journalist who is not too stupid or too full of himself to notice what’s happening around him knows that what he’s doing is morally indefensible. He is like a confidence man, preying on the vanity, loneliness and stupidity of other people, gaining trust and then betraying them.”
In many ways, this quote sums up Crown Shyness. Paul Munk, a left-leaning magazine journalist in Calgary, is tasked with profiling Daniel Code, a right-wing, born-again Alberta politician on the verge of entering the national spotlight. At the same time, Paul must try to rebuild a relationship with his older brother, Rick, recently released from prison.
Gillespie’s novel reveals a journalist at work: the well-choreographed press events, the dance between subject and interviewer, the strange mix of trust, journalistic detachment, and admiration that a writer might have for his subject. Of course, it doesn’t help that Paul falls in love with Rachel Code, his profile subject’s press contact and daughter. It’s a complicated relationship – the interesting ones always are – made more tangled by journalistic responsibilities, political differences, and the damning information about Rachel’s father that Paul eventually gathers.
Equally important to the novel is the well-written story of Paul and his brother. Sibling stories are always at risk of devolving into cliché, but Gillespie’s tale is powerful, ending with a gut-punch climax that serves as a counterpoint to the novel’s more cerebral look at the reporter’s craft.
Gillespie’s attempt to merge two stories with very different emotional goals is a risky one. Fortunately, for us, there’s plenty of reward here.
Crown Shyness