Alec Scudder is the Welsh working-class kid with who Maurice Hall falls in love within the famous Maurice narrative. In Alec, however, the tale is inverted and Alec's world is centered. We learn about the guy Maurice falls in love with as he grows up in Wales as an impoverished youngster with only one sexual contact that would serve as his homosexual awakening. When he becomes the groundskeeper for a renowned squire, he ultimately meets Maurice and pushes himself against all nature and English social order to seek a high-born man. Whereas Forster's Maurice ends with the lads being shipped off to World War I, di Canzio's novel carries on, providing new adventures for both Maurice and Alec that span the War and beyond. Alec is a wonderfully lovely novel. Di Canzio accurately captures Forster's voice while also making the novel considerably more sexual in ways that Forster would never have been permitted to accomplish. This weaving of pre-Stonewall speech without the queer coding distinguishes and elevates this work as a literary accomplishment. The main flaw in this book was the disparity between the pace and complexity of the pre-war and post-war sections: although di Canzio took care of these details early on, the latter half felt rushed and hurried.

I was kindly provided with a review copy of the Macmillan Audiobook of this title via NetGalley.com – many thanks. The Audiobook version is wonderfully read by the actor John Sackville, who deftly conveys the plot and rhythm of a new/unknown novel and captures all the voices and accents (not least that of Alec, the title character) clearly and without cliché. I would happily listen to Sackville reading E.M. Forster’s canon texts too. My rating is 5* for the audiobook reading, 3* for the novel.

My full review of ‘Alec’ is on Goodreads at:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4100793911

Inspired by E. M. Forster's Maurice, this is the author rendition of Alec and Maurice's story after Forster's novel ends. Love conquers social differences, prejudices, bigotry, and ignorance. This is a beautiful story, sad at times, but with a happy and hopeful ending. The chapters on the Great War from the fields of Gallipoli to the trenches of France offers the reader great writing, as does the descriptions on the effects of PTSD. The chapters about Alec in Southern France after the war are some of the best. The inclusion of details on Forster's life, such as his work during the WWI in Alexandria and his plans of going to India, through the character of Morgan are just wonderful. This is a story about courage and love. I believe E. M. Forster would have liked it. One of the best books I have read this year. It deserves to be read! Thank you to NetGalley, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and Macmillan Audio for the advance copies. I will be getting my own final copy now!

4.5 stars

This is a beautiful love story, & a coming of age story too. Based on EM Forster’s “Maurice”, this book tells the perspective of Maurice’s lover Alec & continues their story across the years 1913-1919. Lovely prose & setting descriptions, deep character development, & a beautiful love story of real loyalty & tenderness.

[What I liked:]

•There are some absolutely beautiful moments in this book (Alec stretching on the cliffs in France & what comes next, Alec swimming with the Kingfisher near the boathouse) that are brilliant & hopeful & tender & just ache. There is some really beautiful writing, both in terms of prose & content, in this book.

•I really like how Alec grows up unashamed of his queerness, unapologetic for who he is. His backstory that explains how this came about is believable. It’s super nice to have a queer character in historical fiction who doesn’t have to deal with self hatred.

•The side characters are well rounded & engaging. I especially liked Van, Morgan, Ted & George, & the Baroness.

•The war years were written well. I was a bit concerned that would take over the narrative, or be too sad, but I think the writer struck a nice balance. The war wasn’t brushed over or rushed through, but instead we got close ups at various important intervals during Maurice’s & Alec’s war experiences, & while they were separated & interacting with different people & facing different challenges, the narrative still kept their love for each other at the center. The war was definitely sad in this story but not maudlin, & how the war shaped & changed many of the characters is central to the story & character development.

•The ending is so, so good. The ending isn’t rushed & we get to see Maurice & Alec work through some things, talk with old friends, etc. before the ending. It didn’t feel slow at all, but very fitting & satisfying. I’m happy for Morgan, I loved the letter Alec’s father wrote him, seeing A & M support each other through the healing process after the war, etc. I also think their decision at the very end of the book is fitting, & a good send off for them.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•The romance begins with some of the most overwrought insta-love I have ever read. I don’t doubt their feelings & connection were that intense. Nor do I doubt they recognized they shared something special as a couple that they were willing to risk everything for to protect & pursue. That said, they declared their love awful fast, which I normally just roll my eyes at. But I’m assuming that this is just staying true to the novel it’s based on for that part, so I can’t hold it against the writer personally. The rest of the love story & romance is written with good depth, thoughtfulness, & character development so I think the insta-love is worth looking past :)

•My only other minor complaint is that I wish there was a bit more character development for Maurice. I guess I wanted to know his hopes & goals & weaknesses better, though I did get a good picture of him as he related to Alec as his partner.

CW: combat violence & injuries & death, PTSD, homophobia, racism & racial slurs (one side character uses the N word to slur a person of Indian descent)

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]