His compulsion to understand EF is also revealing about him. It is psychological because we are privy to the inner thoughts and feelings of Neil as he tries to piece together an understanding of his former teacher. One might characterise it as a psychological novel, as a thinly disguised academic essay or even a quest.

But given the characterisation of Elizabeth Finch (or EF as Neil often calls her) we, as readers, understand that this is what she would expect, given her belief in pluralism and her ardent refusal to indulge in self-pity.Įlizabeth Finch is not a traditional narrative. Elizabeth Finch has her detractors, as much as Neil, our narrator, might wish to ignore or dismiss the voice of other students like Geoff, who is openly critical of Elizabeth Finch’s methods and point of view. She is adamant that the best form of education is not driven by reading lists and examinations, but is rather a collaborative experience, based upon the Socratic tradition of the Greeks. It’s a similar point to that made by the eponymous Elizabeth Finch on the opening page: “For some of you, I may well not be the best teacher, in the sense of the one most suited to your temperament and cast of mind.” As a university lecturer, Elizabeth Finch refuses to coddle students with what she describes as, “milksop encouragement and bland approval”.

Not everyone who opens a book is looking for the same experience, or without prior conceptions, are necessarily open to what they receive. Yet as I read it I was aware that this is not a book that is going to please all readers. Reading Julian Barnes’s Elizabeth Finch was a fascinating and immersive experience for me.

Elizabeth finch review