Review: Night for Day by Patrick Flanery

Hollywood in the 1950s was the embodiment of sunshine and spectacle; a true golden age. To ensure the continuous glitter, movies stuck to safe names and safe narratives – a formulaic approach that stifled the creative buzz of writers like Desmond Frank. Yet the charade of perfection that Hollywood demands is not all that is slowly suffocating Desmond. In an era when homosexuality, communism, and atheism are considered taboo, and often punishable by law, Desmond has to hide so much of himself, that he has no choice but to leave Hollywood in order to finally, and fully, be himself.

Desmond’s departure is abrupt and ugly. While his career crashes around him and he panics about the future, he abandons his lover, painfully severing everything that held the pair together. Now, half a decade later and thousands of miles away, Desmond attempts to explain his actions, using the only method he knows; writing. In retelling his story as a justification and heartfelt plea for forgiveness, Desmond Frank allows us to survey his life, and the America of the past.

There are so many aspects of this book that are just right. The seamless transitions between time, space, and medium are delightful, and so engrossing. This is a multi-level story with multiple narratives and yet the flow and ambiance are perfection. Apart from an impressive literary tool which has been the downfall of many other writers, Flanery uses his collection of texts to illustrate the sharp contrasts that permeate our life. The use of dual timelines is a clever manner of showing how much society has progressed, yet simultaneously stagnated. Where Desmond’s past necessitated hiding who he was for fear of repercussions, his present requires concealment in other regards.

Night for Day employs an ingenious manner of examining biases and oppression with regard to gender, sexuality, politics, race and religion, across both time and space. It highlights all that has changed, and all that still needs to change within the divisions of society. It is a rare treat to have a book with a poignant message that nevertheless ticks all the boxes for an enjoyable read. The only downside to reading this book is the inevitable wrist cramp – it’s a whopper at nearly 700 pages, but what a joy each page contains.

Night for Day by Patrick Flanery is published by Atlantic Books, and is available in South Africa from Penguin Random House South Africa.