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kittymamers's review
3.0
ammu enam ei tea, miks ma otsustasin, et seda raamatut on vaja lugeda, igatahes ootas ta mitu aastat järjekorras. polnud lihtne hankida ka.
selline... 20. sajandi romaan (MK eluaastad olid 1904-1996, "Time After Time" ilmus 1983). neid jääb viimasel ajal harva näppu, ikka tundub, et uuemaid asju on parajasti olulisem lugeda. aga vahepeal tore meenutada, et jah, nii kirjutatigi ja sellised raamatud olidki. mingit erilist möllu ei toimu, mingit erilist moraali ka (vist?) ei ole, lihtsalt üks pigem hubane lugu.
tegutseb üks omamoodi perekond, kolm pensionieas õde ja nende vend, kes elavad koos oma lagunevas Iirimaa härrastemajas, igaühel oma mured (üks kurdivõitu, teisel puudu silm, kolmandal mõned sõrmed, neljandal on... tänapäeval vast öeldaks õpiraskused) ja oma saladused ka. siis ilmub välja ja kolib sisse ammu surnuks peetud nõbu ja kõigi elu raputatakse segi. aga niiviisi... leebelt.
kõik see läks käima aeglaselt ja andis mulle palju aega pead murda, miks ma seda ikkagi loen, aga mida edasi, seda põnevamaks läks (kuigi jah, suurt midagi nagu ikkagi ei juhtunud) ja lõpp oli juba täiesti haarav. üllatav ka.
selline... 20. sajandi romaan (MK eluaastad olid 1904-1996, "Time After Time" ilmus 1983). neid jääb viimasel ajal harva näppu, ikka tundub, et uuemaid asju on parajasti olulisem lugeda. aga vahepeal tore meenutada, et jah, nii kirjutatigi ja sellised raamatud olidki. mingit erilist möllu ei toimu, mingit erilist moraali ka (vist?) ei ole, lihtsalt üks pigem hubane lugu.
tegutseb üks omamoodi perekond, kolm pensionieas õde ja nende vend, kes elavad koos oma lagunevas Iirimaa härrastemajas, igaühel oma mured (üks kurdivõitu, teisel puudu silm, kolmandal mõned sõrmed, neljandal on... tänapäeval vast öeldaks õpiraskused) ja oma saladused ka. siis ilmub välja ja kolib sisse ammu surnuks peetud nõbu ja kõigi elu raputatakse segi. aga niiviisi... leebelt.
kõik see läks käima aeglaselt ja andis mulle palju aega pead murda, miks ma seda ikkagi loen, aga mida edasi, seda põnevamaks läks (kuigi jah, suurt midagi nagu ikkagi ei juhtunud) ja lõpp oli juba täiesti haarav. üllatav ka.
andrew61's review against another edition
3.0
My first Molly Keane and I don't think it will be my last as this darkly comic novel was a unique piece of writing about a strange and eccentric family which I enjoyed.
The Swift family comprise 3 sisters April, May , and June and their brother Jasper. Now elderly they are tied to each other in living in the derelict Irish mansion after their mother left the property to them equally. Constantly bickering and at each other's throats it is a situation waiting to explode. The sibling have their own disabilities; April the only one who was married is deaf, May has only two fingers on one hand, and June struggles with literacy , while Jasper has one eye after a childhood shooting incident involving June. All have memories of a cousin Leda who lived with them in childhood in the 1930's but suddenly disappeared without explanation.
One day Leda appears on their doorstep. Now blind and apparently , as Jewish, having escaped the camps ends up staying and causing mayhem as she manipulates and causes rifts among the Swifts. the only one not touched by her schemes is June who works on the farm holding but who sees Leda using her wiles to have June's beloved farm hand taken from her.
The book sparkles with vitriol and nastiness with characters who you cannot fail to dislike but sometimes the joy is in the storytelling and the anarchic wit. Definitely an unusual book which makes me want to read more and find out about the author.
The Swift family comprise 3 sisters April, May , and June and their brother Jasper. Now elderly they are tied to each other in living in the derelict Irish mansion after their mother left the property to them equally. Constantly bickering and at each other's throats it is a situation waiting to explode. The sibling have their own disabilities; April the only one who was married is deaf, May has only two fingers on one hand, and June struggles with literacy , while Jasper has one eye after a childhood shooting incident involving June. All have memories of a cousin Leda who lived with them in childhood in the 1930's but suddenly disappeared without explanation.
One day Leda appears on their doorstep. Now blind and apparently , as Jewish, having escaped the camps ends up staying and causing mayhem as she manipulates and causes rifts among the Swifts. the only one not touched by her schemes is June who works on the farm holding but who sees Leda using her wiles to have June's beloved farm hand taken from her.
The book sparkles with vitriol and nastiness with characters who you cannot fail to dislike but sometimes the joy is in the storytelling and the anarchic wit. Definitely an unusual book which makes me want to read more and find out about the author.
plnodwyer's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
rworrall78's review
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A satisfying (apart from the causal racism) last 50 pages after a long build up. The small world of the crumbling stately home was well painted as was the siblings' relationship. Character traits were laboured without really adding to the picture. I could have done without the umpteenth repetition of Leda's aging, May's bitter self-sufficiency, June's size and great memory (because she's illiterate) and so on.
The denouement was satisfying though and even amusing.
The denouement was satisfying though and even amusing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Minor: Genocide
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