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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Nearly a four. It’s a fascinating observation of the folk loving in a community near a nunnery, at a time in the uk, when it was normal to have some sort of Christian faith.
The Bell concerns a lay community where a small group of people are attempting a retreat from the concerns of everyday life. Imber is adjacent to an abbey where the nuns live a cloistered life. The novel revolves around the personal lives of the inmates of Imber, who encounter difficulties in achieving their ambitions of withdrawal.
The novel is more focused on characters than plot, which is a rather contorted tale involving old and new bells leading to the dissolution of the community. While the tale provides some amusing episodes, more interesting are the tangled relationships of Dora with Paul - her estranged, abusive husband - and with Noel - a very considerate lover, and of Michael, the leader of the community, with Nick and Toby, especially Michael's difficulties in repressing his homosexual nature at a time when it was considered perverse. What seemed to me a false note, perhaps engineered to provide a further reason for the community's end, was the saintly Catherine's wild infatuation for the unsuspecting Michael.
An interesting read, perhaps somewhat dated, but a clear indication of the difficulties of retreat from everyday life.
The novel is more focused on characters than plot, which is a rather contorted tale involving old and new bells leading to the dissolution of the community. While the tale provides some amusing episodes, more interesting are the tangled relationships of Dora with Paul - her estranged, abusive husband - and with Noel - a very considerate lover, and of Michael, the leader of the community, with Nick and Toby, especially Michael's difficulties in repressing his homosexual nature at a time when it was considered perverse. What seemed to me a false note, perhaps engineered to provide a further reason for the community's end, was the saintly Catherine's wild infatuation for the unsuspecting Michael.
An interesting read, perhaps somewhat dated, but a clear indication of the difficulties of retreat from everyday life.
Lovely, surprising book. Not my favorite of Murdoch's, but beautiful and resonant. Looks into the questions of religion and belief, community, love and how one finds purpose and meaning in life.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
medium-paced
Nope, this one didn't do it for me. It's not going to put me off Murdoch though - definitely going to try some others. Too much exposition, too much geography (I read another review which said 'just give us a map' and I have to agree) and rebarbative was used too many times. (Of course, that isn't reason I didn't get on with the book, but the word did keep sticking out like half a dozen sore thumbs.)
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes