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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
man. maybe I didn't get it.
all gideon mack made me want to do was jog in the woods, have a spot of tea, resent my father, jog again, do it with my neighbor's wife, and maybe have a little more tea. this might be totally acceptable a lot of the time (well, not socially acceptable, but you know what I mean), but the jacket copy and the reviews all gave me a different impression. I was expecting faust, and I got portrait of a lady. (actually, I really like portrait of a lady. but you get the point.)
all gideon mack made me want to do was jog in the woods, have a spot of tea, resent my father, jog again, do it with my neighbor's wife, and maybe have a little more tea. this might be totally acceptable a lot of the time (well, not socially acceptable, but you know what I mean), but the jacket copy and the reviews all gave me a different impression. I was expecting faust, and I got portrait of a lady. (actually, I really like portrait of a lady. but you get the point.)
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
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
It took way too long for the priest to meet the devil. This book really fell flat for me when I was so excited when I first found it. Go to therapy, don’t take advantage of your friends, and be honest about having sex with the devil.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Testament of Gideon Mack was an enthralling and somewhat frustrating read. Both because you are told almost the entirety of the plot from the off and because the 300 pages that follow only prompt more questions rather than resolve any. Starting at the end is what pushes us forward – drawn through a memoir of Gideon’s life, for the most part his failings, in such a way that is frivolous to the ‘plot’ but perhaps builds a complex context to his character and dares us to consider him a reliable narrator. His reliability – his sanity - is the final unanswerable question.
It is a tall tale… as many myths, legends and religious stories often are. The novel is interwoven with allusion to folklore and seemingly a homage to a 19th century novel by James Hogg. Robertson asks: what are the limits to what you are willing to believe? How do you explain the unexplainable? The answers have changed over the course of history, through religious and secular ages. People must see it to believe it – but once they have “seen”, what then? Even the most pious of the congregation couldn’t believe Gideon Mack met with the devil. Perhaps the local hairdresser, Henry Leask, had it right when asked if Mack was a liar – he lied about being a Christian, about believing in God: “That’s different. Everybody lies about that”
It is a tall tale… as many myths, legends and religious stories often are. The novel is interwoven with allusion to folklore and seemingly a homage to a 19th century novel by James Hogg. Robertson asks: what are the limits to what you are willing to believe? How do you explain the unexplainable? The answers have changed over the course of history, through religious and secular ages. People must see it to believe it – but once they have “seen”, what then? Even the most pious of the congregation couldn’t believe Gideon Mack met with the devil. Perhaps the local hairdresser, Henry Leask, had it right when asked if Mack was a liar – he lied about being a Christian, about believing in God: “That’s different. Everybody lies about that”
A really interesting book. It was a random one that I picked up at a library sale ages ago and hadn't got to. It tells the story of a atheist Church of Scotland minister who falls into a gorge and is rescued by the devil. It is essentially a story about the way different people deal or don't deal with what goes on their lives. The book is really well written, the characters well fleshed out and believable and sympathetic. When I started the book I wan't sure if it would draw me in but after a few chapters it had me hooked. Well worth a read it you come across it.
Fascinating concept, a good read for anyone who loves to question religion