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elisahrg's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
- 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
3.75
bibliomaniac2021's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
anatomydetective's review against another edition
3.0
So many characters tangled together with convoluted plot lines! So far I have a love/hate relationship with Murdoch. I love the way she writes and her development of characters, but so far the novels I've read have so many characters and plot threads that the story ended up rather unbelievable. I'll try another Murdoch novel, but I need a while before I start thinking about that...
maidenknightbradamant's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-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
aegagrus's review against another edition
2.75
The Book and the Brotherhood is a novel about longing for impossible relationships. In the penultimate scene, Gerard's inner monologue makes it explicit. We crave security; we imagine those who love us can bestow it. We want to possess others, but we do not want to be possessed ourselves. The relationships here never are never quite friendly, or loving, or hostile. They are, however, desperate. This is not an endorsement of loneliness, but a story about dependency. Our need for other people is volatile and dangerous and dysfunctional. It is also, suggests Murdoch, all there really is.
In executing this central theme, Murdoch is reasonably effective. Her philosophical background is on full display here; she reveals an uncommon grasp of how humans think. The distance between ourselves and the physical world. The private languages we use, with ourselves and with others. Some of the relationships, however, are more compelling than others. Gerard and Jenkin's relationship feels quite rich and believable. Jean and Crimond's relationship does not. This is partly because Murdoch uses Crimond as an archetype of the inscrutable "other", the only central character for whom close third person is never deployed. Just as Jenkin fantasizes about South America, others fantasize about Crimond. Still, it is not Crimond who ends up as the inscrutable element, but those he enthralls. Though these relationships feel urgent and genuine, they lack the others' psychological nuance and essential legibility, which becomes a problem. The gestures towards political and religious themes are similarly disappointing. I was not expecting a particularly robust deconstruction, because ideologies here are mostly a stand-in; their magnetism and power is akin to that of those we long for, or long to revile. This parallel is interesting, but integrated into the main body of the novel in a somewhat awkward half-hearted way; the novel seems to be clumsily purporting to be offering more of an exploration of these ideas in-themselves than it is (or than is even necessary).
Finally, the novel feels bloated. Murdoch demonstrates quite a knack for dramatic pacing in the most plot-driven section, which falls roughly midway through the book. The more introspective beginning and end, while by no means incompetent, contain much that feels superfluous. One is left with the impression that a trimmer (and more consistent) version of this material would leave more of an impact.
In executing this central theme, Murdoch is reasonably effective. Her philosophical background is on full display here; she reveals an uncommon grasp of how humans think. The distance between ourselves and the physical world. The private languages we use, with ourselves and with others. Some of the relationships, however, are more compelling than others. Gerard and Jenkin's relationship feels quite rich and believable. Jean and Crimond's relationship does not. This is partly because Murdoch uses Crimond as an archetype of the inscrutable "other", the only central character for whom close third person is never deployed. Just as Jenkin fantasizes about South America, others fantasize about Crimond. Still, it is not Crimond who ends up as the inscrutable element, but those he enthralls. Though these relationships feel urgent and genuine, they lack the others' psychological nuance and essential legibility, which becomes a problem. The gestures towards political and religious themes are similarly disappointing. I was not expecting a particularly robust deconstruction, because ideologies here are mostly a stand-in; their magnetism and power is akin to that of those we long for, or long to revile. This parallel is interesting, but integrated into the main body of the novel in a somewhat awkward half-hearted way; the novel seems to be clumsily purporting to be offering more of an exploration of these ideas in-themselves than it is (or than is even necessary).
Finally, the novel feels bloated. Murdoch demonstrates quite a knack for dramatic pacing in the most plot-driven section, which falls roughly midway through the book. The more introspective beginning and end, while by no means incompetent, contain much that feels superfluous. One is left with the impression that a trimmer (and more consistent) version of this material would leave more of an impact.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcoholism and Domestic abuse
smcleish's review against another edition
4.0
Originally published on my blog here in June 2002.
The title to this complex novel suggests that it will have a religious theme, like that of [b:The Bell|11230|The Bell |Iris Murdoch|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309376864s/11230.jpg|1169601]. There is something in this, but it is only indirectly - the narrative reads like it is about religious ideas, but they play only a small part in the story. The book of the title is a political one, which one character, Davide Crimond, has ostensibly been writing for many years. His writing is funded by a group of rich Oxford graduates, described by one of their number as "part of the brotherhood of Western intellectuals". Even though they no longer believe in the ideals that the book was meant to enshrine, the support continues until the year which is described in Murdoch's novel.
What happens in this year, something which shakes up the relationships among the brotherhood and their friends, is that one of them leaves her husband for Crimond. It is the dislocation this causes among the group, their changing relationships, that Murdoch uses to tell us about what each of them is actually like in the first part of The Book and the Brotherhood. In fact, it could be said that all Murdoch's novels are about the way in which relationships evolve, which perhaps accounts for the way that they read as though they have a sea-like ebb and flow to them. Murdoch here also uses the book to create contrast; in between dramatic events come some distinctly intellectual arguments about the politics of the book, defusing tension. It establishes the believability of the characters extremely effectively, and makes it possible for Murdoch to demonstrate the differences between them.
About two thirds of the way through, though, Murdoch springs a surprise. The arguments cease (the book has been completed), and events escalate towards the melodramatic. Because of the way that the first part of the novel has been structured, this section draws in the reader, already committed to the characters, far more easily than would otherwise be the case. It seems far more real because the people who do these things, who have these things done to them, are well established in the mind, as though they are our own friends who have become involved in something out of their depth.
Then, after these hectic pages reach their climax, there is another change in pace. We get to see something of the way in which the dramatic events of the winter lead to changes in the characters themselves and their relationships. Again, the careful structure of the novel (with of course the symbolism of the new life of springtime) serves to heighten its effectiveness.
Perhaps in the end The Book and the Brotherhood is not as gripping nor as thought provoking as Murdoch's very best work (The Bell, say). It is still an excellent novel by anyone's standards, well deserving of its Booker Prize shortlisting.
The title to this complex novel suggests that it will have a religious theme, like that of [b:The Bell|11230|The Bell |Iris Murdoch|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309376864s/11230.jpg|1169601]. There is something in this, but it is only indirectly - the narrative reads like it is about religious ideas, but they play only a small part in the story. The book of the title is a political one, which one character, Davide Crimond, has ostensibly been writing for many years. His writing is funded by a group of rich Oxford graduates, described by one of their number as "part of the brotherhood of Western intellectuals". Even though they no longer believe in the ideals that the book was meant to enshrine, the support continues until the year which is described in Murdoch's novel.
What happens in this year, something which shakes up the relationships among the brotherhood and their friends, is that one of them leaves her husband for Crimond. It is the dislocation this causes among the group, their changing relationships, that Murdoch uses to tell us about what each of them is actually like in the first part of The Book and the Brotherhood. In fact, it could be said that all Murdoch's novels are about the way in which relationships evolve, which perhaps accounts for the way that they read as though they have a sea-like ebb and flow to them. Murdoch here also uses the book to create contrast; in between dramatic events come some distinctly intellectual arguments about the politics of the book, defusing tension. It establishes the believability of the characters extremely effectively, and makes it possible for Murdoch to demonstrate the differences between them.
About two thirds of the way through, though, Murdoch springs a surprise. The arguments cease (the book has been completed), and events escalate towards the melodramatic. Because of the way that the first part of the novel has been structured, this section draws in the reader, already committed to the characters, far more easily than would otherwise be the case. It seems far more real because the people who do these things, who have these things done to them, are well established in the mind, as though they are our own friends who have become involved in something out of their depth.
Then, after these hectic pages reach their climax, there is another change in pace. We get to see something of the way in which the dramatic events of the winter lead to changes in the characters themselves and their relationships. Again, the careful structure of the novel (with of course the symbolism of the new life of springtime) serves to heighten its effectiveness.
Perhaps in the end The Book and the Brotherhood is not as gripping nor as thought provoking as Murdoch's very best work (The Bell, say). It is still an excellent novel by anyone's standards, well deserving of its Booker Prize shortlisting.
brona's review against another edition
3.0
Just as well I've been reading Moby-Dick in the lead-up to starting this book. Just like Melville, Murdoch loves to list and categorise things. In this case, Murdoch spent the first part of The Book and the Brotherhood listing all the characters, what they were wearing and how they were related or linked.
I had to draw myself a character tree to keep everyone in their rightful place!
It was kinda fun...as we watched a bunch of ageing college friends run around their old campus in a weird, debauched summer-time fling at their lost youth. We quickly realise though that they haven't really evolved emotionally very much from their youthful passions - with lots of whose sleeping with who, she said what? and he looked at me the wrong way kind of shenanigans.
I'm always amazed how Murdoch can create a story full of pretty unlikable characters, yet hold your interest at the same time. I guess it's her ideas and philosophy that intrigue. Maybe Oxbridge really is full of people just like the ones in this book, but it's hard to credit that there could be so many dithering, ineffectual intellectuals running around England, not really doing anything with their lives.
A couple of the men seemed to have some kind of vague government job, and of course, Crimond had his book to write, but everyone else just swanned around doing nothing but overthink, well, everything.
The entire cast of characters were so caught up in themselves that they constantly bounced from one catastrophic emotional drama to the next, inflicting harm on each other at an exhausting rate, with very little self-awareness and barely a public observance of contrition.
It's frustrating to get the end of this rather huge book, to find one of characters still saying 'other people are so mysterious'. No-one seems to have worked out anything. They all just keep on fluffing along, drifting in and out of things with very little purpose or decision.
But, perhaps, that's what we all do in the end.
Full response here - http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-book-and-brotherhood-by-iris-murdoch.html
I had to draw myself a character tree to keep everyone in their rightful place!
It was kinda fun...as we watched a bunch of ageing college friends run around their old campus in a weird, debauched summer-time fling at their lost youth. We quickly realise though that they haven't really evolved emotionally very much from their youthful passions - with lots of whose sleeping with who, she said what? and he looked at me the wrong way kind of shenanigans.
I'm always amazed how Murdoch can create a story full of pretty unlikable characters, yet hold your interest at the same time. I guess it's her ideas and philosophy that intrigue. Maybe Oxbridge really is full of people just like the ones in this book, but it's hard to credit that there could be so many dithering, ineffectual intellectuals running around England, not really doing anything with their lives.
A couple of the men seemed to have some kind of vague government job, and of course, Crimond had his book to write, but everyone else just swanned around doing nothing but overthink, well, everything.
The entire cast of characters were so caught up in themselves that they constantly bounced from one catastrophic emotional drama to the next, inflicting harm on each other at an exhausting rate, with very little self-awareness and barely a public observance of contrition.
It's frustrating to get the end of this rather huge book, to find one of characters still saying 'other people are so mysterious'. No-one seems to have worked out anything. They all just keep on fluffing along, drifting in and out of things with very little purpose or decision.
But, perhaps, that's what we all do in the end.
Full response here - http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-book-and-brotherhood-by-iris-murdoch.html
aerinfirehair's review against another edition
I need to give up on this for now. I was enjoying it, but the writing is very dense. I can only get through about ten pages at a time. I'm putting this on hold for a future wintry afternoon or several of them.
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