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tinaargh's review against another edition
4.0
If you like Ian McEwan’s style, you’re obviously also going to like this one. Definitely an interesting read that intertwined personal history with national history and is likely to get you thinking.
toniclark's review against another edition
5.0
McEwan's prose, as ever, is breathtakingly precise and elegant and the content thought-provoking. The book satisfied me in a deep, intellectual way. I feel as if I've lingered over a long, good meal with a fine wine. (Zadie Smith called it "that brilliant, flinty little novel bursting with big ideas.") I loved the interweaving of the stories: Jeremy's past and present; Bernard and June's. Most of the novel is slow-moving, contemplative, but there are several riveting scenes as well. I particularly liked the contrast of Bernard's and June's philosophical positions, both what Jeremy recalls and reports and what he imagines them saying to him.
The narrator, Jeremy, says of June: "I felt stifled by her expressions of faith, and bothered by the unstated assumption of all believers that they are good because they believe what they believe, that face is a virtue, and, by extension, unbelief is unworthy or, at best, pitiable. . . . It will not do to argue that rational thought and spiritual insight are separate domains and that opposition between them is falsely conceived. Bernard and June often talked to me about ideas that could never sit side-by-side. Bernard, for example, was certain that there was no direction, no patterning in human affairs were fêtes other than that which was imposed by human minds. June could not accept this; life had a purpose and it was in our interests to open ourselves to it. Nor will it do to suggest that both these views are correct. To believe everything, to make no choices, amounts to much the same thing, to my mind, as believing in nothing at all." p. 15
It feels like a much longer book than it is because of the content: rationalism vs. spiritualism — as well as how we can or should conduct ourselves in the face of — dare I say it? — existential dread, in light of all we can never know. And oh, so many story lines and details (which seem minor at first) feed into this, enriching experience of the novel on an almost subconscious level. It's a book I know I should read again.
"This is what I know. Human nature, the human heart, the spirit, the soul, consciousness itself – call it what you like – in the end, it's all we've got to work with. It has to develop and expand, or the some of our misery will never diminish. My own small discovery has been that this change is possible, it is within our power. Without a revolution of the inner life, however slow, all our big designs are worthless. The work we have to do is with ourselves if we are ever going to be at peace with each other. I'm not saying it'll happen. There's a good chance it won't. I'm saying it's our only chance. If it does, and it could take generations, the good that flows from it will shape our societies in an unprogrammed, unforeseen way, under the control of no single group of people or set of ideas." - Jeremy, the narrator, quoting June, p. 215
The narrator, Jeremy, says of June: "I felt stifled by her expressions of faith, and bothered by the unstated assumption of all believers that they are good because they believe what they believe, that face is a virtue, and, by extension, unbelief is unworthy or, at best, pitiable. . . . It will not do to argue that rational thought and spiritual insight are separate domains and that opposition between them is falsely conceived. Bernard and June often talked to me about ideas that could never sit side-by-side. Bernard, for example, was certain that there was no direction, no patterning in human affairs were fêtes other than that which was imposed by human minds. June could not accept this; life had a purpose and it was in our interests to open ourselves to it. Nor will it do to suggest that both these views are correct. To believe everything, to make no choices, amounts to much the same thing, to my mind, as believing in nothing at all." p. 15
It feels like a much longer book than it is because of the content: rationalism vs. spiritualism — as well as how we can or should conduct ourselves in the face of — dare I say it? — existential dread, in light of all we can never know. And oh, so many story lines and details (which seem minor at first) feed into this, enriching experience of the novel on an almost subconscious level. It's a book I know I should read again.
"This is what I know. Human nature, the human heart, the spirit, the soul, consciousness itself – call it what you like – in the end, it's all we've got to work with. It has to develop and expand, or the some of our misery will never diminish. My own small discovery has been that this change is possible, it is within our power. Without a revolution of the inner life, however slow, all our big designs are worthless. The work we have to do is with ourselves if we are ever going to be at peace with each other. I'm not saying it'll happen. There's a good chance it won't. I'm saying it's our only chance. If it does, and it could take generations, the good that flows from it will shape our societies in an unprogrammed, unforeseen way, under the control of no single group of people or set of ideas." - Jeremy, the narrator, quoting June, p. 215
readmetwotimes's review against another edition
3.0
http://nonsempreiosonodelmiostessoparere.blogspot.it/2016/01/cani-neri-di-ian-mcewan.html
colorfulleo92's review against another edition
3.0
The writing was good and in a way I enjoyed his writing style the most in this book. However I got a slight feeling I'd wanted more from this. It didn't seem as Ian McEwab fleshed out the story as well as he could and its a shame because I think it could have been a better book. One of the only books by his I've truly loved and think about often is Nutshell. Sadly that weird and obscure story telling he had in that dosent seem to be something he wanted/wants to explore more. I had hoped from the title that this book would be more leaning similar obscure vibes but sadly not.
irreverentreader's review against another edition
2.0
I felt like Ian McEwan was trying too hard to be deep when he wrote this book. I also felt like he had a vague idea of the philosophical ideas he wanted to cover and did a pretty bad job forming them into a semblance of a story.
For me, the most effective part of the book was the beginning. Here, we set up the background of the story of the narrator who is an orphan and taking care of his niece. There is some pretty decent set-up and character building, and I felt like my interest was held. But it literally ends up being all for nothing. His past or his future life are not the focus of this book.
Instead, it focuses on the disastrous marriage of his in-laws and the fact that he is attempting to write a memoir of their lives--which admittedly, is not a terrible plot. But the execution is lacking. There was no deep character dive. They didn't feel fleshed out or have anything extraordinary about them to make me buy in. And because of that, I found it hard to care about the stories that are recounted along the way.
The writing itself was pretty "meh" for McEwan--I was expecting more. I left this book bored to tears and with very little memory about what actually transpired. To feel that way after only having 170 pages to process, well, that's just a real shame.
For me, the most effective part of the book was the beginning. Here, we set up the background of the story of the narrator who is an orphan and taking care of his niece. There is some pretty decent set-up and character building, and I felt like my interest was held. But it literally ends up being all for nothing. His past or his future life are not the focus of this book.
Instead, it focuses on the disastrous marriage of his in-laws and the fact that he is attempting to write a memoir of their lives--which admittedly, is not a terrible plot. But the execution is lacking. There was no deep character dive. They didn't feel fleshed out or have anything extraordinary about them to make me buy in. And because of that, I found it hard to care about the stories that are recounted along the way.
The writing itself was pretty "meh" for McEwan--I was expecting more. I left this book bored to tears and with very little memory about what actually transpired. To feel that way after only having 170 pages to process, well, that's just a real shame.
laurapk's review against another edition
4.0
This was an accidental re-read, but I only realized it halfway through the book. This second read was at a better time in my life: not one when I'm happier, but when the metaphorical 'black dogs' of the novel are clearly visible to me as well, as a European now living in the USA. While there was something missing from the novel (and I can't quite put my finger on it), I greatly enjoyed it this second time around.
jsholman2002's review against another edition
3.0
Beautifully written, but too long on character development and too short on plot. More of a short story really.
diogomcunha's review against another edition
4.0
Cães pretos como o símbolo da força motriz do Potencial de Mal que qualquer pessoa tem dentro de sim, dividindo duas visões do mundo, uma racionalista e outra espiritualista, que tal como o casal que as representa, não se conseguem separar nem derrotar. Tudo isto com o fim da Guerra Fria e a Derrota do Comunismo Soviético como pano de fundo. Bom, relevante e sucinto livro de um grande escritor inglês.
drbjjcarpenter's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting and short read. Explores several interesting concepts. The narrator, whilst not the central focus of the narrative's main thrust, was set up as an intriguing character, though this was mainly to allow him to take an interested in June and Bernard, who are the more important characters in the novel. The narrator's life is much more peripheral.
I thought the text presented an interesting set-up in the way that the narrator appropriated other's parents in order to fill the gap left by the death of his own. In many ways, I thought this tied in with a central theme which became apparent as I was reading, which is the idea of legacy. The discussion of Communism and then the use of Nazism later in the book and the effects they have had on the future, as well as the use of the encounter with the dogs and how it changed the couple's life all employ this concept of events having ramifications in the future.
I thought the text presented an interesting set-up in the way that the narrator appropriated other's parents in order to fill the gap left by the death of his own. In many ways, I thought this tied in with a central theme which became apparent as I was reading, which is the idea of legacy. The discussion of Communism and then the use of Nazism later in the book and the effects they have had on the future, as well as the use of the encounter with the dogs and how it changed the couple's life all employ this concept of events having ramifications in the future.
daoa's review against another edition
4.0
LOS PERROS NEGROS (Anagrama, 1993) de Ian McEwan.
Un libro hermoso sobre muchas cosas. La familia, el amor, la política, la historia. Sobre cómo vivir —o no vivir— toda una vida a través de una ideología, en este caso, el comunismo. Una suerte de alegoría sobre el bien y el mal. El retrato de un matrimonio fracturado que empezó con dos jóvenes soñadores del partido comunista a inicios de la posguerra y se extendió por todo el siglo XX. Una pareja complicada: pletórica de pasión pero a su vez con una efervescente intensidad y necesidad para creer en algo. Todo contado desde la perspectiva del yerno, quien escribe su autobiografía: una genial idea para tomar una distancia y tratar de entender a esta pareja de individuos tan disímiles y tan parecidos, que se quisieron y odiaron tanto. Me quedo con algunos momentos fascinantes: el capítulo donde presencian la caída del Muro de Berlín en 1989, el retrato de la Polonia comunista en pleno apogeo del bloque soviético a inicios de los ’80 y la larga caminata por los pueblos del sur de Francia en 1946, donde se da un surreal encuentro con los remanentes del nazismo, evento que titula al libro. Inteligente y preciosa novela.
Un libro hermoso sobre muchas cosas. La familia, el amor, la política, la historia. Sobre cómo vivir —o no vivir— toda una vida a través de una ideología, en este caso, el comunismo. Una suerte de alegoría sobre el bien y el mal. El retrato de un matrimonio fracturado que empezó con dos jóvenes soñadores del partido comunista a inicios de la posguerra y se extendió por todo el siglo XX. Una pareja complicada: pletórica de pasión pero a su vez con una efervescente intensidad y necesidad para creer en algo. Todo contado desde la perspectiva del yerno, quien escribe su autobiografía: una genial idea para tomar una distancia y tratar de entender a esta pareja de individuos tan disímiles y tan parecidos, que se quisieron y odiaron tanto. Me quedo con algunos momentos fascinantes: el capítulo donde presencian la caída del Muro de Berlín en 1989, el retrato de la Polonia comunista en pleno apogeo del bloque soviético a inicios de los ’80 y la larga caminata por los pueblos del sur de Francia en 1946, donde se da un surreal encuentro con los remanentes del nazismo, evento que titula al libro. Inteligente y preciosa novela.