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jmcook's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
karinlib's review against another edition
4.0
The narrator of Black Dogs, Jeremy lost his parents at 8 years old, latches onto his friends' parents, then his wife's. The story takes place during the Berlin Wall, November 1989. Jeremy is fascinated by his Wife's parents and their unusual relationship: they love one another, but are unable to live together. Their extreme ideologies make it difficult to live together. This is another McEwan that I really liked
alexandramallia's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-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? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
popefacekillah's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
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.