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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
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
What a frustrating, infuriating narrator. And every now and then she inserts a sharp little sentence that makes you think yes, it’s just like that.
This is the sort of book that makes insomnia tolerable, because waking up at four meant picking it up again. It was a little slow to get started, but once the plot started rolling in earnest I couldn't put it down. Also, there were many wonderful descriptions of meals, which is always a plus.
Oof. Finished. Charles Arrowby was a lot! The whole time I was thinking “Imagine being stuck next to this guy on a long-haul flight?” But so believable! I ended up reading this because the author’s name came up in another’s quote and I didn’t know her and she’s famous and acclaimed. I won’t hold this book against her too much, and may try another.
“We are such inward secret creatures, that inwardness the most amazing thing about us, even more amazing than our reason. But we cannot just walk into the cavern and look around. Most of what we think we know about our minds is pseudo-knowledge. We are all such shocking poseurs, so good at inflating the importance of what we think we value.”
“We are such inward secret creatures, that inwardness the most amazing thing about us, even more amazing than our reason. But we cannot just walk into the cavern and look around. Most of what we think we know about our minds is pseudo-knowledge. We are all such shocking poseurs, so good at inflating the importance of what we think we value.”
reflective
Was für ein anstrengendes Buch. Zum einen war es unfassbar langatmig. Schrieb man in den 60ern einfach noch so? Ist mein reizüberflutetes Social Media Hirn einfach nicht mehr in der Lage, seitenlange Landschaftsbeschreibungen und innere Monologe zu lesen? Oder übertreibt es Iris Murdoch ein bisschen?
Außerdem fand ich den Haupt Charakter richtig unsympathisch und selbstgerecht. Er hat nur negative und schrecklich sexistische Meinungen über alle Frauen er selbst ist natürlich der einzige Mensch mit Geschmack, seine Eifersucht ist krankhaft, und dann entführt er eine halb Fremde, weil ER der Meinung ist, das wäre besser für sie. Irgendwie hätte ich erwartet, dass eine weibliche Autorin das mehr reflektiert. Vielleicht hat sie das, indem sie dieses Verhalten völlig überzogen darstellte. Ganz angekommen ist es bei mir nicht. Trotzdem gab es ein paar unterhaltsame Stellen, einzelne interessante Charaktere und manchmal gefielen mir auch die Beschreibungen des Setting sehr gut.
Außerdem fand ich den Haupt Charakter richtig unsympathisch und selbstgerecht. Er hat nur negative und schrecklich sexistische Meinungen über alle Frauen er selbst ist natürlich der einzige Mensch mit Geschmack, seine Eifersucht ist krankhaft, und dann entführt er eine halb Fremde, weil ER der Meinung ist, das wäre besser für sie. Irgendwie hätte ich erwartet, dass eine weibliche Autorin das mehr reflektiert. Vielleicht hat sie das, indem sie dieses Verhalten völlig überzogen darstellte. Ganz angekommen ist es bei mir nicht. Trotzdem gab es ein paar unterhaltsame Stellen, einzelne interessante Charaktere und manchmal gefielen mir auch die Beschreibungen des Setting sehr gut.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
one of the most unique and insane narrators of anything i’ve ever read.
I loved this book for a while, but after several of what should have been endings, I grew tired of it. It is fitting for Charles to persist after I feel done with him. Maybe that was the idea in this book that I started to feel trapped in.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"Surely, a moment must come when the amount of fear would automatically make her mine..."
The 500-page diary of a raving lunatic. I am struggling to find the words to describe this book. It is, at its core, a hard look at the human condition. Jealousy, delusion, resentment, regret. Told from the perspective of one guy but with countless memories and interactions used to piece together the story of his life, his actions demonstrating his maddening, sometimes funny and often terrifying journey of the self. Charles is despicable, but I enjoyed every second of my time with him. A perfect mixture of classic prose and true thriller elements. It's long, but worth it.
The 500-page diary of a raving lunatic. I am struggling to find the words to describe this book. It is, at its core, a hard look at the human condition. Jealousy, delusion, resentment, regret. Told from the perspective of one guy but with countless memories and interactions used to piece together the story of his life, his actions demonstrating his maddening, sometimes funny and often terrifying journey of the self. Charles is despicable, but I enjoyed every second of my time with him. A perfect mixture of classic prose and true thriller elements. It's long, but worth it.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I once read a book called worst person ever.
The person in the book was absolutely no match for this awful man.
Good lord this writing is magnificent. I’m so angry. I’ve never wanted to slap someone more.
What an absolute gargantuan pompous piece of work this guy is.
I hate him. I’m furious at these stupid women around him. He’s not real but, he feels real. Horribly real.
I point you to the line ‘what indeed are women but refuges?’ Oh my god. Oh my god you insufferable prick.
And it starts to get more disturbing like. You have accidentally come across the diary of a stalker. It’s…… it’s. I don’t know how she did this.
Why have I never read Iris Murdoch before?
I’m not clever enough to review this book but it made me feel angry and amused and horrified and sad.
The person in the book was absolutely no match for this awful man.
Good lord this writing is magnificent. I’m so angry. I’ve never wanted to slap someone more.
What an absolute gargantuan pompous piece of work this guy is.
I hate him. I’m furious at these stupid women around him. He’s not real but, he feels real. Horribly real.
I point you to the line ‘what indeed are women but refuges?’ Oh my god. Oh my god you insufferable prick.
And it starts to get more disturbing like. You have accidentally come across the diary of a stalker. It’s…… it’s. I don’t know how she did this.
Why have I never read Iris Murdoch before?
I’m not clever enough to review this book but it made me feel angry and amused and horrified and sad.