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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
I can't really figure out what to say about this book, so it's just as well there are already 555 Goodreads reviews to go on. I'd never read any Murdoch before and didn't really know what to expect. What I got was a roller-coaster of powerful writing. But what was it about? I'm still not sure, but I think different readers will appreciate different elements.
I loved the minutely detailed descriptions of the sea ... and laughed at the equally precise descriptions of Charles Arrowby's bizarre gastronomic tastes ("a salad of cold Italian tinned tomatoes with herbs" for example). A classic unreliable narrator, the narcissistic Charles is quite loathsome, but keeps us entertained. The mid-section of the book, with his delusional pursuit and sequestration of the blameless Hartley, I found quite creepy, but it was relieved by the French bedroom farce aspects of his crowd of theatrical visitors. There were ludicrous coincidences (even for someone like me who is very tolerant of coincidences in both fiction and real life) but it's clearly not intended to be a realistic novel -- or maybe Murdoch is saying something about fate? I couldn't help feeling there were many elements of Buddhist philosophy that were passing me by -- pity James was such a cipher -- but I did figure out that Charles' stay at Shruff End was some form of bardo (Buddhist limbo) between phases of his life. I suppose the novel is very much of its time (late 1970s) and might have seemed less odd then.
Anyway, I was never bored with this book, and I expect I will read more Murdoch at some point.
I loved the minutely detailed descriptions of the sea ... and laughed at the equally precise descriptions of Charles Arrowby's bizarre gastronomic tastes ("a salad of cold Italian tinned tomatoes with herbs" for example). A classic unreliable narrator, the narcissistic Charles is quite loathsome, but keeps us entertained. The mid-section of the book, with his delusional pursuit and sequestration of the blameless Hartley, I found quite creepy, but it was relieved by the French bedroom farce aspects of his crowd of theatrical visitors. There were ludicrous coincidences (even for someone like me who is very tolerant of coincidences in both fiction and real life) but it's clearly not intended to be a realistic novel -- or maybe Murdoch is saying something about fate? I couldn't help feeling there were many elements of Buddhist philosophy that were passing me by -- pity James was such a cipher -- but I did figure out that Charles' stay at Shruff End was some form of bardo (Buddhist limbo) between phases of his life. I suppose the novel is very much of its time (late 1970s) and might have seemed less odd then.
Anyway, I was never bored with this book, and I expect I will read more Murdoch at some point.
It's my favorite Murdoch, but that may be because I'm Buddhist and have spent my life in theatre; and then, I am passionate about the sea. My favorite bits of this one are the meals Arrowby cooks up for himself. His enjoyment of canned food with an herb here and there delights me.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
reflective
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:
Complicated
I am realizing now that Iris Murdoch wrote a bunch of novels. This was one of the prize-winning ones, I believe.
Retired stage director moves to a precarious seaside home, engages in scrapes, madcap schemes, and near-death experiences with 3 ex-lovers, and other ancillary people as well. First half of novel vastly different than second half. Readers who enjoy the first half may not feel tolerant of the second half and vice-versa.
Retired stage director moves to a precarious seaside home, engages in scrapes, madcap schemes, and near-death experiences with 3 ex-lovers, and other ancillary people as well. First half of novel vastly different than second half. Readers who enjoy the first half may not feel tolerant of the second half and vice-versa.
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
There was not a single likable character in this novel. I found Charles, a pompous theater director, wholly irritating. All of the sycophantic former actors who had been in his thrall were one dimensional. The novel was long and had several absurd/clunky plot points. There were some amusing satirical sketches of Charles’s attempt to acclimatize to rural seaside life, as well as lyrical descriptions of the sea. Was this enough to win the Booker Prize?
This is one of those stories that make it incredibly difficult to like because I did not like the protagonist at all. But I do love Murdoch's writing. So the rating is more 3.5 stars because I give the writing 4 stars but likeability 3.
I have to say this story is very similar in theme to her other book, [b:The Unicorn|253954|The Unicorn (Vintage Classics)|Iris Murdoch|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1330429659s/253954.jpg|1294], which I liked better for a myriad of reasons but mainly a) it was much shorter, b) I read it first, and c) the protagonist was a female and so her reasonings felt more true and less like an overly excited actor past his prime desperately clinging to his grand delusions.
But I truly enjoy Murdoch's writing so I will be working my way through her canon. And if you can manage, she gives you a decent ending (although the epilogue went on interminably too long, much like everything Charles Arrowby did and said).
I have to say this story is very similar in theme to her other book, [b:The Unicorn|253954|The Unicorn (Vintage Classics)|Iris Murdoch|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1330429659s/253954.jpg|1294], which I liked better for a myriad of reasons but mainly a) it was much shorter, b) I read it first, and c) the protagonist was a female and so her reasonings felt more true and less like an overly excited actor past his prime desperately clinging to his grand delusions.
But I truly enjoy Murdoch's writing so I will be working my way through her canon. And if you can manage, she gives you a decent ending (although the epilogue went on interminably too long, much like everything Charles Arrowby did and said).
Entirely too long. Main character is unlikeable and delusional — not sure what the point was, unless it’s about the descent into madness.
I would have liked this book a lot more if I had liked or hated Charles, but in the end I’m indifferent. He’s of course unlikeable, but also not consistent enough to be hated. The first-person choice for this kind of book does not reallg work.