A review by slichto3
The Enigma of Arrival: A Novel in Five Sections by V.S. Naipaul

1.0

The Enigma of Arrival is an incredibly tedious book. On the surface, it sounds like it could be interesting: it's about the development of a writer and his experiences adjusting to life in England after growing up in Trinidad. But it is sooooooo dull. The first third of the book is all about the author walking around this rural English down and looking at the landscape. That's pretty much it. He sees people on his walks, but then remains firmly focused on the landscape. The second section describes the author's experience going from Trinidad to England - somewhat more interesting. But then the third section takes us right back to that English town! This time, though, a little bit more focused on characters, which was nice. But still - quite slow and dull. Another odd note about this book: the author repeats sentences. It's odd, and I can't quite figure out why they decided to do this. Anyway, it's a dull book.