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A review by wolfdan9
By the Lake by John McGahern
4.0
"Happiness could not be sought or worried into being, or even fully grasped; it should be allowed its own slow pace so that it passes unnoticed, if it even comes at all."
McGahern's By The Lake is a slow-paced, very Irish, and very "chill" novel. It's not that nothing happens, although there really is no plot in a standard sense, but the narrative has a leisurely and rural pace. Essentially, the story is a single narrative that is comprised of various episodes in the interconnected lives of community members around a lake in Ireland (post-1950s, I want to same sometime relatively modern -- maybe 70s or 80s if not later?). Characters drink together, write letters to family, make business deals, reflect on the grass and hay, etc. There is some death and drama, but the purpose of McGahern's novel is to paint a picture of what rural Irish lived like, without much of a pointed theme. And with that he is incredibly successful. I found the writing, particularly the dialogue, to be superb: among the best I've read. McGahern has a real talent for writing characters, particularly in their interactions with one another, and can create a clear visual of his scenes and the nuances of interaction. He often will include just the right phrase to capture a characters internal feeling of annoyance, pride, embarrassment, etc. in a social situation. As a narrator, McGahern aptly unfolds scenes that require the reader to notice and enjoy the subtle shifts in mood or comfort among his interlocutors. Not only that, but his descriptions of Irish nature are rich with authentic imagery. He is an unfussy and unpretentious writer who ably crafts scenes through simple word choice and effective characterization and/or description. You can see the beauty of Ireland and its people through McGahren's clear grasp of the subject matter. This is a beautifully written Irish novel.
The quote I selected above does seem to capture what interested McGahern about these characters, that as they lived about their ordinary, quotidian routines -- mostly peaceably, although with some expected stresses and drama -- they were living within a normal happiness of life. McGahern showed this the only way that it is probably possible, by eschewing a "story line" and merely showing people as they lived. They did not appear particularly happy, or necessarily find happiness, but they were happy as McGahern defines it above. If happiness exists, its within the normal, everyday moments that we're living through: not necessarily appreciating or feeling, but simply living through. It's a gentle reminder that life is a wonderful privilege.
McGahern's By The Lake is a slow-paced, very Irish, and very "chill" novel. It's not that nothing happens, although there really is no plot in a standard sense, but the narrative has a leisurely and rural pace. Essentially, the story is a single narrative that is comprised of various episodes in the interconnected lives of community members around a lake in Ireland (post-1950s, I want to same sometime relatively modern -- maybe 70s or 80s if not later?). Characters drink together, write letters to family, make business deals, reflect on the grass and hay, etc. There is some death and drama, but the purpose of McGahern's novel is to paint a picture of what rural Irish lived like, without much of a pointed theme. And with that he is incredibly successful. I found the writing, particularly the dialogue, to be superb: among the best I've read. McGahern has a real talent for writing characters, particularly in their interactions with one another, and can create a clear visual of his scenes and the nuances of interaction. He often will include just the right phrase to capture a characters internal feeling of annoyance, pride, embarrassment, etc. in a social situation. As a narrator, McGahern aptly unfolds scenes that require the reader to notice and enjoy the subtle shifts in mood or comfort among his interlocutors. Not only that, but his descriptions of Irish nature are rich with authentic imagery. He is an unfussy and unpretentious writer who ably crafts scenes through simple word choice and effective characterization and/or description. You can see the beauty of Ireland and its people through McGahren's clear grasp of the subject matter. This is a beautifully written Irish novel.
The quote I selected above does seem to capture what interested McGahern about these characters, that as they lived about their ordinary, quotidian routines -- mostly peaceably, although with some expected stresses and drama -- they were living within a normal happiness of life. McGahern showed this the only way that it is probably possible, by eschewing a "story line" and merely showing people as they lived. They did not appear particularly happy, or necessarily find happiness, but they were happy as McGahern defines it above. If happiness exists, its within the normal, everyday moments that we're living through: not necessarily appreciating or feeling, but simply living through. It's a gentle reminder that life is a wonderful privilege.