Scan barcode
A review by megmro
Reading in the Dark by Seamus Deane
5.0
I'm always scared when I can't find an audio version of a book club book; will I finish? I should not have worried about this one -- it was absolutely mesmerizing to me.
The author tells the story in a series of brief memories that occur over many years. From these shorter stories -- which range from 1- or 2-page vignettes to much longer chapters -- the reader pieces together the lies and deception that have occurred within the narrator's family before he was born. A very interesting look at the fragmented nature of truth, with each character believing that he or she has the largest or complete idea of what has happened.
The writing is just amazing. At book club, I learned that this was the author's only novel, and that he mainly wrote poetry, which totally makes sense because his prose is incredibly poetic. The text is filled with lots of emotional and sensory impressions. Just beautiful.
I loved the idea of haunting that ran throughout the novel. The first chapter is such a captivating introduction to this family with dark ghosts and hidden places. All the haunting is tied to specific places, and it is so intriguing to learn why each site is haunted for each individual.
Loved it. Highly recommend.
The author tells the story in a series of brief memories that occur over many years. From these shorter stories -- which range from 1- or 2-page vignettes to much longer chapters -- the reader pieces together the lies and deception that have occurred within the narrator's family before he was born. A very interesting look at the fragmented nature of truth, with each character believing that he or she has the largest or complete idea of what has happened.
The writing is just amazing. At book club, I learned that this was the author's only novel, and that he mainly wrote poetry, which totally makes sense because his prose is incredibly poetic. The text is filled with lots of emotional and sensory impressions. Just beautiful.
I loved the idea of haunting that ran throughout the novel. The first chapter is such a captivating introduction to this family with dark ghosts and hidden places. All the haunting is tied to specific places, and it is so intriguing to learn why each site is haunted for each individual.
Loved it. Highly recommend.