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A review by monalyisha
The Offing by Benjamin Myers
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
The Offing reminds me of the 1970’s cult classic Harold & Maude, updated for modern sensibilities and ironically set in the past (1940’s England, post-WWII).
A coal-miner’s son leaves home in search of adventure and finds it in unexpected ways in Dulcie, a worldly, unconventional, and grieving septuagenarian tucked away in her home in a coastal meadow. She introduces him to poetry, wine, and simple luxury, and shows him what could be.
In turn, he reminds her of what it feels like to have life open in front of you. She’s keen to make sure he fights for the right to that openness. This novel is langorously slow…and I say that as someone who brags about being a reader who doesn’t need plot to keep her going! Remarkable, then, that’s its being turned into a movie (starring Helena Bonham Carter). I suspect it’ll be a gorgeous film, hinging on character, mood, and scenery.
I think the ending, just the very last page, struck a bit of a false chord, if we’re updating for modern sensibilities (and the novel was penned in 2019). Myers writes, “The way of life has changed, of course. The small-scale fishing industry barely exists and most of the houses down bay are second homes that fill up only during holidays. It doesn’t bother me.” And, “Nature always wins.” Given today’s housing and climate crises, both sentences sound wrong and hollow.
Still, it was a gorgeous, wise, and lovely book…if sometimes a little on-the-nose!
A coal-miner’s son leaves home in search of adventure and finds it in unexpected ways in Dulcie, a worldly, unconventional, and grieving septuagenarian tucked away in her home in a coastal meadow. She introduces him to poetry, wine, and simple luxury, and shows him what could be.
In turn, he reminds her of what it feels like to have life open in front of you. She’s keen to make sure he fights for the right to that openness. This novel is langorously slow…and I say that as someone who brags about being a reader who doesn’t need plot to keep her going! Remarkable, then, that’s its being turned into a movie (starring Helena Bonham Carter). I suspect it’ll be a gorgeous film, hinging on character, mood, and scenery.
I think the ending, just the very last page, struck a bit of a false chord, if we’re updating for modern sensibilities (and the novel was penned in 2019). Myers writes, “The way of life has changed, of course. The small-scale fishing industry barely exists and most of the houses down bay are second homes that fill up only during holidays. It doesn’t bother me.” And, “Nature always wins.” Given today’s housing and climate crises, both sentences sound wrong and hollow.
Still, it was a gorgeous, wise, and lovely book…if sometimes a little on-the-nose!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide