Normally. I love John Banville's novels - the literary ones at least, but I'd rate 'The Sea', which I read back in 2006, as his very weakest. I was very surprised, shocked even, when it won the Booker. Like you I thought the plot trivial and it being far more fitting to a short story, rather than being eked out into a short novel. Banville does reminiscences of haunted pasts and places extremely well on much larger canvases. I think the Cleave and Frames trilogies work far better and contain the very best of his output, along with The Untouchable and The Infinities
I know this is not the in-depth conversation you long to have about the books you read, but here’s why for me. I read this book in November 2023 and evidently sorta enjoyed it, but I don’t remember one single thing about it! Not a name, not an event, not the storyline, nothing. I hope other folks will respond with opinions and thoughtful comments.😞
That's so funny and telling. I think the experience of reading it is enjoyable because the prose is so masterful, exquisite even, but I can't tell if Banville is being ironic on purpose or by accident when he doesn't deliver anything close to the story he promises.
Yes, I’d agree with “telling” pretty clearly it didn’t make much of an impression on me.
On another subject if I may, finished a Garden of the Evening Mists an hour or so ago… amazing in my opinion. Maybe it’s my mood of recent weeks but it struck a deep cord with me, not only the memory loss, which is an ever creeping demon in my life as well, but the lyric almost purely poetic style of storytelling knocked me over. I highlighted more parts of the book than any other I’ve ever read I believe. Thank you for telling me about it.
I'm loving it so far. That's such a wonderful review, Kenny! It's hitting me deeply as well. Maybe I'll try to finish that one before the others in order to post about it so that you can copy some of the quotes that particularly resonated with you. It's incredibly lyrical and highlights the Romantic spirit.
I did read The Sea but it was not long after it was written so I have vague memory of its contents. I would need to re read and going by your review I think maybe not.
Normally. I love John Banville's novels - the literary ones at least, but I'd rate 'The Sea', which I read back in 2006, as his very weakest. I was very surprised, shocked even, when it won the Booker. Like you I thought the plot trivial and it being far more fitting to a short story, rather than being eked out into a short novel. Banville does reminiscences of haunted pasts and places extremely well on much larger canvases. I think the Cleave and Frames trilogies work far better and contain the very best of his output, along with The Untouchable and The Infinities
I know this is not the in-depth conversation you long to have about the books you read, but here’s why for me. I read this book in November 2023 and evidently sorta enjoyed it, but I don’t remember one single thing about it! Not a name, not an event, not the storyline, nothing. I hope other folks will respond with opinions and thoughtful comments.😞
That's so funny and telling. I think the experience of reading it is enjoyable because the prose is so masterful, exquisite even, but I can't tell if Banville is being ironic on purpose or by accident when he doesn't deliver anything close to the story he promises.
Yes, I’d agree with “telling” pretty clearly it didn’t make much of an impression on me.
On another subject if I may, finished a Garden of the Evening Mists an hour or so ago… amazing in my opinion. Maybe it’s my mood of recent weeks but it struck a deep cord with me, not only the memory loss, which is an ever creeping demon in my life as well, but the lyric almost purely poetic style of storytelling knocked me over. I highlighted more parts of the book than any other I’ve ever read I believe. Thank you for telling me about it.
I'm loving it so far. That's such a wonderful review, Kenny! It's hitting me deeply as well. Maybe I'll try to finish that one before the others in order to post about it so that you can copy some of the quotes that particularly resonated with you. It's incredibly lyrical and highlights the Romantic spirit.
The quotes are all saved in Goodreads so I can always get to them easily.
I did read The Sea but it was not long after it was written so I have vague memory of its contents. I would need to re read and going by your review I think maybe not.
I can’t comment as the only John Banville I’ve read are a couple of his Stafford and Quirk crime stories.