The Sea
2 journalers for this copy...
Synopsis/Review (Credit: Barry Forshaw -- www.amazon.com)
Incandescent prose. Beautifully textured characterisation. Transparent narratives. The adjectives to describe the writing of John Banville are all affirmative, and The Sea is a ringing affirmation of all his best qualities. His publishers are claiming that this novel by the Booker-shortlisted author is his finest yet, and while that claim may have an element of hyperbole, there is no denying that this perfectly balanced book is among the writer’s most accomplished work.
Max Morden has reached a crossroads in his life, and is trying hard to deal with several disturbing things. A recent loss is still taking its toll on him, and a trauma in his past is similarly proving hard to deal with. He decides that he will return to a town on the coast at which he spent a memorable holiday when a boy. His memory of that time devolves on the charismatic Grace family, particularly the seductive twins Myles and Chloe. In a very short time, Max found himself drawn into a strange relationship with them, and pursuant events left their mark on him for the rest of his life. But will he be able to exorcise those memories of the past?
The fashion in which John Banville draws the reader into this hypnotic and disturbing world is non pareil, and the very complex relationships between his brilliantly delineated cast of characters are orchestrated with a master’s skill. As in such books as Shroud and The Book of Evidence, the author eschews the obvious at all times, and the narrative is delivered with subtlety and understatement. The genuine moments of drama, when they do occur, are commensurately more powerful.
Winner of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction, 2005.
On the Combined 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die List.
(Bought second-hand at Book Wise Exchange, High Street, Bellville.)
Incandescent prose. Beautifully textured characterisation. Transparent narratives. The adjectives to describe the writing of John Banville are all affirmative, and The Sea is a ringing affirmation of all his best qualities. His publishers are claiming that this novel by the Booker-shortlisted author is his finest yet, and while that claim may have an element of hyperbole, there is no denying that this perfectly balanced book is among the writer’s most accomplished work.
Max Morden has reached a crossroads in his life, and is trying hard to deal with several disturbing things. A recent loss is still taking its toll on him, and a trauma in his past is similarly proving hard to deal with. He decides that he will return to a town on the coast at which he spent a memorable holiday when a boy. His memory of that time devolves on the charismatic Grace family, particularly the seductive twins Myles and Chloe. In a very short time, Max found himself drawn into a strange relationship with them, and pursuant events left their mark on him for the rest of his life. But will he be able to exorcise those memories of the past?
The fashion in which John Banville draws the reader into this hypnotic and disturbing world is non pareil, and the very complex relationships between his brilliantly delineated cast of characters are orchestrated with a master’s skill. As in such books as Shroud and The Book of Evidence, the author eschews the obvious at all times, and the narrative is delivered with subtlety and understatement. The genuine moments of drama, when they do occur, are commensurately more powerful.
Winner of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction, 2005.
On the Combined 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die List.
(Bought second-hand at Book Wise Exchange, High Street, Bellville.)
The review by Barry Forshaw quoted in the previous journal entry says it all. Dissecting and understated, with unexpected jumps in the narrative that had me hooked throughout. The prose is rich and I was reaching for the dictionary often, without ever finding his choice of words ostentatious.
A truly remarkable book. I will be on the lookout for more from this author.
Released 11 yrs ago (10/24/2012 UTC) at Cape Town, Western Cape South Africa
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Given to a friend and potential BCer.
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Journal Entry 4 by 
AnonymousFinder
at Cape Town, Western Cape South Africa on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
AnonymousFinder at Cape Town, Western Cape South Africa on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
met groot dankbaarheid ontvang van stoepbrak en ek hoop ek gaan dit gaan lees en baie geniet ! :-)
