spanning the 20th century in rural cork, as ascendancy protestant family deal with fall out from attack on home as Ireland becomes independent, familyspanning the 20th century in rural cork, as ascendancy protestant family deal with fall out from attack on home as Ireland becomes independent, family flees, but daughter remains quiet but emotional, dealing with loss and guilt and forgiveness and endurance lives on hold...more
faustian view of bureaucracy, fear and striving in 1930's soviet Russia. often engaging and exciting, but at times overly complex for mefaustian view of bureaucracy, fear and striving in 1930's soviet Russia. often engaging and exciting, but at times overly complex for me...more
read as part of Ulysses in 80days how to rate or review at times much more accessible than expected, at others almost inpenetrable plenty of laughs so manread as part of Ulysses in 80days how to rate or review at times much more accessible than expected, at others almost inpenetrable plenty of laughs so many levels - seems like would be a different book depending on reader's background and experience - there were many lines or references that struck me as Irish reader - I'm sure there are so many more that escaped me, but would hit home with someone with more detailed understanding or Irish history, or of classics...more
fantasy novel set in enormous, decrepit, rambling castle populated by a extraordinary set of bizarrely named characters. plot is as rambling as the setfantasy novel set in enormous, decrepit, rambling castle populated by a extraordinary set of bizarrely named characters. plot is as rambling as the setting, often disappearing down long dead-end corridors world is governed by seemingly random conventions and precedents the language and sentences, also rambling at times, can be exquisite and funny definitely a case of enjoying the journey rather than reaching any particular destination for me...more
bizarre, post modern jaunt centred on search for place and tracking surrealist poet, takes a while to get going then a multi-decade journey via variousbizarre, post modern jaunt centred on search for place and tracking surrealist poet, takes a while to get going then a multi-decade journey via various first hand meetings around the world
heart-breaking and brutally honest account following a small cast of characters in 1970's India details their hopes and ambitions, their losses and sufheart-breaking and brutally honest account following a small cast of characters in 1970's India details their hopes and ambitions, their losses and suffering, in the face of violence, rampant corruption, political upheaval.
do get a sense of an almost indomitable human spirit in spite of litany of setbacks...more
just could not get past the overly elaborate language, run on and run through sentences, was not in the right framjust not for me
good story and setting
just could not get past the overly elaborate language, run on and run through sentences, was not in the right frame of mind to decode the logic of some of the sections...more
novel in three parts one and two immediately before and then during World War I good treatment of the meeting of Stephen Wraysford and Isabelle Azaire, novel in three parts one and two immediately before and then during World War I good treatment of the meeting of Stephen Wraysford and Isabelle Azaire, wife of his French host and their love affair really get brutality and despair of life in the trenches and tunneling underneath the front lines. More characters touched on briefly, but very impactful not sure the third section, his grand-daughter, her somewhat detached love life and her desire to research grandfather's history really added all that much for me...more
very enjoyable, a little hard going at times, some laughs but get the feeling a lot of it over my head
entirely not about the narrator (?protagonist) bvery enjoyable, a little hard going at times, some laughs but get the feeling a lot of it over my head
entirely not about the narrator (?protagonist) but rather the eccentric characters around the event of his birth and their various predilections, fascinations, opinions, hobby-horses. Described in exquisite detail, with ongoing multiple nested diversions and digressions
feels like everything and everyone, including the reader, is being continuously lightly mocked...more
Loading...
