With this latest novel, John Banville–who has forged a brilliant international reputation with such works as The Book of Evidence and The...
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reviews
Jul 20, 2010
Teresa
rated it: 
Beautiful writing with unique images throughout -- the best of the images having to do with feelings and emotions, things you recognize and see in a different way through the author's eyes.
The beginning of the novel is a long set-up to a worthy second half that had me reflecting back to the beginning. But I felt much of it was just too much. Many times I wondered what he was getting at with all the descriptions -- I'm sure something, but it wasn't always clear.
This is my More...
The beginning of the novel is a long set-up to a worthy second half that had me reflecting back to the beginning. But I felt much of it was just too much. Many times I wondered what he was getting at with all the descriptions -- I'm sure something, but it wasn't always clear.
This is my More...
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Sep 01, 2010
Oscar
rated it:
La crítica es unánime: "...resplandor nabokoviano...aspereza beckettiana...Banville tiene muy pocos rivales...el escritor en lengua inglesa más inteligente, el estilista más elegante..." También es admirado por otros escritores: "...Banville es grande porque desciende al fondo más oscuro de la existencia..." (Claudio Magris); "Es un maestro, y su prosa es un deleite incesante." (Martin Amis)... Y así podría seguir y seguir, los halagos para Banville no tienen fin.
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Nov 29, 2007
Daniel
rated it:
Banville's writing is very lyrical, and one can enjoy the simplest of descriptions. Sometimes, however, the descriptions get in the way of the progress of the story. Any time I encounter writing in which paragraphs run longer than two pages, I begin to wonder if the paragraph is filled with description or advancing story. The best writing, I believe, should be an appropriate balance between the two.
This book was difficult to follow at times, though I've come to see that it is set up More...
This book was difficult to follow at times, though I've come to see that it is set up More...
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Dec 01, 2009
Stevie
rated it: 
John Banville; I always greatly admire his technical skill, to the point of being breathless on occasion. Funnily enough, next to Athena and The Sea, I found this to be less exhilarating technically but more enjoyable
May 17, 2009
Mariana
rated it: 
A someone gave my this well-written book which I'm so sorry I read. A fifty-year-old white able-bodied actor goes through all this angst. Yes, there are tragedies and death, and yet I find him pathetic.
Dec 05, 2010
Monique
rated it: 
This book deserves a solid 2.5 stars, in my opinion. The prose is beautiful throughout, but the slow beginning of the book made it difficult for me to get through. The novel's strength is its glimmering moments of psychological insight, but overall the main character's nervous breakdown doesn't ever seem to achieve a satisfying resolution. I generally like ambiguous books, but this one left me feeling like I missed something important which the novel kept assuring me was coming.
A ( More...
A ( More...
Jun 22, 2011
Katie
rated it:
Another great Banville book. Not as good as Book of Evidence but very good. Also, about an actor, which I like.
Jul 16, 2009
Yak
rated it:
I gave up about a quarter of the way through. Banville's writing style is so mannered and affected, showing off with obscure words like Buckley... how about some real characters and dialogue instead of hyper-erudite descriptions from a self-absorbed narrator?
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Aug 19, 2011
Frank
rated it: 
Tomorrow I'm going to write a joint review of Eclipse and Birchwood, which I'll post to both.
Mar 03, 2008
S.
rated it:
Banville is such an excellent writer that I'm surprised how few people seem to have read him, or how few talk about him. His vocabulary is gorgeous, and I find myself not only writing down words I don't know but also writing down words I do know because he uses them so well. He is somewhat heartless with his readers; there's little consolation to be found, but I can dig that.
Sep 25, 2011
Meade
rated it:
I was a bit disappointed in this book. The language is beautiful, though at time pretentious, but considering that it is supposed to be a ghost story of sorts, amazingly little happens in the 200+ pages. I did enjoy it, but will not likely read another Banville.
Jan 03, 2009
I finally gave up on this. The sad thing is, I think I'd really like it. I love Banville, I was intrigued by the narrator; it was just the wrong time for me. It's the kind of book that demands one's full attention and I was trying to squeeze it into a busy time. I hope to try this again one day.
Mar 31, 2010
Mary
rated it:
Critics really love John Banville. He uses language really well, but his writing style is surreal, sad and dark.
Jan 13, 2012
Lobstergirl
rated it:
Fairly ornate writing, but to what end? There wasn't one character, or a single mood, emotion, or sentence that gripped me. Or even made me pleased to be reading. Just one of an endless stream of examples of why most contemporary literary fiction is not for me.
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Jun 25, 2008
Bryan
rated it:
I hate this book. It hooked me in the beginning but never went anyplace interesting. The characters are dull and depressing. The first book I hated that I actually finished, which adds nothing to its worth. It was painful to the end.
Dec 17, 2009
Brandy
rated it:
dissapointed. i usually enjoy the book store recommendations. the main character's pretentiousness made it difficult to get into the book
Sep 16, 2011
Poor John Banville. He can write, but he can't edit.
Either The Sea was better or I've just lost patience with the man.
Either The Sea was better or I've just lost patience with the man.
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