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A Day and a Night and a Day: A Heart-Breaking Love Story – A Gripping Literary Thriller
“A stunning new novel....A much better work than John Updike’s post-9/11 foray, Terrorist …I defy most readers to put it down.”
— Cleveland Plain Dealer An extraordinary new work of fiction that the New York Times Book Review calls, “Bracing and original,” A Day and a Night and a Day by Glen Duncan is a powerful book for our times. The critically acclaimed author of The Bloodstone Papers returns with a literary blockbuster that examines race, class, sex, death, faith, terror, torture, and modernity with extraordinary insight and intelligence. A Day and a Night and a Day , which salon.com calls, “Gripping…a puzzle box spring-loaded with surprises,” is a monumental feat of exceptional storytelling alive with big characters, huge themes, violence, suspense, and a heart-breaking love story.
— Cleveland Plain Dealer An extraordinary new work of fiction that the New York Times Book Review calls, “Bracing and original,” A Day and a Night and a Day by Glen Duncan is a powerful book for our times. The critically acclaimed author of The Bloodstone Papers returns with a literary blockbuster that examines race, class, sex, death, faith, terror, torture, and modernity with extraordinary insight and intelligence. A Day and a Night and a Day , which salon.com calls, “Gripping…a puzzle box spring-loaded with surprises,” is a monumental feat of exceptional storytelling alive with big characters, huge themes, violence, suspense, and a heart-breaking love story.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
32 people are currently reading
438 people want to read
About the author
Glen Duncan
20 books889 followersAka Saul Black.
Glen Duncan is a British author born in 1965 in Bolton, Lancashire, England to an Anglo-Indian family. He studied philosophy and literature at the universities of Lancaster and Exeter. In 1990 Duncan moved to London, where he worked as a bookseller for four years, writing in his spare time. In 1994 he visited India with his father (part roots odyssey, part research for a later work, The Bloodstone Papers) before continuing on to the United States, where he spent several months travelling the country by Amtrak train, writing much of what would become his first novel, Hope, published to critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic in 1997. Duncan lives in London. Recently, his 2002 novel I, Lucifer has had the film rights purchased, with actors such as Ewan Mcgregor, Jason Brescia, Jude Law, Vin Diesel, and Daniel Craig all being considered for roles in the forthcoming movie.
(from Wikipedia)
Glen Duncan is a British author born in 1965 in Bolton, Lancashire, England to an Anglo-Indian family. He studied philosophy and literature at the universities of Lancaster and Exeter. In 1990 Duncan moved to London, where he worked as a bookseller for four years, writing in his spare time. In 1994 he visited India with his father (part roots odyssey, part research for a later work, The Bloodstone Papers) before continuing on to the United States, where he spent several months travelling the country by Amtrak train, writing much of what would become his first novel, Hope, published to critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic in 1997. Duncan lives in London. Recently, his 2002 novel I, Lucifer has had the film rights purchased, with actors such as Ewan Mcgregor, Jason Brescia, Jude Law, Vin Diesel, and Daniel Craig all being considered for roles in the forthcoming movie.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
October 20, 2018
Imagine that you're strapped to a chair in a concrete cell.
A man - one of your own countrymen - enters the room, accompanied by two burly foreigners carrying a clanking duffel bag. The man - Harper - sits on a chair opposite yours and offers you a Marlboro.
You chat. He's witty, curious, educated, handsome. It turns out you have a great deal in common.
Harper's body says gym work, skin care, manicures. Caligulan excesses ferociously redressed the morning after. The man wants pleasure but he wants to last.
He finishes his cigarette and tells you that he is going to ask you some questions. He asks you to be honest with him. tells you he will know if you aren't. Behind him the two strong men shift their weight from foot to foot, waiting for the signal from your new friend.
That's how A Day and a Night and A Day begins, with Augustus Rose, successful African American restauranteur in an foreign jail cell with his soon-to-be torturer - a fellow American he knows only as Harper. The tension in this book starts high, and for the most part, stays there, driving the narrative forward in nail-biting bursts.
Despite this grim setting Duncan's book deals in large part with love and loss. I don't generally read tragedies, or love stories, but A day and a Night and A day falls into both of those categories, and damned if it isn't very, very good at both.
However, there are some serious trigger warnings needed for this one, and if you have any sensitivities to torture and/or the physical and psychological effects of same, then I recommend you give this one a miss. Augustus has some ill, ill stuff done to him. Duncan, to his credit, doesn't dwell on the details of the abuse Augustus receives, and as a result these scenes don't have the gratuitous, ghoulish feel that torture scenes sometimes have in books dealing with this subject. In saying that, what does happen is pretty awful, so be warned.
This is the story of an American life that takes a strange turn- the life of a man of mixed race, who grew up in city where he fitted into none of the established groups and fell deeply, passionately in love with the stunningly beautiful Selina, the daughter of a rich, white family. Augustus' love for Selina is the underlying bedrock of his life, always there even when he loses her, and it is this love which has led to him being interrogated in a concrete cell in an unknown African nation.
She was used to guys seeing her as an unearned gift. he was determined to receive her as an entitlement.
We see Augustus in love, making a life post-Selina, In prison, and finally on a remote Scottish island, recovering from the crippling of his body and the near-destruction of his soul. From the streets of Harlem to the jungles of El Salvador to 21st century Spain and Scotland Augustus' life follows the radicalism of the sixties into disillusion and nihilism and back out again, until he is caught up in the security state and the dark, cruel world of rendition, where his memories are his only solace against the degradations inflicted upon him.
The unexamined life is not worth living. The examined life was not worth bearing.
Glen Duncan is a writing diva. I loved his humour in I Lucifer and The Last Werewolf and the pathos of The Bloodstone Papers. A Day and a Night and A Day is a different beast entirely, full of tension, mystery and fear. Duncan has an enviable range, and a masterly command of language.
In particular, Augustus' conversations with Harper are fantastic - both Cormac McCarthy-like and Tarantino-esque at the same time. The two men engage in long, fascinating conversations about the nature of modern life, the failings of the west, the motivations of fundamentalist religious extremists, their debates tainted with the fear that at any time Harper could turn his merciless accomplices on Augustus again.
There are very few writers whose books see me highlighting something every second or third page, then reading the marked section aloud to savour the cadence of the written words. Duncan is one of the few. He's a genius at packing meaning into stylish sentences, and I've included a few snippets in this review to give you an idea of his style.
I loved this book. It had me up late, fighting the temptation to rush ahead and see what Duncan had in store for me. It's the full package: tense, satisfying and beautifully written.
4.5 stars.
A man - one of your own countrymen - enters the room, accompanied by two burly foreigners carrying a clanking duffel bag. The man - Harper - sits on a chair opposite yours and offers you a Marlboro.
You chat. He's witty, curious, educated, handsome. It turns out you have a great deal in common.
Harper's body says gym work, skin care, manicures. Caligulan excesses ferociously redressed the morning after. The man wants pleasure but he wants to last.
He finishes his cigarette and tells you that he is going to ask you some questions. He asks you to be honest with him. tells you he will know if you aren't. Behind him the two strong men shift their weight from foot to foot, waiting for the signal from your new friend.
That's how A Day and a Night and A Day begins, with Augustus Rose, successful African American restauranteur in an foreign jail cell with his soon-to-be torturer - a fellow American he knows only as Harper. The tension in this book starts high, and for the most part, stays there, driving the narrative forward in nail-biting bursts.
Despite this grim setting Duncan's book deals in large part with love and loss. I don't generally read tragedies, or love stories, but A day and a Night and A day falls into both of those categories, and damned if it isn't very, very good at both.
However, there are some serious trigger warnings needed for this one, and if you have any sensitivities to torture and/or the physical and psychological effects of same, then I recommend you give this one a miss. Augustus has some ill, ill stuff done to him. Duncan, to his credit, doesn't dwell on the details of the abuse Augustus receives, and as a result these scenes don't have the gratuitous, ghoulish feel that torture scenes sometimes have in books dealing with this subject. In saying that, what does happen is pretty awful, so be warned.
This is the story of an American life that takes a strange turn- the life of a man of mixed race, who grew up in city where he fitted into none of the established groups and fell deeply, passionately in love with the stunningly beautiful Selina, the daughter of a rich, white family. Augustus' love for Selina is the underlying bedrock of his life, always there even when he loses her, and it is this love which has led to him being interrogated in a concrete cell in an unknown African nation.
She was used to guys seeing her as an unearned gift. he was determined to receive her as an entitlement.
We see Augustus in love, making a life post-Selina, In prison, and finally on a remote Scottish island, recovering from the crippling of his body and the near-destruction of his soul. From the streets of Harlem to the jungles of El Salvador to 21st century Spain and Scotland Augustus' life follows the radicalism of the sixties into disillusion and nihilism and back out again, until he is caught up in the security state and the dark, cruel world of rendition, where his memories are his only solace against the degradations inflicted upon him.
The unexamined life is not worth living. The examined life was not worth bearing.
Glen Duncan is a writing diva. I loved his humour in I Lucifer and The Last Werewolf and the pathos of The Bloodstone Papers. A Day and a Night and A Day is a different beast entirely, full of tension, mystery and fear. Duncan has an enviable range, and a masterly command of language.
In particular, Augustus' conversations with Harper are fantastic - both Cormac McCarthy-like and Tarantino-esque at the same time. The two men engage in long, fascinating conversations about the nature of modern life, the failings of the west, the motivations of fundamentalist religious extremists, their debates tainted with the fear that at any time Harper could turn his merciless accomplices on Augustus again.
There are very few writers whose books see me highlighting something every second or third page, then reading the marked section aloud to savour the cadence of the written words. Duncan is one of the few. He's a genius at packing meaning into stylish sentences, and I've included a few snippets in this review to give you an idea of his style.
I loved this book. It had me up late, fighting the temptation to rush ahead and see what Duncan had in store for me. It's the full package: tense, satisfying and beautifully written.
4.5 stars.
September 18, 2011
A Day and a Night and a Day is a novel about espionage and torture. It's also a novel about love. Augustus Rose is a man involved in intelligence work who's tortured for what he knows. Interwoven in the narrative of how his adversaries extract the information Rose holds is the story of his life, particularly his love for a woman to whom he was once married. The novel contrasts a day and a night and a day of torture with a day and a night and a day of love. I don't read many novels I'd characterize as action novels. But this one describes the violence we sometimes associate with the arcane world of espionage. In one scene an execution is narrowly avoided by using brute force, and in another a character escapes those sent to kill him by shooting his way out. However, it's also an espionage novel with philosophical ambitions. In writing about torture he has much to say about the moral arguments surrounding its use and its effectiveness. His writing about love focuses on the importance of tenderness and honesty, whether with prostitute or wife. Duncan brings the two together in his character Augustus Rose, pain and love woven into a whole whose seams can be explored as weaknesses later used to pull it apart. Each beautiful sentence swirls with more than one idea. Each paragraph is another story in itself opening a new door into the situations the characters are faced with. I wasn't familiar with Duncan before reading this, but I was impressed with how well he writes. His skill ar marrying a novel of espionage to a novel of ideas about political realities, terrorism, memory, brutality, death, the dependence of us all on others, and fear has given us a novel of quiet intricacies and power.
June 11, 2009
So...this book. Hm. It was definitely NOT what I expected. I read about it in my library's monthly "new book expo" newsletter, and it sounded like an intriguing suspense/thriller about someone who lives through torture. Sounds kind of macabre, but I remember thinking it sounded interesting, so I wrote it down in my little "I wanna read..." notebook that I keep in my briefcase (this was pre-Goodreads, of course).
So this was much more than just your typical suspense novel. First of all, Glen Duncan's language was so intricate and involved that I seriously almost gave up on the book entirely after about 40 pages. Another reviewer on Goodreads said something to the effect of, "Please learn how to use commas so the reader doesn't have to struggle to figure out the context of your sentences." I would agree to an extent--I absolutely found myself reading sentences several times to make sure I understood what he was saying, and it was kind of exhausting at times. There were certainly points where it seemed like Duncan was so in love with his own writing that he was going a bit off the deep end, and with this subject matter, it's really easy to get super-righteous and alienate the reader entirely.
However.
This ended up being one of those books that unexpectedly (for me) shone a light on certain unspoken intricacies of the human condition. Or, maybe more accurately, put into words things that have come into my mind (and I'm sure millions of other minds) that I've never thought to speak aloud, or heard anyone else speak before. I felt like Duncan came off as pretentious (and his characters certainly did at times), but there was this profound sense of...resonance, too. His observations about human life and the ways in which all humans (all flawed, some deeply flawed) react to it were not complicated, but they really struck me.
I didn't identify with most of what the characters DID -- I don't think I was meant to -- but above all I identified with how they FELT. It was very interesting to me to think about that difference.
All that said (and not sure if that made ANY sense whatsoever), I'm not sure if I'd recommend this book. Was it good, was it not good... I honestly don't know. I know that it was really tough to get into, definitely uncomfortable in a lot of spots, compelling in its observations and interesting in the way it left me feeling. At this point, I think I'd recommend the book just so I can talk about it with someone else. :)
So this was much more than just your typical suspense novel. First of all, Glen Duncan's language was so intricate and involved that I seriously almost gave up on the book entirely after about 40 pages. Another reviewer on Goodreads said something to the effect of, "Please learn how to use commas so the reader doesn't have to struggle to figure out the context of your sentences." I would agree to an extent--I absolutely found myself reading sentences several times to make sure I understood what he was saying, and it was kind of exhausting at times. There were certainly points where it seemed like Duncan was so in love with his own writing that he was going a bit off the deep end, and with this subject matter, it's really easy to get super-righteous and alienate the reader entirely.
However.
This ended up being one of those books that unexpectedly (for me) shone a light on certain unspoken intricacies of the human condition. Or, maybe more accurately, put into words things that have come into my mind (and I'm sure millions of other minds) that I've never thought to speak aloud, or heard anyone else speak before. I felt like Duncan came off as pretentious (and his characters certainly did at times), but there was this profound sense of...resonance, too. His observations about human life and the ways in which all humans (all flawed, some deeply flawed) react to it were not complicated, but they really struck me.
I didn't identify with most of what the characters DID -- I don't think I was meant to -- but above all I identified with how they FELT. It was very interesting to me to think about that difference.
All that said (and not sure if that made ANY sense whatsoever), I'm not sure if I'd recommend this book. Was it good, was it not good... I honestly don't know. I know that it was really tough to get into, definitely uncomfortable in a lot of spots, compelling in its observations and interesting in the way it left me feeling. At this point, I think I'd recommend the book just so I can talk about it with someone else. :)
March 7, 2009
Breathtaking and absolutely devastating. So much to think about. A thriller/potboiler that is also so profound, intricate, and beautifully written (all in the most breathtakingly subtle way), you tear through it only to realize at the end you could have sat and chewed on each and every sentence for at least the titular time frame.
October 18, 2015
I thought I would like this. I came to it via another Glen Duncan book The Killing Lessons, which he wrote under the name Saul Black. I enjoyed that so much I felt sure this would be a winner. I should have read the blurb more closely. I was expecting a tightly written story of a man alone with his torturer over a day and a night. What I got was actually a lifetime, loosely told in rambling narrative. I have a suspicion that this book was in fact an excuse for the author to rant a little. During the so-called torture (we never actually get faced with what's going on, just hints), there's a constant dialogue between Augustus the victim and Harper the questioner. They discuss politics, religion, books, movies...yawn. It becomes old very quickly--literally, how relevant are long-dead political issues now? When they aren't talking, Augustus is reminiscing about his life. I don't know who any of these people are, so I don't care.
I got 60% through this, flicking my kindle button to seek out any good bits, but it just rambled or ranted on and I've given up.
I got 60% through this, flicking my kindle button to seek out any good bits, but it just rambled or ranted on and I've given up.
May 17, 2010
I liked this book. It was very dark and quite different to other books I have read.
In short it is the story of Augustus – a black man from New York (growing up with racial conflict) who falls in love turn terrorist. From the outset you know he has been captured and is being tortured for information and through a third weaving story, that he survives the torture to live out his life as best he can.
The telling of a prolonged torture scene without graphic description was excellent. The author really captivated me and though pleased to be saved the gruesome details of what Augustus went through, I still think the reader gets the full impact of his experience. This was offset somewhat by the narrative he has with the torturer – something of a highbrow discussion about their values that started well but the dosage was such that it became boring and struck me as pretentious.
His early years were really interesting to read about. I particularly enjoyed reading the love story with Selina and his relationship with his Mum. All of this offered the perfect backdrop to what was to follow (though the way it is written is not chronological).
The third weaving story of Augustus in his post torture days were rather unbelievable to me. I was not bought into the idea of him renting a cottage in the middle of a Scottish Island to die only to be caught up in a gun slinging match with a local bad lad. Was the writer trying to show that Augustus was standing up for the right thing despite his explosive past? I am not sure that added much and was certainly the part of the book I least enjoyed.
Overall, I suspect I will read another Glen Duncan book in the future.
In short it is the story of Augustus – a black man from New York (growing up with racial conflict) who falls in love turn terrorist. From the outset you know he has been captured and is being tortured for information and through a third weaving story, that he survives the torture to live out his life as best he can.
The telling of a prolonged torture scene without graphic description was excellent. The author really captivated me and though pleased to be saved the gruesome details of what Augustus went through, I still think the reader gets the full impact of his experience. This was offset somewhat by the narrative he has with the torturer – something of a highbrow discussion about their values that started well but the dosage was such that it became boring and struck me as pretentious.
His early years were really interesting to read about. I particularly enjoyed reading the love story with Selina and his relationship with his Mum. All of this offered the perfect backdrop to what was to follow (though the way it is written is not chronological).
The third weaving story of Augustus in his post torture days were rather unbelievable to me. I was not bought into the idea of him renting a cottage in the middle of a Scottish Island to die only to be caught up in a gun slinging match with a local bad lad. Was the writer trying to show that Augustus was standing up for the right thing despite his explosive past? I am not sure that added much and was certainly the part of the book I least enjoyed.
Overall, I suspect I will read another Glen Duncan book in the future.
May 15, 2010
Glen Duncan's A Day and a Night and a Day is a thinly disguised essay about terrorism and extraordinary rendition dressed up with tattered characterization, florid metaphor and a plot that barely hangs together. The main female character is a compendium of traits that don't add up to an actual person, and the ways in which Duncan chooses to make the main character sympathetic are so blatantly obvious that I reacted contrarily by despising him. I was going to give this one one star, but I remembered that I reserve that for dreck like The DaVinci Code (though at least Dan Brown doesn't even aspire to literary merit, so he gets points for that.)
From the Guardian review:
"On a larger scale, he seems to have persuaded himself that hackneyed plot manoeuvres can be justified by making the characters' sensitivity to the hackneyed a subject of debate in the novel. He comes across as a writer who's become so absorbed by sentence rhythms on the one hand and grand themes on the other that he's lost all perspective on his performance as a whole."
From the Guardian review:
"On a larger scale, he seems to have persuaded himself that hackneyed plot manoeuvres can be justified by making the characters' sensitivity to the hackneyed a subject of debate in the novel. He comes across as a writer who's become so absorbed by sentence rhythms on the one hand and grand themes on the other that he's lost all perspective on his performance as a whole."
March 17, 2014
A thought provoking book with complex plot turns.
Augustus Rose is a mixed race restaurateur who turns to terrorism after a tragic episode in his life. The book opens with him being slowly tortured by an interrogator in a Moroccan cell.
The story is told in retrospective flashes, from Augustus' childhood onwards and relates the circumstances that brought him to this point in his life.
The pivotal point is the novel's name, the torture and degradations he is forced to enudre lasts for "a day and a night and a day."
But leading upto this he also experiences that amount of time being blissfully happy due to a chance reunion with his lost love after over 30 years.
The time lapse technique makes the happiness vs cruelty theme very poignant and is a clever device used by the author to highlight how quickly and dramatically a person's life can change in such a short space of time.
A clever idea but for me a bit too open ended finish, I always like loose ends tied up and want to know more of what happens next in the characters lives.
Overall a really engaging but also harrowing read.
Augustus Rose is a mixed race restaurateur who turns to terrorism after a tragic episode in his life. The book opens with him being slowly tortured by an interrogator in a Moroccan cell.
The story is told in retrospective flashes, from Augustus' childhood onwards and relates the circumstances that brought him to this point in his life.
The pivotal point is the novel's name, the torture and degradations he is forced to enudre lasts for "a day and a night and a day."
But leading upto this he also experiences that amount of time being blissfully happy due to a chance reunion with his lost love after over 30 years.
The time lapse technique makes the happiness vs cruelty theme very poignant and is a clever device used by the author to highlight how quickly and dramatically a person's life can change in such a short space of time.
A clever idea but for me a bit too open ended finish, I always like loose ends tied up and want to know more of what happens next in the characters lives.
Overall a really engaging but also harrowing read.
December 16, 2017
what keeps you living when you wish you could die?
the thing about Duncan is that his books always contain religion, sadism, and sex. not subjects i generally seek out (okay, maybe sex) but everything of his that i've read was so well written that i'm able to not only bear the rest, but to relish it. in spite of some of the other comments about the torture, i think he does a brilliant job of telling you a little, but then turning aside from the gory details (a bit like Tarantino turning away from the ear of the cop in Reservoir Dogs.) i could not have read this if he had explicitly gone into all that Augustus endures.
his brilliant writing makes this a favorite of mine, along with the first book of his that i read, _I, Lucifer._
the thing about Duncan is that his books always contain religion, sadism, and sex. not subjects i generally seek out (okay, maybe sex) but everything of his that i've read was so well written that i'm able to not only bear the rest, but to relish it. in spite of some of the other comments about the torture, i think he does a brilliant job of telling you a little, but then turning aside from the gory details (a bit like Tarantino turning away from the ear of the cop in Reservoir Dogs.) i could not have read this if he had explicitly gone into all that Augustus endures.
his brilliant writing makes this a favorite of mine, along with the first book of his that i read, _I, Lucifer._
February 8, 2009
Learn to use a *#! comma! "One of the guards stretches his legs and his foot nudges the canvas bag." At first I read this that the guard was stretching his legs and his foot, but NO. In thirty pages, there were so many of these disconnects that I am giving up. There is no excuse for sloppy punctuation, and if it's for some sort of "effect," I can't imagine that annoying your reader is the outcome you were hoping for.
June 18, 2009
This was an amazing book full of insight into our 21st century minds. It might not be anything that you will agree with, but it will certainly get you thinking! Duncan's writing style is unique; I'm interested to see if it is particular to this book or if is present in all of his. Great story, great writing.
May 29, 2012
Though I love Glen Duncan's writing, this is one of his weaker novels. There are some moments of brilliance, but they are few and far between. I also thought the plot, or at the very least, the structure, was very similar to his earlier work, Love Remains. If you want to read one or more of his truly wonderful novels, read I, Lucifer, Hope, or the Last Werewolf.
October 28, 2010
Be ready to focus when you read this. It is a bewildering challenge for the first third. The author loves big words and wandering between ideas, action, the past and the present. The chief librarian said it was his favorite book last year. Makes me wonder about him.
May 25, 2016
If I could give this book five times five stars I would. It's a breathtaking, breathholding, exquisite torture of a novel, so rich I had to stop reading just to let it all soak in. Intelligent beyond my intelligence (I'll re-read it within the year) and beautifully told. Glen Duncan, thank you.
June 22, 2016
4.5 stars
December 29, 2023
"The presence of absence of love in a life is purely contingent, which if it points to a grand narrative points to one of spectacular natural injustice. But the fact remains that contingently he had these people, had that love, takes this pleasure in remembering. Contingently, he's doomed to live under the rule of certain durable habits."
Augustus Rose is being held captive in a foreign country. His captor is a fellow American. As Augustus succumbs to torture, he reminisces about his earlier life, the struggles he faced, and the love he found. The scope of this book is nothing short of awe-inspiring. That Duncan has covered so many topics, in such depth, in so few pages (under 250), is remarkable. Terror, torture, pain, race, war, love, politics, faith, and existence itself. Nothing is held back in this book -- it moves from one extreme to another. We get moments of heartbreaking beauty as well as those of graphic violence.
The prose itself has echoes of Don DeLillo and Denis Johnson. I've read other books by the author that were very amusing and/or observant, but I didn't know he had this level of profundity. It forces the reader to probe deeper into themselves than they might be comfortable with, but that is the byproduct of great art. I feel I would be doing the work a disservice if I didn't rate it 5 stars.
Augustus Rose is being held captive in a foreign country. His captor is a fellow American. As Augustus succumbs to torture, he reminisces about his earlier life, the struggles he faced, and the love he found. The scope of this book is nothing short of awe-inspiring. That Duncan has covered so many topics, in such depth, in so few pages (under 250), is remarkable. Terror, torture, pain, race, war, love, politics, faith, and existence itself. Nothing is held back in this book -- it moves from one extreme to another. We get moments of heartbreaking beauty as well as those of graphic violence.
The prose itself has echoes of Don DeLillo and Denis Johnson. I've read other books by the author that were very amusing and/or observant, but I didn't know he had this level of profundity. It forces the reader to probe deeper into themselves than they might be comfortable with, but that is the byproduct of great art. I feel I would be doing the work a disservice if I didn't rate it 5 stars.
August 28, 2025
This book was not an easy one to read, and not only because of the thread of heavy torture that Augustus undergoes. Duncan’s style is beautiful, but dense. It demands a lot of focus to fully understand, especially due to the lack of commas. There were sentences I had to go back and read again. And again. I thought this would hinder my rating, but I enjoyed the writing so much that I wasn’t as bothered by the flow.
The ending was not as strong as the beginning. The scenes with Selina were masterful and made up for it. I think Duncan made a very wise choice not including the torture as it takes place, but rather the before and after, the tension and agony that Augustus endures at Harper’s hand. The in between was enough.
4 stars.
The ending was not as strong as the beginning. The scenes with Selina were masterful and made up for it. I think Duncan made a very wise choice not including the torture as it takes place, but rather the before and after, the tension and agony that Augustus endures at Harper’s hand. The in between was enough.
4 stars.
April 27, 2018
There are some books that are loved by critics and just not liked by readers. There are other books the critics hate, but readers love. This one hangs precariously in the middle.
This author has an enormous vocabulary and uses it liberally to populate the first half of the book. There are words that make sense as used, but make you wonder if you have ever seen them previously. There are so many words that it reminds of a quote from the drive-in movie reviews in 1980's Dallas newspapers where: "the plot gets in the way of the story."
The author so carefully lays down the plot that the story doesn't pick up until the last third of the book. And it is a good story once it gets started, which is why this gets four stars. There are just so many words...
This author has an enormous vocabulary and uses it liberally to populate the first half of the book. There are words that make sense as used, but make you wonder if you have ever seen them previously. There are so many words that it reminds of a quote from the drive-in movie reviews in 1980's Dallas newspapers where: "the plot gets in the way of the story."
The author so carefully lays down the plot that the story doesn't pick up until the last third of the book. And it is a good story once it gets started, which is why this gets four stars. There are just so many words...
July 16, 2018
I believe the translation of this book to portuguese may be quite bad, as there were texts impoossible to understand.This should have a better review because it was impossible to focus on the story and just trying to understand what the author means..
This is a good example how a bad translation can ruine a book.
This is a good example how a bad translation can ruine a book.
February 3, 2018
I am a fan of Duncan's writing but with this one, I had struggled to get in to it. I didn't like the story and I was left feeling a bit disappointed by this book unfortunately
August 6, 2016
In his novel “A Day A Night and A Day” Glen Duncan bookends a fiery love affair with two equally combustible eras. Selina and Augustus, the enticing protagonists, fall in love in the heat of the 1960s. Their relations are startling and carnal. The sight of them together in public turns heads; Augustus is half black and Selina is a white woman of wealth. The duo alarms its audience and the couple is very aware of this effect and its power has a channel in their relationship.
Duncan situates the reader in an alternative timeline almost four decades later, in the wake of 9/11. Augustus is being tortured for information in a sterile cell by a man called Harper. Initially, the reader does not know what could have occurred that would deliver Augustus to this fate. There is the suggestion that the corporeal abuse he suffers is connected to Selina, but the ties do not reveal themselves until later in the narrative.
The tone of Duncan’s narrative is declarative. His sentences firmly direct the reader’s understanding of the events that unfold; he leaves wiggle room for reactions but not speculation. Duncan handles the seething tensions of the 60s with grace, giving voice to the passions and fears that surrounded new liberties and new fears.
Augustus and Selina’s love story is passionate and full of the intensity of youth. Their strong attraction to one another is complicated by Selina’s relationship with her brother, Michael. He is a soldier in Vietnam and his reasons for going, she believes, are at least partly because of her. Selina’s relationship with Michael was at one point physical, and while she has resolved to bury that dynamic, Michael is unwilling to do the same. The vengeful ex-lover is a common figure in literature and the incestuous feature is a difficult twist to add. The immediate, inherent reaction to this revelation is revulsion and leads to feelings of aversion toward Selina, a character formerly revered. The author does not condone the violation of boundaries between brother and sister, but neither is the breach condemned. He shapes the reader’s sentiments, without force, so that the incident resonates as an element of Selina’s past as she wishes it to. It is a blemish but not a disfigurement.
Duncan examines the dynamics between aggressor and victim with as much attention as he does the attractions between lovers. He recognizes the opposing scenarios as fundamentals of human nature and addresses them equally.
Harper is the worst kind of interrogator. He expresses sincere interest in Augustus. He is cheerful and purposefully pauses between interrogations to talk freely and deeply with his prisoner about the state of the world in the aftermath of 9/11. Many of his theses are valid, cold in their lucidity. Harper’s occupation does not draw him as far beyond reality as the reader would like to believe such an occupation demands. He thrives on the energy his job requires and approaches it without sensation. Harper sincerely likes Augustus, but when he arrives at the point when it is required of him to shoot him in the head, he would think it a shame, but he would execute him without hesitation.
Duncan refrains from gratuitous explanations of the corporeal pain Augustus is made to suffer. His descriptions do not resemble the scenes in an episode of 24. The author is precise in the moments he reveals about pain and pleasure. He respects them and their effect is communicated without obscenity.
In the terrain of both love and hate, Duncan is an excellent guide. He does not need to magnify the strength of either; his clear presentation and direct prose are sufficient.
http://bookingaround.tumblr.com/
Duncan situates the reader in an alternative timeline almost four decades later, in the wake of 9/11. Augustus is being tortured for information in a sterile cell by a man called Harper. Initially, the reader does not know what could have occurred that would deliver Augustus to this fate. There is the suggestion that the corporeal abuse he suffers is connected to Selina, but the ties do not reveal themselves until later in the narrative.
The tone of Duncan’s narrative is declarative. His sentences firmly direct the reader’s understanding of the events that unfold; he leaves wiggle room for reactions but not speculation. Duncan handles the seething tensions of the 60s with grace, giving voice to the passions and fears that surrounded new liberties and new fears.
Augustus and Selina’s love story is passionate and full of the intensity of youth. Their strong attraction to one another is complicated by Selina’s relationship with her brother, Michael. He is a soldier in Vietnam and his reasons for going, she believes, are at least partly because of her. Selina’s relationship with Michael was at one point physical, and while she has resolved to bury that dynamic, Michael is unwilling to do the same. The vengeful ex-lover is a common figure in literature and the incestuous feature is a difficult twist to add. The immediate, inherent reaction to this revelation is revulsion and leads to feelings of aversion toward Selina, a character formerly revered. The author does not condone the violation of boundaries between brother and sister, but neither is the breach condemned. He shapes the reader’s sentiments, without force, so that the incident resonates as an element of Selina’s past as she wishes it to. It is a blemish but not a disfigurement.
Duncan examines the dynamics between aggressor and victim with as much attention as he does the attractions between lovers. He recognizes the opposing scenarios as fundamentals of human nature and addresses them equally.
Harper is the worst kind of interrogator. He expresses sincere interest in Augustus. He is cheerful and purposefully pauses between interrogations to talk freely and deeply with his prisoner about the state of the world in the aftermath of 9/11. Many of his theses are valid, cold in their lucidity. Harper’s occupation does not draw him as far beyond reality as the reader would like to believe such an occupation demands. He thrives on the energy his job requires and approaches it without sensation. Harper sincerely likes Augustus, but when he arrives at the point when it is required of him to shoot him in the head, he would think it a shame, but he would execute him without hesitation.
Duncan refrains from gratuitous explanations of the corporeal pain Augustus is made to suffer. His descriptions do not resemble the scenes in an episode of 24. The author is precise in the moments he reveals about pain and pleasure. He respects them and their effect is communicated without obscenity.
In the terrain of both love and hate, Duncan is an excellent guide. He does not need to magnify the strength of either; his clear presentation and direct prose are sufficient.
http://bookingaround.tumblr.com/
November 18, 2009
ARC/Reviewers copy
"Go out, go out, quite go out."
"The world's not what we thought it was, the world's what it's always been."
"Either God speaks continuously or is nothing but silence."
Ever wondered where God was when you needed him most? Ever call out for a sign, any sign, that he was there, and paying attention? Ever promise to believe in him should he let you know he was there?
Glen Duncan does an amazing job addressing religion, a recurring theme for him, in his latest novel. Our tormented, tortured Augustus has been arrested for terrorism and locked in a torture chamber by Harper. Harper wants names, and Augustus is not going to give them over easily.
Sparing us the bloody, gory torture techniques, Duncan skillfully whisks us away into Augustus's past and future as he prepares his body for the forthcoming brutality and suffers at the hands of Harper and his guards. We are thrust into NYC where he reminisces about Selina - his one true, passionate love - and the events that led up to his capture.
Meanwhile, in between torture sessions, we return to see Harper striking up conversations with Augustus, allowing him time to heal and rest before starting up again. In these painfully tense moments, Augustus reflects on God - the fact that he no longer has religion, does not expect divine intervention, and is actually preparing himself for death.
He and Harper develop a relationship, similar to that of a kidnapped person to their kidnapper: a sick needy dependance. The urge to keep them talking, to distract them, to engage them, to keep them from wanting to hurt you further.
Does Augustus have the information Harper is looking for? Will he eventually find God? Will he succum to the torture of a day and a night and a day, or will he survive to live out his life?
There is only one way to find out.
"Go out, go out, quite go out."
"The world's not what we thought it was, the world's what it's always been."
"Either God speaks continuously or is nothing but silence."
Ever wondered where God was when you needed him most? Ever call out for a sign, any sign, that he was there, and paying attention? Ever promise to believe in him should he let you know he was there?
Glen Duncan does an amazing job addressing religion, a recurring theme for him, in his latest novel. Our tormented, tortured Augustus has been arrested for terrorism and locked in a torture chamber by Harper. Harper wants names, and Augustus is not going to give them over easily.
Sparing us the bloody, gory torture techniques, Duncan skillfully whisks us away into Augustus's past and future as he prepares his body for the forthcoming brutality and suffers at the hands of Harper and his guards. We are thrust into NYC where he reminisces about Selina - his one true, passionate love - and the events that led up to his capture.
Meanwhile, in between torture sessions, we return to see Harper striking up conversations with Augustus, allowing him time to heal and rest before starting up again. In these painfully tense moments, Augustus reflects on God - the fact that he no longer has religion, does not expect divine intervention, and is actually preparing himself for death.
He and Harper develop a relationship, similar to that of a kidnapped person to their kidnapper: a sick needy dependance. The urge to keep them talking, to distract them, to engage them, to keep them from wanting to hurt you further.
Does Augustus have the information Harper is looking for? Will he eventually find God? Will he succum to the torture of a day and a night and a day, or will he survive to live out his life?
There is only one way to find out.
October 13, 2013
Three distinct plot threads diversified by time are entwined at the height of torture. Augustus Rose is a terrorist - his interrogator, Harper, a master of the brutal art of inflicting pain for purpose. Together they form an unlikely bond as the questions flow thick and slow mimicking Augustus' steadily dripping blood on the floor of the interrogation room.
A DAY AND A NIGHT AND A DAY is a complex read that's confronting, emotional, and devilishly smart.
Author Glen Duncan is renowned for his diverse delivery of fiction. Delving deep into the delicate fabric of the human psyche, Duncan crafts a story that's all encompassing and engrossing. Augustus is depicted as a likable yet flawed character with redeemable qualities despite his predicament and sufferance for his actions. He's not meant to be the victim yet he comes across as one.
The style of A DAY AND A NIGHT AND A DAY isn't for everyone. In order to fully appreciate this book you need to take the time to digest the impact of each plot thread and notion of truth. The ending is a fruitful reward for perseverance.
I've not read anything like A DAY AND A NIGHT AND A DAY and doubt I will again. It's this unique storytelling that avid readers crave and Duncan delivers.
You can also read this review on my blog: http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
A DAY AND A NIGHT AND A DAY is a complex read that's confronting, emotional, and devilishly smart.
Author Glen Duncan is renowned for his diverse delivery of fiction. Delving deep into the delicate fabric of the human psyche, Duncan crafts a story that's all encompassing and engrossing. Augustus is depicted as a likable yet flawed character with redeemable qualities despite his predicament and sufferance for his actions. He's not meant to be the victim yet he comes across as one.
The style of A DAY AND A NIGHT AND A DAY isn't for everyone. In order to fully appreciate this book you need to take the time to digest the impact of each plot thread and notion of truth. The ending is a fruitful reward for perseverance.
I've not read anything like A DAY AND A NIGHT AND A DAY and doubt I will again. It's this unique storytelling that avid readers crave and Duncan delivers.
You can also read this review on my blog: http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
May 22, 2009
I started this book a few months ago, stopped reading because it wasn't the right time in my life to be reading the intense torture scenes, but came back to it because I had to find out how the other two plots tied into that horror. Having read other books from Duncan, I knew he would not leave any loose ends. His characters are masters of self-delusion, but eventually, his characters reveal everything. I might have to re-evaluate that opinion now. The doomed-from-the-start love story is heartbreakingly beautiful, the broken-man-healed story bumps up against dark humor and then turns into a different sort of love story, but the plot that should bring them all together is so slippery and garbled that it seemed to me that the main character himself wasn't quite clear on the reason for the torture. In my opinion, it seemed as if Duncan had the idea for the torture scenes (there's no doubt they're well written and researched) and then created two plots that would feed into and feed out of them. Even in the hands of such a strong and fearless writer, that sort of story telling will show thin spots.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2012
The three stories intertwine very well and the central themes are engrossing. I very much enjoyed the pace and just as one timeline was beginning to lose it's impact, the book visited one of the others. As with "The Last Werewolf", the main character is very introspective and it's not a story you feel particularly happy when you've finished.
Some of the moral concepts touched upon are very interesting but, probably as a result, few of the characters are particularly likeable. It's still worth a read, very much so.
Some of the moral concepts touched upon are very interesting but, probably as a result, few of the characters are particularly likeable. It's still worth a read, very much so.
August 31, 2014
This book, while well written, was a pain to read, it took about six months for me too read, and I read fast, my issue was that I had too keep re-reading paragraphs (as there are no chapters) to keep up, and with the constant changes in tense was confusing because it could be ages before the same plot line was discussed again and I found myself jumping back to see were the plot was left. That being said, I write in the same way, jumpy and erratic, but every page of this book was beautifully. written.
August 18, 2013
The book is definitely not what I expected but nevertheless turned out to be an engrossing read. I couldn't put it down frankly. The Glen Duncan prose and fluidity is definitely there and really no one can make it flow like him (I will say it again, I do love him.) Great engagement of characters - my favorite being between the tortured and the torturer. In the end it is a love story wrapped around the darkness of torture and rendition.
February 23, 2009
this book depends entirely on the ending. it's easy to get frustrated early on, as the story revolves around an episode of torture provoked by who knows what until the last 20 pages or so. but the payoff is worth it, and the book is full of painful, insightful moments in a relationship that guided the rest of the protagonist's life choices. it's a scary love story.
March 23, 2009
Oh jesus I need to stop reading books with horrible, graphic scenes of violence and torture. Anyway, this was a very interesting, fictional take on the post-Abu Ghraib world... complete with aforementioned torture scenes and a reference to Britney Spears, for good measure. I've never read anything by Duncan before; his writing style is a bit difficult at first, but I liked it a lot.
August 19, 2009
I ultimately liked the book, but came very close to putting it down during the first 50 pages. I had a hard time with the lack of punctuation - just made it very frustrating to read. Content itself, very moving. The torture scenes were pretty awful, but really, you're supposed to think torture is awful, no?
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