“And now it was over, and something else had begun, for me, which was the delicate business of being the survivor.”
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The Sea | 
“And now it was over, and something else had begun, for me, which was the delicate business of being the survivor.”
Started this and really not enjoying it. Anyone want to try to convince me to stick with it? #1001books
so-soIt was definitely a slow book. I wanted to understand and get the husbands point of view and how he worked through the grieving process as so many folks go through something similar. I think what I liked about the character was his honesty with himself. While it feels yucky to read that honestly it‘s real to read that. None of it is very appealing which if we are willing to be this honest with ourselves would see some of ourselves in him.
so-soThis wasn't horrible. He gets extra points for vocab usage. And it's definitely very on brand for traditional Booker prize winners. A man reflects on his life after his wife dies. Ad nauseum. Tbh, it's boring.
#BookSpinBingo square 9
@TheAromaofBooks
This was the January pick for a secondary IRL (but really just Zoom) book club that my friends talked me into. Because we apparently don't belong to enough book clubs.
bailedI couldn‘t with this book. The writing was pretentious, and the narrator was a horrible person—which wouldn‘t be as big a problem if he didn‘t think he was so great. Sadly, this is my #doublespin for July, but at least I know I don‘t like it!
so-soI want to rate this book a pick because the writing is excellent, John Banville a masterful writer. But I can't. The main character is malignant, the storyline - mainly childhood memories and impressions of the seaside town 'now' and the illness of his wife - was not for me.
so-soI usually love Man Booker prize winners, but this one was a bit boring.
so-soThe writing is beautiful but the narrator is miserable. We listened on audiobook and were enthralled the first half, and perplexed/put off in the second half. Plot in a sentence: recent widower full of bitterness and regret returns to the seaside town where tragedy struck decades ago.
pickBeautiful writing in this Booker winning novel about an old Irishman revisiting a seaside town where he spent summers as a child, reminiscing as he comes to terms with the recent death of his wife. Be warned this is completely plotless and you are completely in the head of a rather unlikable man.
#booked2019 set in Ireland/ Irish author
@Cinfhen @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraTheBibliophage
#AbbaInAugust #SOS this is as close as I can get .... and I‘m in Waterstones... 🤓
so-soI enjoyed this book, but it was not the greatest I've ever read. I guess I'm still a little upset about the dog scene.
so-soBeautifully written. Also boring af.
I usually love what I call “books about nothing,” but this was excruciating. The last 20 pages were good, though, so if you have some endurance, there‘s that.
I tried about 2 hours of the audiobook and was zoning out a lot, so I‘m switching to reading it. I think these introspective elegiac novels need to be read instead of heard, maybe. Here‘s hoping it improves 🤞
so-soBeautifully written prose about grief, but we‘ve seen this theme covered better in other novels. Find the episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and SoundCloud by searching “1001 books podcast.” #1001books #readtheclassics #thesea #manbookerprize #bookpodcast
Not quite sure how I feel about this one yet. The time changes a lot, and sometimes really feeling it and other times not so much. I'll keep reading and see how things shape up.
so-soMaybe I just wasn't in the right mood, but this didn't do much for me. It is an interesting exploration of grief and memory, but the writing felt over done at times and the pacing was too slow and contemplative for my taste.
#homebythesea I love Banville's writing and this book was exquisitely written. This is my favorite of his novels. #RockinMay
#Marchintoreading Day 17 #Irishauthors ❤ From my shelves. I've read all of these except for The Sea which has languished on my TBR shelves for some time. #somanybookssolittletime
pickAbsolutely brilliant! The gorgeous writing, the stream of consciousness, and still a marvelous plot, The Sea is a must read! I will definitely reread too.
#firstlines "They departed, the gods, on the day of the strange tide." #somethingforseptember #septphotochallenge #booksetbythesea
pickThe beauty of the writing made me read this book slowly. It's the kind of book that needs to be read when you have a quiet, peaceful moment (reading this on the train wouldn't do it for me) and perhaps overlooking the sea, as I was lucky to do as we were staying near a bay in Manly Beach. Some shocking but honest sentiments by our protagonist kept this book moving along nicely. This book spoke to me!
You will remember this when all else fades, this moment, here, together, by this well. There will be certain days, and certain nights, you‘ll feel my presence near you, hear my voice. You‘ll think you have imagined it and yet, inside you, you will catch an answering cry.
pickOh wow! I do love a luminous book. This novel produced the strangest dichotomy in me: I didn't like the narrator but loved his words/thoughts. I don't know if I have ever felt so polarized since Lolita. (This isn't as provocative.) I will reread this
