Welcome to Litsy!

I finished the #JoysOfJune readathon yesterday with a reread of this middle book in the Deptford Trilogy. Not among my favourites of Davies's works, but still so very good. My favourite quote from the book: “Fanaticism is overcompensation for doubt.“

@Andrew65
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

This week we're discussing Robertson Davies' novel, “The Manticore,“ and surprisingly one of us liked it and the other did not. Division on the podcast! And finally, we pick a June book from a list of nominations that are out of left field. We go through a good list of books we wouldn't normally nominate in the hopes of trying something new. Enjoy!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1fQjBmbAG56YzmY5AGP6Df

I read the Deptford Trilogy years ago (pre-children, pre-marriage) but I had forgotten how good it was. I am enjoying this reread so much.

The Manticore is the second novel in Robertson Davies' Deptford Trilogy. Published in 1972, it deals with the aftermath of the mysterious death of Percy Boyd "Boy" Staunton retold during a series of conversations between Staunton's son and a Jungian psychoanalyst. The title refers to elements of the subconscious which unfold through the story and are eventually manifested as a fantastic mythical creature: a manticore.

I enjoyed how different David's voice is from Dunstan's. I really got that they are different characters in Davies' Trilogy. The overlap between this and Fifth Business didnt feel repetitive, it actually added more depth and complexity to Boy's world. Happy to have the trilogy in the same edition.