phthadani's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book. The story mainly centered around this dysfunctional family with several dark secrets in their lives. It had a very Gothic element to it which, are really really enjoyed. I am looking forward to reading more books by Banville.
kflavin's review
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lukari40's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Dark history lies everywhere, you just need to look around. Very well written
tay_af's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted to like this book but I really really didn’t. It was very well written, but the descriptions of female bodies made me very uncomfortable and were so misogynistic without that being an aspect that was being critiqued. I also felt like the plot was really all over the place, which was a surprise given the tightness of the writing style.
torts's review against another edition
4.0
It took me a long time to get past the first few pages, and I skimmed bits near the end. So I feel like I haven't completely read it, really. But I really enjoyed what I got. There's a focus on the dreamy unreality of memory and time which appeals to me. And the remembering-a-ruined-estate which to me evokes [b:Rebecca|12873|Rebecca|Daphne du Maurier|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41XySD9S7BL._SL75_.jpg|46663]. And it was kind of feminist-y, what with the narrator's preoccupation with vaginas and sympathy for women and love toward female figures when the males were all kind of violent and ucky. The violent uckiness was kind of what I skimmed, though. I liked the ending and the overall feel of it. This is probably very incoherent. Good times.
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