Publication
Penguin (1986), Edition: Main
Original publication date
1965
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Description
Fiction. Literature. HTML: Eschewing her stale life in London, one woman embarks on a journey of independence and sexual liberation on the French Riviera Separated from her husband, and with her young son away on a camping trip, Ellen decides to flee her lonely London home, naively pursuing "a jaunt into iniquity" along France's Mediterranean coast. But will she find the escape she longs for, or the entrapment she so deeply fears? In August Is a Wicked Month, Edna O'Brien's lyric, languid prose creates a character at once ordinary and mythic, struggling to forge her own path not as a wife, mother, mistress, or lover�??but as simply, assuredly herself.
User reviews
LibraryThing member lovelylime
This book is interesting. It's written almost with a dreamlike quality, where you're not sure whether what's happening is really happening, and if you doze off for one sentence, you might have missed something vital to understanding the next. It's almost like trying to read drunk, only... you know,
It might be a bit boring for those who think more action = better book, but those with more subtle tastes ought to be pleased.
copy provided by netgalley.
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more beautifully and coherent.It might be a bit boring for those who think more action = better book, but those with more subtle tastes ought to be pleased.
copy provided by netgalley.
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LibraryThing member Kristelh
The novel, written in 1965, depicts the life of a young woman who has left her husband. Ellen is 28, has a seven year old son, works at a job that must pay reasonably well for the time (1965). Her son leaves with his father for a camping/fishing outing and in her boredom, Ellen has a one night
The book reads fast, the story was engaging enough to hold me but simply did not like Ellen. She is very flawed. 1001 description of Ellen is she is just average and her life is just average. I think points the author may have been making is that Ellen's Catholic guilt made all her attempts to make her life a fantasy of seduction and hedonism just made her more and more guilt. It briefly touches on pain of loss and grief but not very well or at least not so that it made Ellen a sympathetic character.
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fling and then leaves for beaches of France for a vacation. The book reads fast, the story was engaging enough to hold me but simply did not like Ellen. She is very flawed. 1001 description of Ellen is she is just average and her life is just average. I think points the author may have been making is that Ellen's Catholic guilt made all her attempts to make her life a fantasy of seduction and hedonism just made her more and more guilt. It briefly touches on pain of loss and grief but not very well or at least not so that it made Ellen a sympathetic character.
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LibraryThing member cabegley
I like the O’Brien novels I’ve read to this point, but this one left me a little cold.
Ellen, a nurse living in London, has been separated for two years, sharing custody of her 8-year-old son with her husband. When her husband takes the boy on a camping trip towards the end of a hot summer,
The writing, as always with O’Brien, is excellent, and the whole story has a dreamy quality. However, the book felt very anti-feminist to me, as if O’Brien was punishing Ellen for being an independent, sexual woman. I don’t think her other books, at least what I’ve read so far, reflect this.
Ellen, a nurse living in London, has been separated for two years, sharing custody of her 8-year-old son with her husband. When her husband takes the boy on a camping trip towards the end of a hot summer,
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Ellen is at loose ends. She has a one-night stand with a man she’d met some time ago, and when he goes back to his girlfriend she impulsively takes a trip to France. While there, she starts to run with a fast crowd, and then things go awry. The writing, as always with O’Brien, is excellent, and the whole story has a dreamy quality. However, the book felt very anti-feminist to me, as if O’Brien was punishing Ellen for being an independent, sexual woman. I don’t think her other books, at least what I’ve read so far, reflect this.
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LibraryThing member stef7sa
What to make of this novel? It's weird. Fairly good at times, weird and difficult to believe in other parts. It seems somewhat outdated, sixties' preoccupations are prominent in the development of the story. Preoccupations that are quite different from those of today. A major flwa is that the
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background of Ellen is only touched upon which makes it hard to understand her motives. All in all this novel has some serious flaws. Show Less
LibraryThing member amerynth
I was disappointed in Edna O'Brien's novel "August is a Wicked Month," especially since I enjoyed other novels by this author.
The book is about a woman who heads off on a monthlong vacation after the break up of her marriage and stays at an apparently hedonistic hotel where even the bellboys break
I found it impossible to connect with the characters and so much of this didn't ring true enough to make it interesting.
The book is about a woman who heads off on a monthlong vacation after the break up of her marriage and stays at an apparently hedonistic hotel where even the bellboys break
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into your room to have sex with you. She meets a variety of men, and I guess this is supposed to be a sexual reawakening after years of a troubled and dry marriage. I found it impossible to connect with the characters and so much of this didn't ring true enough to make it interesting.
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LibraryThing member davidroche
Originally written in 1965, I can see why Edna O’Brien’s August is a Wicked Month (Faber) kicked up a bit of a storm a the time, particularly in her home country, Ireland. Ellen is a young, single mother who takes off to the South of France while the father of her son takes him camping.
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Unleashed, she seems determined to devour every opportunity she can get to enjoy herself as she is unable do at home. Her passions and sexual appetites are to the fore and this book was banned in several countries when it came out. A tragedy interrupts the proceedings and not everyone will sympathise, or even empathise, with the Ellen. However, there is no question about the quality of Edna O’Brien’s writing which is clever and, as always, requiring of the reader to think rather than sit back and let it wash over you. Show Less
LibraryThing member PilgrimJess
Ellen is a 27-year-old Irishwoman separated from her husband and living in London. When Ellen’s husband takes their seven-year-old young son — whom they share custody for — on a camping trip to Wales, Ellen is free to enjoy her own summer break from her job as a theatre critic. A week into
In France she flirts with almost every male she sees, including the man sitting beside her on the plane, but her her choices are poor and nothing works out as she would. Then something happens that reminds Ellen that her independence comes at a cost.
First published in 1965 this book was initially banned in Ireland because of its sexual content but by today's standards it is pretty tame. O'Brien writes beautifully about being on holiday and experiencing new things, and it was fascinating to read about a woman’ sexual desires and her hunger to live life to the fullest. But it was the sudden mood swing midway through that really made an impression on me. Suddenly the whole story took on a very different slant. It left me with very mixed feelings about Ellen, whilst she was in France I wanted to go up on her, shake by the shoulders and tell her not to be so stupid but whilst in the UK I wanted to give her a big hug. However, I have to say overall I found this an OK read rather than a particularly gripping one.
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her leave, she goes to bed with a male friend but when returns home to his live-in lover she is left frustrated and decides to book a trip to the south of France in search of sun and sex.In France she flirts with almost every male she sees, including the man sitting beside her on the plane, but her her choices are poor and nothing works out as she would. Then something happens that reminds Ellen that her independence comes at a cost.
First published in 1965 this book was initially banned in Ireland because of its sexual content but by today's standards it is pretty tame. O'Brien writes beautifully about being on holiday and experiencing new things, and it was fascinating to read about a woman’ sexual desires and her hunger to live life to the fullest. But it was the sudden mood swing midway through that really made an impression on me. Suddenly the whole story took on a very different slant. It left me with very mixed feelings about Ellen, whilst she was in France I wanted to go up on her, shake by the shoulders and tell her not to be so stupid but whilst in the UK I wanted to give her a big hug. However, I have to say overall I found this an OK read rather than a particularly gripping one.
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LibraryThing member BibliophageOnCoffee
I only read this book because of the title, obviously. And it was August when I discovered this book, so perfect timing. I regret nothing, even though I didn't really like it.
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
057133055X / 9780571330553
Physical description
5.12 inches