Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Kbh Schønberg 1968 311 s. Schønbergs lommeelefanter
Description
A sparklingly profound novel about the conflict between love and loyalty The quiet life of schoolmaster Bill Mor and his wife Nan is disturbed when a young woman, Rain Carter, arrives at the school to paint the portrait of the headmaster. Mor, hoping to enter politics, becomes aware of new desires. A complex battle develops, involving love, guilt, magic, art, and political ambition. Mor's teenage children and their mother fight discreetly and ruthlessly against the invader. The Head, himself disenchanted, advises Mor to seize the girl and run. The final decision rests with Rain. Can a "great love" be purchased at too high a price?
User reviews
LibraryThing member thorold
A splendid early Iris Murdoch novel, with a deceptively simple plot about a married man falling in love with a clever young woman, providing scope for a lot of interesting speculation about the nature of relationships between people, the purpose of representation in art, the proper role of
While it seems likely that the "other woman" was modelled on herself, Murdoch perversely tells the story mostly from the husband's POV, and even more oddly chooses the very masculine world of a boys' boarding school as the setting for her story. There's even a cricket match scene: whilst her young heroine may feel obliged to apologise for turning up for a tour of the school in trousers, Murdoch is making no apologies here for trampling all over the privileged territory of British male writers. Perhaps not exactly the first blast of the trumpet against the monstrous regiment of Angry Young Men, but certainly a bit of bucket and spade work to assist the action of the incoming tide...
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education, and of course the difficulty of building sandcastles on Mediterranean beaches. In between, there's a lot of ironic deflation of pretensions, some French farce, and a sinister gypsy who keeps turning up for no obvious reason.While it seems likely that the "other woman" was modelled on herself, Murdoch perversely tells the story mostly from the husband's POV, and even more oddly chooses the very masculine world of a boys' boarding school as the setting for her story. There's even a cricket match scene: whilst her young heroine may feel obliged to apologise for turning up for a tour of the school in trousers, Murdoch is making no apologies here for trampling all over the privileged territory of British male writers. Perhaps not exactly the first blast of the trumpet against the monstrous regiment of Angry Young Men, but certainly a bit of bucket and spade work to assist the action of the incoming tide...
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LibraryThing member mabe
Vivid portrayal of an era when marriage breakdown was still viewed with disapproval. Brilliant character portrayal of the manipulative and vile wife. The 'other woman' was clearly Iris.
LibraryThing member tommi180744
Iris Murdoch is jutifiably notable as a skilled and illuminating author. However, this is quite possibly the most tediously unimaginative novel I have ever read. I cannot say more (or less) without losing my cool at just how epically dull a story Murdoch contrived with this pitiful offering!
LibraryThing member jonfaith
My favorite Murdoch so far. There was an incessant current of vitality in the novel, even the henpecked and the discarded found itself surged and embraced. That's a feat in itself.
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1957
Physical description
311 p.; 18.4 cm
Local notes
Omslag: Svend Otto
Omslaget viser en ung pige og en noget ældre herre komme gående
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Oversat fra engelsk "The sandcastle" af Michael Tejn
Omslaget viser en ung pige og en noget ældre herre komme gående
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Oversat fra engelsk "The sandcastle" af Michael Tejn
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Pages
311
DDC/MDS
| 823.912 |