It is hard to describe this book. It starts with an accident. It involves several people from a small town but also some from far away. Whilst I liked the amount of characters and the different kind of relations, they had with each other, I couldn't really warm to them and there wasn't really a big story. You expect a sort of murder mystery but it's not that. It' also not too philosophical even though that subject gets touched all the time. It's not a love story, either.
A library book that I'm not sad to return. I might read this again in a couple of years trying to understand. On the other hand, there are plenty of stories I haven't read, yet, and others that really got me the first time around, so that might never happen.
I happily talk to someone who loved this book. It's not that I dislike it, I just can't find anything to really really like it, either.
From the back cover:
"In the English spa town of Ennistone, hot springs bubble up from deep beneath the earth. In these healing waters the townspeople seek health and regeneration, righteousness and ritual cleansing. To this town steeped in ancient lore and subterranean inspiration the Philosopher returns. He exerts an almost magical influence over a host of Ennistonians, and especially over George McCaffrey, the Philosopher's old pupil, a demonic man desperate for redemption."
I have read quite a bit of Iris Murdoch, though not this one yet. She has a style all her own which I generally like. The thing about the Philosopher exerting an almost magical influence over the others: that is one of her themes.
ReplyDeleteThat theme is in this book, as well. As I always try to find the German title for my German friends, I found that this one hasn't been translated. So, maybe not one of her better ones?
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