For me, reading John Banville's The Sea was like having
dinner with the aforementioned fictitious guest. For many people this
statement is likely outrageous, especially given that this novel won the 2005 Man Booker Prize. Banville is without a doubt a
magnificent writer, and to say otherwise is bound to create criticism. However, if I were to be completely honest, I must confess that
this book slowly started to wear on me. It's true that in the opening sections I was
captivated by the writing. However, with each passing page, I become
increasingly (dare I say it?) bored. The intriguing ending saved the novel for
me, but not enough to make me rave about this book. Yes, I could write numerous English PhD theses on the book's different themes, while making varied commentaries about art, death and longing. Yet, to be perfectly frank, I have to say that I found some of the commentary on this book to be a tad pretentious.
This story tells the tale of Max Morden, a middle-aged
Irishman who returns to the seaside town where he spent his holidays as a
child. Dealing with the recent death of his wife, he recalls his time with the
Grace's, a wealthy family in which he experienced love and death for the first
time. On the surface this is an interesting premise, and I really enjoyed parts
of the book. Nevertheless, by roughly the middle part of the story, I couldn't help but want the novel to
end. I am glad that I read this book, and I do plan to read other literary works by Banville. That being said, I did not fall in love with this story.
3 out of 5 stars
