Book #5 The Sea by John Banville
I figured I’d give the most recent winnter of the Booker award a shot. It was a muddled tale of a elderly man whose wife has just died, and his memories of the summer of his first kiss. I use “muddled” because the narrator will be halfway through telling the story, and then suddenly remark something to the effect of, “Hmm, well it couldn’t have been the day of her first kiss because it was evening when we left the movie theater and not afternoon. Anyway…”
*Spoiler* In the end, his first kiss drowns along with her twin brother. I suppose it was an okay novel. I finished it quickly, and it didn’t leave me with any suicidal tendencies. But it’s as if it’s melancholy wasn’t enough to be striking. It was just there. Take it or leave it but with no ability to imprint the story upon the reader. Although, I guess I shall take away using the word “sozzled” for getting drunk. It has a nice little ring to it as if it would make for a great theme of a sea shanty.
