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螝伪蟻伪尾慰蠁维谓伪蟻慰 蟽蟿慰 螠伪蠉蟻慰 螡蔚蟻蠈
螠蔚蟿维 伪蟺蠈 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪 蟺喂魏蟻萎蟼 未喂伪渭维蠂畏蟼 蟿蟻蔚喂蟼 纬蠀谓蔚委魏蔚蟼 - 畏 螡蟿蠈蟻伪 螡蟿苇尾蔚蟻慰, 畏 魏蠈蟻畏 蟿畏蟼 螞委位喂 魏伪喂 畏 蔚纬纬慰谓萎 蟿畏蟼 螆位蔚谓 - 蠀蟺慰蠂蟻蔚蠋谓慰谓蟿伪喂 伪蟺蠈 蟿伪 纬蔚纬慰谓蠈蟿伪 谓伪 魏维谓慰蠀谓 伪谓伪魏蠅蠂萎. 螣 蟺慰位蠀伪纬伪蟺畏渭苇谓慰蟼 伪未蔚位蠁蠈蟼 蟿畏蟼 螆位蔚谓, 慰 螡蟿苇魏位伪谓, 蟺蔚胃伪委谓蔚喂 魏伪喂 蟿喂蟼 胃苇位蔚喂 魏伪喂 蟿喂蟼 蟿蟻蔚喂蟼 魏慰谓蟿维 蟿慰蠀. 螚 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽委伪 蟿蠅谓 未蠉慰 蠁委位蠅谓 蟿慰蠀 胃伪 位蔚喂蟿慰蠀蟻纬萎蟽蔚喂 魏伪蟿伪位蠀蟿喂魏维 纬喂伪 蠈位慰蠀蟼 蟽蟿慰 蟽蠉谓蟿慰渭慰 未喂维蟽蟿畏渭伪 蟺慰蠀 胃伪 蟽蠀谓蠀蟺维蟻尉慰蠀谓 蟽蟿慰 蟽蟺委蟿喂 蟿畏蟼 纬喂伪纬喂维蟼. 螁蟿慰渭伪 伪蟺蠈 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏苇蟼 纬蔚谓喂苇蟼, 渭蔚 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏苇蟼 蔚渭蟺蔚喂蟻委蔚蟼 魏伪喂 蟺蔚蟺慰喂胃萎蟽蔚喂蟼, 纬委谓慰谓蟿伪喂 渭维蟻蟿蠀蟻蔚蟼 渭喂伪蟼 慰未蠀谓畏蟻萎蟼 纬喂伪 蠈位慰蠀蟼 蟺慰蟻蔚委伪蟼, 魏伪喂 纬喂伪 蟺蟻蠋蟿畏 蠁慰蟻维 伪魏慰蠉谓蔚 渭蔚 蟺蟻慰蟽慰蠂萎 蟿伪 蠈蟽伪 苇蠂蔚喂 谓伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟺蔚喂 慰 维位位慰蟼.
螠蔚 蟺慰位位萎 魏伪蟿伪谓蠈畏蟽畏 魏伪喂 维蠁胃慰谓慰 蠂喂慰蠉渭慰蟻 慰 韦慰渭蟺委谓 未委谓蔚喂 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 萎蟻蠅苇蟼 蟿慰蠀 蟿畏谓 蔚蠀魏伪喂蟻委伪 谓伪 蟿伪 尾蟻慰蠀谓 渭蔚 蟿慰谓 蔚伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰蠀蟼 魏伪喂 渭蔚 蟿慰谓 魏蠈蟽渭慰.
螠蔚 蟺慰位位萎 魏伪蟿伪谓蠈畏蟽畏 魏伪喂 维蠁胃慰谓慰 蠂喂慰蠉渭慰蟻 慰 韦慰渭蟺委谓 未委谓蔚喂 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 萎蟻蠅苇蟼 蟿慰蠀 蟿畏谓 蔚蠀魏伪喂蟻委伪 谓伪 蟿伪 尾蟻慰蠀谓 渭蔚 蟿慰谓 蔚伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰蠀蟼 魏伪喂 渭蔚 蟿慰谓 魏蠈蟽渭慰.
331 pages, Paperback
First published August 13, 1999
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7436 people want to read
About the author
Colm T贸ib铆n
231听books4,988听followersColm T贸ib铆n FRSL, is an Irish novelist, short story writer, essayist, playwright, journalist, critic, and poet. T贸ib铆n is currently Irene and Sidney B. Silverman Professor of the Humanities at Columbia University in Manhattan and succeeded Martin Amis as professor of creative writing at the University of Manchester.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 773 reviews
July 30, 2023
A young man in Ireland is dying of AIDS and he wants to spend his last days in his grandmother's seaside house where he has fond childhood memories. His gay friends visit and more or less live in the house while they care for him.
His female family members hover over the dying man as well: mother, sister and grandmother. The relatives all have "issues" with each other and the main character's illness serves to bring the interrelations among the three women to the fore. The story is told mainly by the sister who had previously been estranged from her mother and grandmother.
The Irish author is openly gay and gay characters are the stars of the novel, winning over the crotchety grandmother, for example, as one man, an architect, designs a new floor plan for her house.
The writing is excellent and the novel was short-listed for the Booker Prize. The novel, first published in 1999 is also a "period piece." I've read in mainstream media reviews of the book that "We have enough novels about gay men dying of AIDS" and "gay men do more than die of AIDS," but it needed to be written at the time.
The author is best known for his novel Brooklyn about a young Irish woman who emigrates to the USA. It was made into a movie in 2015. I鈥檝e read and reviewed a number of his novels including Brooklyn, The South and The Heather Blazing, as well as a short story collection, Mothers and Sons. However, I have most enjoyed his two fictionalized biographies: The Master, about Henry James, and The Magician, about Thomas Mann. Toibin is a professor of writing at Columbia University.
Top photo: a lightship off the coast of Ireland from irishlighthouses.blogspot.com
The author (b. 1955) from theguardian.uk.com
[Revised, pictures and shelves added 7/30/23]
His female family members hover over the dying man as well: mother, sister and grandmother. The relatives all have "issues" with each other and the main character's illness serves to bring the interrelations among the three women to the fore. The story is told mainly by the sister who had previously been estranged from her mother and grandmother.
The Irish author is openly gay and gay characters are the stars of the novel, winning over the crotchety grandmother, for example, as one man, an architect, designs a new floor plan for her house.
The writing is excellent and the novel was short-listed for the Booker Prize. The novel, first published in 1999 is also a "period piece." I've read in mainstream media reviews of the book that "We have enough novels about gay men dying of AIDS" and "gay men do more than die of AIDS," but it needed to be written at the time.
The author is best known for his novel Brooklyn about a young Irish woman who emigrates to the USA. It was made into a movie in 2015. I鈥檝e read and reviewed a number of his novels including Brooklyn, The South and The Heather Blazing, as well as a short story collection, Mothers and Sons. However, I have most enjoyed his two fictionalized biographies: The Master, about Henry James, and The Magician, about Thomas Mann. Toibin is a professor of writing at Columbia University.
Top photo: a lightship off the coast of Ireland from irishlighthouses.blogspot.com
The author (b. 1955) from theguardian.uk.com
[Revised, pictures and shelves added 7/30/23]
May 5, 2019
There are three contemporary authors writing in English whom I find extraordinarily engaging: Cormac McCarthy, Tim Winton and Colm T贸ib铆n . They are all stylistically brilliant and all three weave worlds that address significant issues regarding the human condition. All, also, have received significant recognition for the quality of their production. Among that recognition, McCarthy by Pulitzer; Winton and T贸ib铆n , by Man Booker.
Cormac McCarthy鈥檚 writing is probably the more unconventional. He is less attentive to traditional grammar, punctuation and style. And the worlds he created are categorically darker, disheartening. Even in the comparatively brighter Border Trilogy (brighter than, say, 鈥淭he Orchard Keeper鈥�, 鈥淣o Country for Old Men鈥� or 鈥淏lood Meridian鈥�), John Grady Cole and Billy Parham in the final volume are clearly marching into the postapocalyptic future of 鈥淭he Road鈥�. Hope and redemption dissipate in the ravaged earth.
Hope鈥攐r at least thoughtful resignation and conditional redemption鈥攕urvive in Tim Winton and in Colm T贸ib铆n鈥檚 worlds. The futures their people face are not suffocatingly black. It would be difficult to imagine one of McCarthy鈥檚 people writing about his life in retrospect as did Bruce Pike in 鈥淏reath鈥�: 鈥淎nd though I鈥檝e lived to be an old man with my own share of happiness for all the mess I made鈥�.鈥�
Tim Winton, compared to McCarthy is a more academic writer鈥攁t least in terms of the mechanics of writing. But like McCarthy, his prose is ultimately lyrical. It is clear and expressive鈥攂eautifully poetic that never misses a beat. So is T贸ib铆n鈥檚 writing poetic. T贸ib铆n鈥檚 writing, however, is also more elliptical than that of the other two writers. It moves quietly鈥攕tealthfully鈥攑age to page, focusing on what appears to be the mundane, on minutiae. In 鈥淭he Blackwater Lightship鈥�, T贸ib铆n describes, at the beginning of the novel, Helen鈥檚 preparations for a party. The preparations seem to be limited to the delivery and the final pick up of chair and tables. But that economy of description ultimately explodes in the reader more than the words would seem to do. T贸ib铆n , with his words, is a bit like Picasso with his brushes during his cubist period. He throws them out on the page, seemingly disordered and unrelated but re-structured to have them recomposed in the reader鈥檚 mind, infused with sudden insights and complex visions.
The physical environment also plays a different role with each of the three. For Winton, the physical environment is integral to his plots. With the exception of 鈥淭he Riders鈥�, his novels unfold in Western Australia鈥攊n the narrow stretch of land sandwiched between the western sea and the eastern desert. It is a within that littoral that the bulk of Western Australians live. But that said, the waters of the ocean and of the rivers that empty into it are a living presence in Winton鈥檚 writings. In 鈥淏reath鈥�, the ocean and its waters dominate. But they play a role in his other works as well, linked often to the very souls of his characters.
In contrast to Winton, the physical environment for McCarthy and T贸ib铆n are more simply stages on which their stories unfold. McCarthy鈥檚 plots play out in specific regions in the United States鈥攊n the Appalachians and, starting with Blood Meridian, the American Southwest and Northern Mexico. T贸ib铆n is more varied, with stories set in Argentina, the United States and Europe. But To铆b铆n and McCarthy鈥檚 characters are not entwined inexorably to their environments as are Winton鈥檚. For T贸ib铆n and McCarthy, place helps define the themes but it does not control them.
With their differences, the three writers are similar in regard to their voices. For example, T贸ib铆n鈥檚 鈥淏lackwater Lightship鈥�, 鈥淏rooklyn鈥� and 鈥淭he Story of the Night鈥� are more about emotion, thought and communication than about action. But the same is also true of McCarthy and Winton鈥檚 novels. All three tell engaging and compelling stories. But those stories engage and compel because they embroil the reader in the very themes of life. They all translate into words the same questions Paul Gauguin asked in paint: Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?
Cormac McCarthy鈥檚 writing is probably the more unconventional. He is less attentive to traditional grammar, punctuation and style. And the worlds he created are categorically darker, disheartening. Even in the comparatively brighter Border Trilogy (brighter than, say, 鈥淭he Orchard Keeper鈥�, 鈥淣o Country for Old Men鈥� or 鈥淏lood Meridian鈥�), John Grady Cole and Billy Parham in the final volume are clearly marching into the postapocalyptic future of 鈥淭he Road鈥�. Hope and redemption dissipate in the ravaged earth.
Hope鈥攐r at least thoughtful resignation and conditional redemption鈥攕urvive in Tim Winton and in Colm T贸ib铆n鈥檚 worlds. The futures their people face are not suffocatingly black. It would be difficult to imagine one of McCarthy鈥檚 people writing about his life in retrospect as did Bruce Pike in 鈥淏reath鈥�: 鈥淎nd though I鈥檝e lived to be an old man with my own share of happiness for all the mess I made鈥�.鈥�
Tim Winton, compared to McCarthy is a more academic writer鈥攁t least in terms of the mechanics of writing. But like McCarthy, his prose is ultimately lyrical. It is clear and expressive鈥攂eautifully poetic that never misses a beat. So is T贸ib铆n鈥檚 writing poetic. T贸ib铆n鈥檚 writing, however, is also more elliptical than that of the other two writers. It moves quietly鈥攕tealthfully鈥攑age to page, focusing on what appears to be the mundane, on minutiae. In 鈥淭he Blackwater Lightship鈥�, T贸ib铆n describes, at the beginning of the novel, Helen鈥檚 preparations for a party. The preparations seem to be limited to the delivery and the final pick up of chair and tables. But that economy of description ultimately explodes in the reader more than the words would seem to do. T贸ib铆n , with his words, is a bit like Picasso with his brushes during his cubist period. He throws them out on the page, seemingly disordered and unrelated but re-structured to have them recomposed in the reader鈥檚 mind, infused with sudden insights and complex visions.
The physical environment also plays a different role with each of the three. For Winton, the physical environment is integral to his plots. With the exception of 鈥淭he Riders鈥�, his novels unfold in Western Australia鈥攊n the narrow stretch of land sandwiched between the western sea and the eastern desert. It is a within that littoral that the bulk of Western Australians live. But that said, the waters of the ocean and of the rivers that empty into it are a living presence in Winton鈥檚 writings. In 鈥淏reath鈥�, the ocean and its waters dominate. But they play a role in his other works as well, linked often to the very souls of his characters.
In contrast to Winton, the physical environment for McCarthy and T贸ib铆n are more simply stages on which their stories unfold. McCarthy鈥檚 plots play out in specific regions in the United States鈥攊n the Appalachians and, starting with Blood Meridian, the American Southwest and Northern Mexico. T贸ib铆n is more varied, with stories set in Argentina, the United States and Europe. But To铆b铆n and McCarthy鈥檚 characters are not entwined inexorably to their environments as are Winton鈥檚. For T贸ib铆n and McCarthy, place helps define the themes but it does not control them.
With their differences, the three writers are similar in regard to their voices. For example, T贸ib铆n鈥檚 鈥淏lackwater Lightship鈥�, 鈥淏rooklyn鈥� and 鈥淭he Story of the Night鈥� are more about emotion, thought and communication than about action. But the same is also true of McCarthy and Winton鈥檚 novels. All three tell engaging and compelling stories. But those stories engage and compel because they embroil the reader in the very themes of life. They all translate into words the same questions Paul Gauguin asked in paint: Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?
March 21, 2017
It's the story of an Irish family that is as fractured as it could possibly be, brought reluctantly together by the tragedy of a son/brother dying of Aids. Heartbreaking and devastating, and it will leave you drained at the end.
4.5 stars for what may be Toibin's best novel.
4.5 stars for what may be Toibin's best novel.
May 4, 2020
The Blackwater Lightship was my introduction to the work of Colm T贸ib铆n, nearly twenty years ago. I've held onto this book since first reading it in 2002, through moves local and trans-Pacific when hundreds of other books were given away, knowing it was too special to me as a reader, and eventually a writer, to let go. After all these years, I was left with only vague memories of awe and sadness, poignancy, and softness.
In this time of shelter-in-place, when I long ago ran out of library books, I am rereading the few beloved books I have carried with me through all these years and life changes.
What a book to read now. How prophetic, sublime, and sad. Set in the early 1990's, The Blackwater Lightship takes place over a few days at a remote seaside home outside Wexford, Ireland. Helen Breen, her estranged mother, Lily, and her grandmother set aside their hurts and complications to welcome Helen's beloved brother, Declan, who is dying of AIDS. Two of Declan's friends, Larry and Paul, join the small gathering. Their coming together at Helen's grandmother's home is a kind of a limbo, to soothe Declan's beleaguered mind and body.
In the few days they spend in seclusion, Helen and Lily ferret out the hurts and misunderstandings that have kept them apart since Helen's beloved father died twenty years earlier, when Helen and Declan were children. Lily and her mother, no longer able to pretend they don't know Declan is gay, openly overcome their prejudices as they befriend Paul and Larry.
Told from Helen's point-of-view, The Blackwater Lightship is a rich examination of one family facing a pandemic that to this day has no known cure, in a country only just beginning its economic ascent. It's a precious snapshot of a particular time and place that now seems so simple in the light of all that would follow in the years after this story was set, and even after its publication.
But it is timeless in its examination of families, how they can hurt and heal, of an Ireland that exists today no matter how modern and fast it soared. T贸ib铆n writes with such grace and tenderness. His quiets are all the more powerful and resonant for what he leaves out, and trusts the reader to intuit on her own.
A gorgeous, profound book. I'm so very glad to have discovered it anew.
In this time of shelter-in-place, when I long ago ran out of library books, I am rereading the few beloved books I have carried with me through all these years and life changes.
What a book to read now. How prophetic, sublime, and sad. Set in the early 1990's, The Blackwater Lightship takes place over a few days at a remote seaside home outside Wexford, Ireland. Helen Breen, her estranged mother, Lily, and her grandmother set aside their hurts and complications to welcome Helen's beloved brother, Declan, who is dying of AIDS. Two of Declan's friends, Larry and Paul, join the small gathering. Their coming together at Helen's grandmother's home is a kind of a limbo, to soothe Declan's beleaguered mind and body.
In the few days they spend in seclusion, Helen and Lily ferret out the hurts and misunderstandings that have kept them apart since Helen's beloved father died twenty years earlier, when Helen and Declan were children. Lily and her mother, no longer able to pretend they don't know Declan is gay, openly overcome their prejudices as they befriend Paul and Larry.
Told from Helen's point-of-view, The Blackwater Lightship is a rich examination of one family facing a pandemic that to this day has no known cure, in a country only just beginning its economic ascent. It's a precious snapshot of a particular time and place that now seems so simple in the light of all that would follow in the years after this story was set, and even after its publication.
But it is timeless in its examination of families, how they can hurt and heal, of an Ireland that exists today no matter how modern and fast it soared. T贸ib铆n writes with such grace and tenderness. His quiets are all the more powerful and resonant for what he leaves out, and trusts the reader to intuit on her own.
A gorgeous, profound book. I'm so very glad to have discovered it anew.
July 12, 2017
Declan, approaching 30, is dying of AIDS in Southern Ireland. His father had died young too, of cancer. He wants to see that part of the coast he remembers as a child when he and his sister Helen stayed with their grandparents, throughout their father's prolonged final illness at hospital in Dublin. It is in these waters that the Blackwater Lightship once shone, a secondary source of light alongside the more powerful Tusker lighthouse.
His mettlesome granny, Dora, now widowed, is host in her remote and shabby home to Declan and his entourage 鈥� 2 gay friends, his mother Lily (Dora's daughter) and sister Helen. The three women have an uneasy relationship, to say the least and those tensions build as Declan's illness progresses. We gain an understanding of the reasons for this as Declan fights for life, reviving memories of his father's death and its effects on his family - bitterness, recrimination and deep misunderstanding.
Laughter and tears will alternate throughout this deeply human situation,particularly in those last days at Granny's, something Toibin excels at portraying. Such are his skills that his words will resonate, I suspect, with most of us. If my own experience is anything to go by it will teach us things about ourselves and those near and far from us. This is why he is one of my very favourite writers.
His mettlesome granny, Dora, now widowed, is host in her remote and shabby home to Declan and his entourage 鈥� 2 gay friends, his mother Lily (Dora's daughter) and sister Helen. The three women have an uneasy relationship, to say the least and those tensions build as Declan's illness progresses. We gain an understanding of the reasons for this as Declan fights for life, reviving memories of his father's death and its effects on his family - bitterness, recrimination and deep misunderstanding.
Laughter and tears will alternate throughout this deeply human situation,particularly in those last days at Granny's, something Toibin excels at portraying. Such are his skills that his words will resonate, I suspect, with most of us. If my own experience is anything to go by it will teach us things about ourselves and those near and far from us. This is why he is one of my very favourite writers.
August 19, 2020
韦慰 螝伪蟻伪尾慰蠁维谓伪蟻慰 蟽蟿慰 渭伪蠉蟻慰 谓蔚蟻蠈 位慰喂蟺蠈谓 螒蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 渭蔚 蟽蠀纬魏位蠈谓喂蟽蔚 魏伪喂 蟿蔚委谓蔚喂 谓伪 纬委谓蔚喂 苇谓伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿伪 伪纬伪蟺畏渭苇谓伪 渭慰蠀 纬喂伪 蟿慰 2017 伪谓 蠈蠂喂 蟿慰 伪纬伪蟺畏渭苇谓慰 渭慰蠀 螒蟺蠈 蟺慰蠉 谓伪 尉蔚魏喂谓萎蟽蠅 蟿畏谓 魏蟻喂蟿喂魏萎 渭慰蠀 未蔚谓 尉苇蟻蠅...... 危委纬慰蠀蟻伪 蔚委谓伪喂 蟿慰 魏伪位蠉蟿蔚蟻慰 蟿慰蠀 Colm Toibin 伪蟺蠈 伪蠀蟿维 蟺慰蠀 苇蠂蠅 未喂伪尾维蟽蔚喂 蠅蟼 蟿蠋蟻伪 渭蔚 未蠀谓伪蟿慰蠉蟼 纬蠀谓伪喂魏蔚委慰蠀蟼 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼 蠈蟺蠅蟼 蟺维谓蟿伪 危委纬慰蠀蟻伪 渭蔚 蟽蠀纬魏位蠈谓喂蟽蔚 魏伪喂 渭维位喂蟽蟿伪 渭蔚 苇蟺喂伪蟽蔚 伪蟺蟻慰蔚蟿慰委渭伪蟽蟿畏 螖蔚谓 蟺蔚蟻委渭蔚谓伪 谓伪 未喂伪尾维蟽蠅 魏维蟿喂 蟿蠈蟽慰 未蠀谓伪蟿蠈 螤蟻慰蟽慰蠂萎 蠈蟿伪谓 位苇蠅 未蠀谓伪蟿蠈 渭畏谓 蟺蔚蟻喂渭苇谓蔚蟿蔚 魏维蟿喂 渭蔚 未蟻维蟽畏 螌位畏 畏 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蔚尉蔚位委蟽蟽蔚蟿伪喂 蟽蔚 苇谓伪 蟽蟺委蟿喂 螌渭蠅蟼 蟿蔚位喂魏维 谓慰渭委味蠅 蠈蟿喂 伪蠀蟿萎 蔚委谓伪喂 畏 渭伪纬蔚委伪 蟿慰蠀 蟽蠀纬魏蔚魏蟻喂渭苇谓慰蠀 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪 螤慰位蠉 胃伪 蟺慰蠀谓 蠈蟿喂 蔚委谓伪喂 蔚蟺喂蠁伪谓蔚喂伪魏蠈,蠈蟿喂 魏蠀位维蔚喂 蟺慰位蠉 伪蟻纬维, 蠈蟿喂 未蔚 纬委谓蔚蟿伪喂 蟿委蟺慰蟿伪 螌渭蠅蟼 蟺喂蟽蟿蔚蠉蠅 蠈蟿喂 慰 蟽蟿蠈蠂慰蟼 蟿慰蠀 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪 未蔚谓 萎蟿伪谓 谓伪 渭喂位萎蟽蔚喂 纬喂伪 蟿慰 AIDS 慰蠉蟿蔚 纬喂伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 gay 魏伪喂 纬喂 伪蠀蟿蠈 未蔚谓 蔚渭尾伪胃蠉谓蔚喂 蟿蠈蟽慰 蟺慰位蠉 蟽蟿慰 胃苇渭伪 伪蠀蟿蠈 螤喂蟽蟿蔚蠉蠅 蠈蟿喂 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻慰 萎胃蔚位蔚 谓伪 蔚蟽蟿喂维蟽蔚喂 蟽蟿喂蟼 蔚谓未慰慰喂魏慰纬蔚谓蔚喂伪魏苇蟼 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚喂蟼 蠁伪谓蔚蟻苇蟼 魏伪喂 蠀蟺蠈纬蔚喂蔚蟼 螠伪蟼 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽喂维味蔚喂 伪蟻喂蟽蟿慰蟿蔚蠂谓喂魏维 蟿畏蟼 未蠀蟽位蔚喂蟿慰蠀蟻纬喂魏苇蟼 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚喂蟼 蟿蟻喂蠋谓 纬蔚谓喂蠋谓 纬蠀谓伪喂魏蠋谓 魏伪喂 蟺蠅蟼 伪蠀蟿苇蟼 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠅蟺委味慰蠀谓 渭喂伪 蟿蟻伪纬喂魏萎 蟽蟿喂纬渭萎 魏伪喂 蟿畏谓 伪蟺蠋位蔚喂伪 螘委谓伪喂 蠁慰尾蔚蟻蠈 谓伪 尾位苇蟺慰蠀渭蔚 蟿慰 蟺蠈蟽慰 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏维 蔚魏位伪渭尾维谓蔚喂 慰 魏维胃蔚 维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰蟼 蟿喂蟼 蟽蠀渭蟺蔚蟻喂蠁慰蟻苇蟼 蟿蠅谓 维位位蠅谓 魏伪喂 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰蠀 蟽蠀渭尾伪委谓蔚喂 螝伪喂 慰喂 蟿蟻蔚喂蟼 纬蠀谓伪委魏蔚蟼 苇蠂慰蠀谓 苇蟻胃蔚喂 伪谓蟿喂渭苇蟿蠅蟺蔚蟼 渭蔚 蟿畏谓 伪蟺蠋位蔚喂伪 魏伪喂 慰喂 蟿蟻蔚喂蟼 蟿畏谓 苇蠂慰蠀谓 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠅蟺委蟽蔚喂 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏维 螝伪喂 慰喂 蟿蟻蔚喂蟼 魏慰蠀尾伪位慰蠉谓 蟿喂蟼 未喂魏苇蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟺位畏纬苇蟼 魏伪喂 魏伪蟿维位慰喂蟺伪 伪蟺蠈 伪蠀蟿蠈 螣 Toibin 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 蔚尉维蟻蟽蔚喂蟼,蠂蠅蟻委蟼 蟿蠀渭蟺伪谓慰魏蟻慰蠀蟽委蔚蟼, 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 蠁位蠀伪蟻委伪 渭伪蟼 伪蟺慰未委未蔚喂 蟿畏谓 蟿蟻伪纬喂魏蠈蟿畏蟿伪 蟺蟻慰蟽蠋蟺蠅谓 魏伪喂 魏伪蟿伪蟽蟿维蟽蔚蠅谓 魏伪胃蠋蟼 慰喂 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚喂蟼 蟿蠅谓 纬蠀谓伪喂魏蠋谓 伪位位维味慰蠀谓 魏伪喂 蠅蟻喂渭维味慰蠀谓 渭蟺蟻慰蟽蟿维 蟽蟿伪 渭维蟿喂伪 渭伪蟼 螒未喂伪渭蠁喂蟽尾萎蟿畏蟿慰蟼 渭伪苇蟽蟿蟻慰蟼 蟽蟿畏谓 蟽魏喂伪纬蟻维蠁畏蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 纬蠀谓伪喂魏蔚委伪蟼 蠄蠀蠂慰位慰纬委伪蟼 渭蠈位喂蟼 蔚未蟻伪委蠅蟽蔚 蟿畏谓 胃苇蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 蠅蟼 苇谓伪蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰蠀蟼 伪纬伪蟺畏渭苇谓慰蠀蟼 渭慰蠀 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁蔚委蟼 螘谓 慰位委纬慰喂蟼 苇谓伪 蔚尉伪喂蟻蔚蟿喂魏蠈 渭蠀胃喂蟽蟿蠈蟻畏渭伪 伪蟺蠈 苇谓伪谓 螠伪喂蟿蟻 蟿慰蠀 蔚委未慰蠀蟼 纬喂伪 蟿喂蟼 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚喂蟼,蟿畏谓 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪,蟿慰谓 蟺蠈谓慰, 蟿畏谓 蟽蠀纬蠂蠋蟻蔚蟽畏 , 魏伪喂 蟿苇位慰蟼 蟿畏谓 位蠉蟿蟻蠅蟽畏
鈥溛屜勎蔽� 蟺苇胃伪谓蔚 慰 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪蟼 渭慰蠀, 慰 渭喂蟽蠈蟼 渭慰蠀 魏蠈蟽渭慰蟼 魏伪蟿苇蟻蟻蔚蠀蟽蔚, 蔚纬蠋 蠈渭蠅蟼 未蔚谓 蟿慰 蟺萎蟻伪 蔚委未畏蟽畏. 螇蟿伪谓 位蔚蟼 魏伪喂 渭慰蠀 蔚委蠂伪谓 蟿喂谓维尉蔚喂 蟿慰 渭喂蟽蠈 渭慰蠀 蟺蟻蠈蟽蠅蟺慰 蟽蟿慰谓 伪苇蟻伪, 蔚纬蠋 蠈渭蠅蟼 蟽蠀谓苇蠂喂味伪 谓伪 渭喂位维蠅 魏伪喂 谓伪 蠂伪渭慰纬蔚位维蠅, 渭蔚 蟿畏谓 喂未苇伪 蠈蟿喂 未蔚 渭慰蠀 蔚委蠂蔚 蟽蠀渭尾蔚委 蔚渭苇谓伪 伪蠀蟿蠈 萎 蠈蟿喂 渭蔚 蟿慰谓 魏伪喂蟻蠈 胃伪 蔚蟺伪谓蔚蟻蠂蠈蟿伪谓. 螌蟿伪谓 蟺苇胃伪谓蔚 慰 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪蟼 渭慰蠀, 畏 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪 渭慰蠀 魏伪喂 畏 纬喂伪纬喂维 渭慰蠀 渭蔚 维蠁畏蟽伪谓 渭蠈谓畏 渭慰蠀. 螢苇蟻蠅 蠈蟿喂 蔚委蠂伪谓 蟿伪 未喂魏维 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟺蟻慰尾位萎渭伪蟿伪, 委蟽蠅蟼 魏伪喂 谓伪 渭畏 渭蟺慰蟻慰蠉蟽伪谓 谓伪 渭蔚 尾慰畏胃萎蟽慰蠀谓, 维位位蠅蟽蟿蔚 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 蔚委蠂蔚 纬委谓蔚喂 萎未畏 畏 味畏渭喂维, 伪位位维 慰蠉蟿蔚 畏 渭委伪 慰蠉蟿蔚 畏 维位位畏 蟺蟻慰蟽蟺维胃畏蟽伪谓 谓伪 渭蔚 蟺伪蟻畏纬慰蟻萎蟽慰蠀谓 萎 谓伪 渭慰蠀 蟿慰谓蠋蟽慰蠀谓 蟿慰 畏胃喂魏蠈. 螣喂 未蠀慰 伪蠀蟿苇蟼 纬蠀谓伪委魏蔚蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 蟿伪 魏慰渭渭维蟿喂伪 蟿慰蠀 蔚伪蠀蟿慰蠉 渭慰蠀 蟺慰蠀 苇蠂蠅 胃维蠄蔚喂, 谓伪喂, 伪蠀蟿蠈 蔚委谓伪喂 魏喂 慰喂 未蠀慰 蟿慰蠀蟼 纬喂伪 渭苇谓伪, 纬喂' 伪蠀蟿蠈 伪魏蠈渭畏 胃苇位蠅 谓伪 蟿喂蟼 魏蟻伪蟿维蠅 蟽蔚 伪蟺蠈蟽蟿伪蟽畏.鈥�
违螕1 危蟿畏谓 伪蟻蠂萎 畏 渭蔚蟿维蠁蟻伪蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 蟿委蟿位慰蠀 渭蔚 尉苇谓喂蟽蔚 蟺蟻慰蠂蠅蟻蠋谓蟿伪蟼 蠈渭蠅蟼 魏伪蟿维位伪尾伪 蟺蠈蟽慰 蟿伪喂蟻喂伪蟽蟿蠈蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 慰 蟿委蟿位慰蟼 蟽蟿畏谓 蠀蟺蠈胃蔚蟽畏
违螕2 螘尉伪喂蟻蔚蟿喂魏萎 渭蔚蟿维蠁蟻伪蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 螒胃畏谓维蟼 螖畏渭畏蟿蟻喂维未慰蠀 魏伪胃蠋蟼 魏伪喂 蟿慰 蔚蟺委渭蔚蟿蟻慰
鈥溛屜勎蔽� 蟺苇胃伪谓蔚 慰 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪蟼 渭慰蠀, 慰 渭喂蟽蠈蟼 渭慰蠀 魏蠈蟽渭慰蟼 魏伪蟿苇蟻蟻蔚蠀蟽蔚, 蔚纬蠋 蠈渭蠅蟼 未蔚谓 蟿慰 蟺萎蟻伪 蔚委未畏蟽畏. 螇蟿伪谓 位蔚蟼 魏伪喂 渭慰蠀 蔚委蠂伪谓 蟿喂谓维尉蔚喂 蟿慰 渭喂蟽蠈 渭慰蠀 蟺蟻蠈蟽蠅蟺慰 蟽蟿慰谓 伪苇蟻伪, 蔚纬蠋 蠈渭蠅蟼 蟽蠀谓苇蠂喂味伪 谓伪 渭喂位维蠅 魏伪喂 谓伪 蠂伪渭慰纬蔚位维蠅, 渭蔚 蟿畏谓 喂未苇伪 蠈蟿喂 未蔚 渭慰蠀 蔚委蠂蔚 蟽蠀渭尾蔚委 蔚渭苇谓伪 伪蠀蟿蠈 萎 蠈蟿喂 渭蔚 蟿慰谓 魏伪喂蟻蠈 胃伪 蔚蟺伪谓蔚蟻蠂蠈蟿伪谓. 螌蟿伪谓 蟺苇胃伪谓蔚 慰 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪蟼 渭慰蠀, 畏 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪 渭慰蠀 魏伪喂 畏 纬喂伪纬喂维 渭慰蠀 渭蔚 维蠁畏蟽伪谓 渭蠈谓畏 渭慰蠀. 螢苇蟻蠅 蠈蟿喂 蔚委蠂伪谓 蟿伪 未喂魏维 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟺蟻慰尾位萎渭伪蟿伪, 委蟽蠅蟼 魏伪喂 谓伪 渭畏 渭蟺慰蟻慰蠉蟽伪谓 谓伪 渭蔚 尾慰畏胃萎蟽慰蠀谓, 维位位蠅蟽蟿蔚 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 蔚委蠂蔚 纬委谓蔚喂 萎未畏 畏 味畏渭喂维, 伪位位维 慰蠉蟿蔚 畏 渭委伪 慰蠉蟿蔚 畏 维位位畏 蟺蟻慰蟽蟺维胃畏蟽伪谓 谓伪 渭蔚 蟺伪蟻畏纬慰蟻萎蟽慰蠀谓 萎 谓伪 渭慰蠀 蟿慰谓蠋蟽慰蠀谓 蟿慰 畏胃喂魏蠈. 螣喂 未蠀慰 伪蠀蟿苇蟼 纬蠀谓伪委魏蔚蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 蟿伪 魏慰渭渭维蟿喂伪 蟿慰蠀 蔚伪蠀蟿慰蠉 渭慰蠀 蟺慰蠀 苇蠂蠅 胃维蠄蔚喂, 谓伪喂, 伪蠀蟿蠈 蔚委谓伪喂 魏喂 慰喂 未蠀慰 蟿慰蠀蟼 纬喂伪 渭苇谓伪, 纬喂' 伪蠀蟿蠈 伪魏蠈渭畏 胃苇位蠅 谓伪 蟿喂蟼 魏蟻伪蟿维蠅 蟽蔚 伪蟺蠈蟽蟿伪蟽畏.鈥�
违螕1 危蟿畏谓 伪蟻蠂萎 畏 渭蔚蟿维蠁蟻伪蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 蟿委蟿位慰蠀 渭蔚 尉苇谓喂蟽蔚 蟺蟻慰蠂蠅蟻蠋谓蟿伪蟼 蠈渭蠅蟼 魏伪蟿维位伪尾伪 蟺蠈蟽慰 蟿伪喂蟻喂伪蟽蟿蠈蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 慰 蟿委蟿位慰蟼 蟽蟿畏谓 蠀蟺蠈胃蔚蟽畏
违螕2 螘尉伪喂蟻蔚蟿喂魏萎 渭蔚蟿维蠁蟻伪蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 螒胃畏谓维蟼 螖畏渭畏蟿蟻喂维未慰蠀 魏伪胃蠋蟼 魏伪喂 蟿慰 蔚蟺委渭蔚蟿蟻慰
June 27, 2017
In 1993, homosexuality was decriminalized in Ireland; and it is also important to note that at this time, the world was in the midst of the AIDS epidemic. This is the backdrop against which by Colm Toibin takes place.
It was the end of another school year and Helen, a school principal in Dublin, was looking forward to a holiday with her husband and two young children. That holiday, however, would have to wait. Paul, a longtime friend of Helen's brother Declan, arrived on her doorstep and he brought bad news. Declan had sent him to request that Helen come to St. James Hospital. Declan was being treated for one of those opportunistic infections which AIDS patients were often afflicted with. In fact, this infection was the latest of many such infections Declan had battled and his health had seriously deteriorated.
Although Helen was shocked, not only by Declan's illness, but also by his sudden 'coming out' to her, she agreed to drive to their granny's seaside home to make the request that Declan and his two longtime friends and caregivers, Paul and Larry, be permitted to spend time there convalescing in familiar surroundings.. because it was clear that Declan was near the end of his life. IT was to be Helen's responsibility to tell both her Granny Dora and her mother Lily about the seriousness of Declan's illness. On the drive to her granny's house, Helen ruminated on her estrangement from her family and it is through these ruminations that you discover that not only were Helen and Declan not particularly close but Helen's granny and her mother had not been invited to her wedding and they had never met her children.
The three women in this family were strong, stubborn and opinionated... and possessed very long memories. The slights, harsh words and unreasonable expectations that had been exchanged over the years were never far removed from any of them. Helen had been holding tight to her resentment toward her mother, recalling that the family members' estrangement began when she and Declan were children and they had stayed with their granny and granddad while their father had entered the hospital ostensibly for tests. Helen recalled that she and Declan had stayed at the seaside house for weeks, all the while being reassured that her parents would return home soon... but their father never returned.. and her father's death, the subsequent lack of explanation of his death and the total lack of any comfort from her mother marked, for Helen, the beginning of the disintegration of the relationship between them.
I found this book so compelling because it demonstrated so beautifully that no matter how complicated and contentious relationships become between family members... no matter how strained and frayed these bonds may get... there is often the hope and expectation that when a member of this complex unit of people bound together by blood and history, needs assistance and nurturing, that somehow the members find a way to push aside their feelings of resentment and bitterness and rise to the occasion. As this story demonstrated so vividly, this process is never easy or pretty and is almost always quite painful; but Declan was dying and he needed the comfort of his family.
Although Declan was never really developed as a character, there was an obvious childlike quality about him.. a trusting and acceptance of the three difficult women in his life that never wavered, which I believe makes him so essential to this story. Declan's illness and his desire to spend his last days at his granny's house is the catalyst that the three women need to once and for all, put aside their resentment and come together because what they share... a love for Declan... is far greater than all the negativity that has kept them apart all of these years. Just as the death of Helen and Declan's father all those years before had brought silence and resentment, Declan's death might be what finally fixes what has been broken in this family. And just as Granny's house, perched so precariously at the edge of the cliff, had weathered the stormy seas all of those years so too would the family weather its own storms.
, to me, was a testament to the power of love and the bonds that may be forged by family.
It was the end of another school year and Helen, a school principal in Dublin, was looking forward to a holiday with her husband and two young children. That holiday, however, would have to wait. Paul, a longtime friend of Helen's brother Declan, arrived on her doorstep and he brought bad news. Declan had sent him to request that Helen come to St. James Hospital. Declan was being treated for one of those opportunistic infections which AIDS patients were often afflicted with. In fact, this infection was the latest of many such infections Declan had battled and his health had seriously deteriorated.
Although Helen was shocked, not only by Declan's illness, but also by his sudden 'coming out' to her, she agreed to drive to their granny's seaside home to make the request that Declan and his two longtime friends and caregivers, Paul and Larry, be permitted to spend time there convalescing in familiar surroundings.. because it was clear that Declan was near the end of his life. IT was to be Helen's responsibility to tell both her Granny Dora and her mother Lily about the seriousness of Declan's illness. On the drive to her granny's house, Helen ruminated on her estrangement from her family and it is through these ruminations that you discover that not only were Helen and Declan not particularly close but Helen's granny and her mother had not been invited to her wedding and they had never met her children.
The three women in this family were strong, stubborn and opinionated... and possessed very long memories. The slights, harsh words and unreasonable expectations that had been exchanged over the years were never far removed from any of them. Helen had been holding tight to her resentment toward her mother, recalling that the family members' estrangement began when she and Declan were children and they had stayed with their granny and granddad while their father had entered the hospital ostensibly for tests. Helen recalled that she and Declan had stayed at the seaside house for weeks, all the while being reassured that her parents would return home soon... but their father never returned.. and her father's death, the subsequent lack of explanation of his death and the total lack of any comfort from her mother marked, for Helen, the beginning of the disintegration of the relationship between them.
I found this book so compelling because it demonstrated so beautifully that no matter how complicated and contentious relationships become between family members... no matter how strained and frayed these bonds may get... there is often the hope and expectation that when a member of this complex unit of people bound together by blood and history, needs assistance and nurturing, that somehow the members find a way to push aside their feelings of resentment and bitterness and rise to the occasion. As this story demonstrated so vividly, this process is never easy or pretty and is almost always quite painful; but Declan was dying and he needed the comfort of his family.
Although Declan was never really developed as a character, there was an obvious childlike quality about him.. a trusting and acceptance of the three difficult women in his life that never wavered, which I believe makes him so essential to this story. Declan's illness and his desire to spend his last days at his granny's house is the catalyst that the three women need to once and for all, put aside their resentment and come together because what they share... a love for Declan... is far greater than all the negativity that has kept them apart all of these years. Just as the death of Helen and Declan's father all those years before had brought silence and resentment, Declan's death might be what finally fixes what has been broken in this family. And just as Granny's house, perched so precariously at the edge of the cliff, had weathered the stormy seas all of those years so too would the family weather its own storms.
, to me, was a testament to the power of love and the bonds that may be forged by family.
July 20, 2024
Like all of his novels, this is beautifully crafted. He has a keen eye for characterisation. His sentences are balanced, always clear and a joy to read. He has fascinations that return across his novels 鈥� not least the metaphor of an eroding coastline speaking to the impermanence of what we would otherwise wish and expect to last forever and, in the human condition鈥檚 cruellest irony, that our misplaced hope assures us despite all evidence to the contrary that these things will be permanent.听
This book is in part about how the imminence of death forces us to reappraise how we have come to understand other deaths across our lives. There is a deeply beautiful (and understated) moment in this where a daughter recreates her father using his clothes to get to be present with him one last time. I鈥檓 finding I get moved to tears by the simplest things these days, but that these are always the simplest acts of love against impermanence. I went out last night to see once again Who鈥檚 Afraid of Virginia Wolfe? and had to catch myself not to cry at the act of love that George shows to Martha at the end of that play. As I said, it is always a simple act of love that catches me 鈥� even when I know they are coming 鈥� I mean, I knew that play well enough to be able to tell the people I saw it with which scenes the producers had inexplicable decided to leave out and to even quote some of the lines cut.听
One of the things about love is how often it is associated with shit and cleaning up the shit of others. I mean this literally, but I guess it is also true figuratively. When we have soiled ourselves, we are at our most vulnerable we feel least fully human and so least worthy of the love of others. Vomit and shit and self-loathing and disgust, but those who help us clear it all away in an act of love and care show us a depth of love we hardly believe we deserve. Or how, contrary to this, in our times of most need, sometimes strangers will turn away from us and we will not have the strength to force them to answer even our simplest of questions. This is so nicely shown towards the end when a character can鈥檛 bring herself to ask someone in a hospital for directions. Something clearly in their power and that would cost them hardly any effort at all. A friend of mine who worked in a morgue once told me that sometimes you need to find ways to rediscover your empathy, because sometimes the only way you can survive life is to bury your empathy a mile deep.听
I thought this was going to be a much shorter review than it has turned out. I鈥檝e liked other of his novels more, but this is still masterful.
This book is in part about how the imminence of death forces us to reappraise how we have come to understand other deaths across our lives. There is a deeply beautiful (and understated) moment in this where a daughter recreates her father using his clothes to get to be present with him one last time. I鈥檓 finding I get moved to tears by the simplest things these days, but that these are always the simplest acts of love against impermanence. I went out last night to see once again Who鈥檚 Afraid of Virginia Wolfe? and had to catch myself not to cry at the act of love that George shows to Martha at the end of that play. As I said, it is always a simple act of love that catches me 鈥� even when I know they are coming 鈥� I mean, I knew that play well enough to be able to tell the people I saw it with which scenes the producers had inexplicable decided to leave out and to even quote some of the lines cut.听
One of the things about love is how often it is associated with shit and cleaning up the shit of others. I mean this literally, but I guess it is also true figuratively. When we have soiled ourselves, we are at our most vulnerable we feel least fully human and so least worthy of the love of others. Vomit and shit and self-loathing and disgust, but those who help us clear it all away in an act of love and care show us a depth of love we hardly believe we deserve. Or how, contrary to this, in our times of most need, sometimes strangers will turn away from us and we will not have the strength to force them to answer even our simplest of questions. This is so nicely shown towards the end when a character can鈥檛 bring herself to ask someone in a hospital for directions. Something clearly in their power and that would cost them hardly any effort at all. A friend of mine who worked in a morgue once told me that sometimes you need to find ways to rediscover your empathy, because sometimes the only way you can survive life is to bury your empathy a mile deep.听
I thought this was going to be a much shorter review than it has turned out. I鈥檝e liked other of his novels more, but this is still masterful.
March 5, 2025
Colm Toibin has become a must read author for me in the past few months. I started by reading Brooklyn and was hooked on his writing style. He is Irish born and bred writer who writes books predominantly based in Ireland 馃嚠馃嚜 - a win in my books!
Quick summary: Helen receives very unexpected news that her beloved brother, Declan, is dying. He is nearing the end of life and all he wants is to be at his grandmother鈥檚 house by the sea. And so, Helen is forced to join her mother and grandmother in a crumbling old house by the sea, three generations calling an uneasy truce after years of strife, to be by his side. Together with 2 of Declan鈥檚 closest friends, who know more about him than any family, they must all deal with the past and come to terms with each other.
This is an exceptional story. The writing is beautiful, almost poetic in places, and incredibly hypnotic. Colm has us in the palm of his hands as he unravels their past; examining the intricacies of family life - both past and present. I loved the push and pull, from past to present and the deep and direct comparisons made between Helen鈥檚 home-life (Husband and 2 sons) and her past family life (mother, father and grandparents). It was a fascinating insight into the difficulties one must overcome throughout life; a timeless examination.
I LOVED so many things about this book: the setting in a remote part of Wexford, Ireland; the time period of the 1990s; how realistic the characters felt; and the exploration of family relationships.
Despite the somewhat somber scenes, this book was not solely based on Declan鈥檚 illness, and even down to his last moments, his critical illness did not overshadow the ending of the book. It was the relationships and family bonds that took front and centre.
A beautiful, and rich, snapshot into this family鈥檚 life, where the quiet moments are just as powerful as the communicate ones.
馃専馃専馃専馃専
Quick summary: Helen receives very unexpected news that her beloved brother, Declan, is dying. He is nearing the end of life and all he wants is to be at his grandmother鈥檚 house by the sea. And so, Helen is forced to join her mother and grandmother in a crumbling old house by the sea, three generations calling an uneasy truce after years of strife, to be by his side. Together with 2 of Declan鈥檚 closest friends, who know more about him than any family, they must all deal with the past and come to terms with each other.
This is an exceptional story. The writing is beautiful, almost poetic in places, and incredibly hypnotic. Colm has us in the palm of his hands as he unravels their past; examining the intricacies of family life - both past and present. I loved the push and pull, from past to present and the deep and direct comparisons made between Helen鈥檚 home-life (Husband and 2 sons) and her past family life (mother, father and grandparents). It was a fascinating insight into the difficulties one must overcome throughout life; a timeless examination.
I LOVED so many things about this book: the setting in a remote part of Wexford, Ireland; the time period of the 1990s; how realistic the characters felt; and the exploration of family relationships.
Despite the somewhat somber scenes, this book was not solely based on Declan鈥檚 illness, and even down to his last moments, his critical illness did not overshadow the ending of the book. It was the relationships and family bonds that took front and centre.
A beautiful, and rich, snapshot into this family鈥檚 life, where the quiet moments are just as powerful as the communicate ones.
馃専馃専馃専馃専
January 4, 2018
韦喂 纬委谓蔚蟿伪喂 蠈蟿伪谓 慰 螠蟺蔚蟻纬魏渭伪谓 蟽蠀谓伪谓蟿维 韦慰谓 韦蟽苇蠂蠅蠁?螖蟻维渭伪 渭蔚纬伪蟿蠈谓蠅谓.螠慰谓维蠂伪 伪蠀蟿慰委 慰喂 渭伪魏蟻慰蟽蠀蟻蟿慰喂 渭慰谓蠈位慰纬慰喂 谓伪 苇位蔚喂蟺伪谓 魏伪喂 胃伪 渭喂位慰蠉蟽伪渭蔚 纬喂伪 苇谓伪 位喂蟿蠈 伪蟻喂蟽蟿慰蠉蟻纬畏渭伪 蟺慰蠀 未畏渭喂慰蠀蟻纬蔚委 渭喂伪 伪蟺慰蟺谓喂魏蟿喂魏萎 伪蟿渭蠈蟽蠁伪喂蟻伪 渭蔚 蔚位维蠂喂蟽蟿蔚蟼 渭蔚蟿伪蠁慰蟻苇蟼 魏伪喂 蟺伪蟻慰渭慰喂蠋蟽蔚喂蟼
November 9, 2022
螤蟻蠋蟿畏 蔚蟺伪蠁萎 渭蔚 Toibin! 螒蟺蠈 蟿喂蟼 蟺蟻蠋蟿蔚蟼 蟽蔚位委未蔚蟼 纬慰畏蟿蔚蠉蟿畏魏伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏 纬蟻伪蠁萎 蟿慰蠀, 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 伪蠉蟻伪 蟿慰蠀, 伪蟺蠈 蟿喂蟼 渭蠀蟻蠅未喂苇蟼 蟺慰蠀 蔚尉苇蟺蔚渭蟺伪谓 慰喂 蟺蔚蟻喂纬蟻伪蠁喂魏苇蟼 蔚喂魏蠈谓蔚蟼 蟿慰蠀. 螠喂伪 伪蠁萎纬畏蟽畏 蟺慰蠀 蟽蔚 蟿伪尉喂未蔚蠉蔚喂 蟽蔚 维位位蔚蟼 蔚蟺慰蠂苇蟼 蟺喂慰 蠈渭慰蟻蠁蔚蟼, 蟺喂慰 萎蟻蔚渭蔚蟼.
螘委谓伪喂 苇谓伪 未蠀谓伪蟿蠈 蠄蠀蠂慰纬蟻维蠁畏渭伪 伪蠁慰蠉 畏 伪蟻蟻蠋蟽蟿喂伪 蔚谓蠈蟼 渭苇位慰蠀蟼 渭喂伪蟼 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪蟼 胃伪 伪蟺慰蟿蔚位苇蟽蔚喂 蟿畏谓 蠉蟽蟿伪蟿畏 蟺蟻慰蟽蟺维胃蔚喂伪 伪蟺慰魏伪蟿维蟽蟿伪蟽畏蟼 蟿蠅谓 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚蠅谓 蟿畏蟼 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪蟼.
螖蔚谓 蠀蟺维蟻蠂蔚喂 未蟻维蟽畏, 渭蠈谓慰 伪蠁萎纬畏蟽畏 纬蔚纬慰谓蠈蟿蠅谓, 魏伪蟿维胃蔚蟽畏 蟽蠀谓伪喂蟽胃畏渭维蟿蠅谓, 尉苇蟽魏喂蟽渭伪 蠄蠀蠂蠋谓. 螖蔚 渭伪胃伪委谓慰蠀渭蔚 位蔚蟺蟿慰渭苇蟻蔚喂蔚蟼, 蟿慰 蟺蠋蟼 魏伪喂 蟿慰 纬喂伪蟿委. 螖蔚 渭伪蟼 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻蔚喂.
螣 伪谓伪纬谓蠋蟽蟿畏蟼 蔚蟽蟿喂维味蔚喂 蟽蟿畏 蟽蠀谓维胃蟻慰喂蟽畏 蠈位蠅谓 蟿蠅谓 蟺蟻慰蟽蠋蟺蠅谓 蟿畏蟼 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪蟼 魏伪喂 蟽蟿慰 纬蔚纬慰谓蠈蟼 蟺蠅蟼 蟽蔚 未蠉蟽魏慰位蔚蟼 魏伪蟿伪蟽蟿维蟽蔚喂蟼 慰喂 维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰喂 苇蟻蠂慰谓蟿伪喂 魏慰谓蟿维, 伪蠁萎谓慰蠀谓 渭委蟽畏, 未喂蠂蠈谓慰喂蔚蟼 魏 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠅蟺委味慰蠀谓 蟿伪 蟺蟻慰尾位萎渭伪蟿伪 蔚谓蠅渭苇谓慰喂.
螘委谓伪喂 苇谓伪 未蠀谓伪蟿蠈 蠄蠀蠂慰纬蟻维蠁畏渭伪 伪蠁慰蠉 畏 伪蟻蟻蠋蟽蟿喂伪 蔚谓蠈蟼 渭苇位慰蠀蟼 渭喂伪蟼 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪蟼 胃伪 伪蟺慰蟿蔚位苇蟽蔚喂 蟿畏谓 蠉蟽蟿伪蟿畏 蟺蟻慰蟽蟺维胃蔚喂伪 伪蟺慰魏伪蟿维蟽蟿伪蟽畏蟼 蟿蠅谓 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚蠅谓 蟿畏蟼 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪蟼.
螖蔚谓 蠀蟺维蟻蠂蔚喂 未蟻维蟽畏, 渭蠈谓慰 伪蠁萎纬畏蟽畏 纬蔚纬慰谓蠈蟿蠅谓, 魏伪蟿维胃蔚蟽畏 蟽蠀谓伪喂蟽胃畏渭维蟿蠅谓, 尉苇蟽魏喂蟽渭伪 蠄蠀蠂蠋谓. 螖蔚 渭伪胃伪委谓慰蠀渭蔚 位蔚蟺蟿慰渭苇蟻蔚喂蔚蟼, 蟿慰 蟺蠋蟼 魏伪喂 蟿慰 纬喂伪蟿委. 螖蔚 渭伪蟼 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻蔚喂.
螣 伪谓伪纬谓蠋蟽蟿畏蟼 蔚蟽蟿喂维味蔚喂 蟽蟿畏 蟽蠀谓维胃蟻慰喂蟽畏 蠈位蠅谓 蟿蠅谓 蟺蟻慰蟽蠋蟺蠅谓 蟿畏蟼 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪蟼 魏伪喂 蟽蟿慰 纬蔚纬慰谓蠈蟼 蟺蠅蟼 蟽蔚 未蠉蟽魏慰位蔚蟼 魏伪蟿伪蟽蟿维蟽蔚喂蟼 慰喂 维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰喂 苇蟻蠂慰谓蟿伪喂 魏慰谓蟿维, 伪蠁萎谓慰蠀谓 渭委蟽畏, 未喂蠂蠈谓慰喂蔚蟼 魏 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠅蟺委味慰蠀谓 蟿伪 蟺蟻慰尾位萎渭伪蟿伪 蔚谓蠅渭苇谓慰喂.
November 5, 2015
In , Colm T贸ib铆n told the stories of men living with AIDS in New York in the late 80s. In The Blackwater Lightship, he transposes this storyline to Ireland in the late 90s, a vastly different setting. Helen, a school principal, discovers that her brother Declan is in hospital with AIDS. She has to work out how to tell their mother and grandmother about his diagnoses which he's apparently had "for years". Published just six years after Ireland's decision to decriminalise homosexuality, I feel that its effect was more profound and radical in the late 90s than it is now in 2015.
The Blackwater Lightship is somewhat of a companion to . They are both set in the same area with the Redmond's from Blazing turning up again here. Both novels perfectly encapsulate 90s Ireland, the sensibilities and the lavishness. Characters are school principals and lawyers, they live in noisy cities while their parents are held up in crumbing houses in the countryside. The clash of the nouveau riche with old Catholic Ireland play central parts in both novels. The character of the grandmother in The Blackwater Lightship is just fantastic, she binds these two generations together with flawless comical insights. She is the typical Irish grandmother, an embracer, a voice of solace.
I do think this is the superior novel to The Heather Blazing, it is a novel about family, whether they be nuclear or non-traditional. It's about who we really go to in our hours of need and who we share our lives with, whether we be stable or crumbling away, into the waves.
The Blackwater Lightship is somewhat of a companion to . They are both set in the same area with the Redmond's from Blazing turning up again here. Both novels perfectly encapsulate 90s Ireland, the sensibilities and the lavishness. Characters are school principals and lawyers, they live in noisy cities while their parents are held up in crumbing houses in the countryside. The clash of the nouveau riche with old Catholic Ireland play central parts in both novels. The character of the grandmother in The Blackwater Lightship is just fantastic, she binds these two generations together with flawless comical insights. She is the typical Irish grandmother, an embracer, a voice of solace.
I do think this is the superior novel to The Heather Blazing, it is a novel about family, whether they be nuclear or non-traditional. It's about who we really go to in our hours of need and who we share our lives with, whether we be stable or crumbling away, into the waves.
November 2, 2017
In the house by a cliff of the southern coast of Ireland, a reluctant family comes together around a brother, son and grandson, who is dying of aids. The three women - sister, mother and grandmother find out about Declan's preference and his illness all at once and try to deal with the facts each in her own way. But the closet seems to be filled with many other skeletons besides Declan's homosexuality. There are memories of the past, the relationships and unresolved conflicts between the three women. The family dynamics with the adored son who can do no wrong, and a daughter who is expected to be of service to everyone. Parents, who left their children with grandparents and never came to visit while father was being tested and finally died of cancer. The mother, who wishes that her daughter be different, and the daughter who most of all wants to be accepted for who she is. The grandmother, who played a role of catalyst in many of the past events. The daughter who having over the years built up a defence wall against her mother doesn鈥檛 keep in touch so that she can never be hurt again.
The situation is breathtakingly real. We follow the characters through a psychologically dence weekend to a conclusion that is sufficiently vague to be just as it is in real life. Nothing is black or white and it is up to the participants to draw the conclusions.
It is my second novel by Colm T贸ib铆n. 鈥漈he Master鈥� and 鈥漈he Blackwater Lightship鈥� could theoretically not be more different, but the authors ability to create complex characters is what they have in common and I can not wait to explore more of his wonderful writing.
The situation is breathtakingly real. We follow the characters through a psychologically dence weekend to a conclusion that is sufficiently vague to be just as it is in real life. Nothing is black or white and it is up to the participants to draw the conclusions.
It is my second novel by Colm T贸ib铆n. 鈥漈he Master鈥� and 鈥漈he Blackwater Lightship鈥� could theoretically not be more different, but the authors ability to create complex characters is what they have in common and I can not wait to explore more of his wonderful writing.
July 12, 2017
3,5/5
螠蠀胃喂蟽蟿蠈蟻畏渭伪 蔚蟽蠅蟿蔚蟻喂魏慰蠉 蠂蠋蟻慰蠀, 蟺慰蠀 未喂伪蟺蟻伪纬渭伪蟿蔚蠉蔚蟿伪喂 蟿喂蟼 未喂伪蟺蟻慰蟽蠅蟺喂魏苇蟼 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚喂蟼 3 纬蠀谓伪喂魏蠋谓, 魏蠈蟻畏蟼 - 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪蟼 - 纬喂伪纬喂维蟼, 蟿畏蟼 螘位蔚谓, 蟿畏蟼 螞喂位喂 魏伪喂 蟿畏蟼 魏蠀蟻委伪蟼 螡蟿蔚尾蔚蟻慰 魏伪蟿维 蟽蔚喂蟻维.
螣喂 纬蠀谓伪委魏蔚蟼 伪蠀蟿苇蟼 魏伪位慰蠉谓蟿伪喂 谓伪 蟽蠀谓蠀蟺维蟻尉慰蠀谓 蟽蟿慰谓 委未喂慰 蠂蠋蟻慰 魏伪喂 谓伪 未喂伪蠂蔚喂蟻喂蟽蟿慰蠉谓 蟿喂蟼 蟽蠀纬魏蟻慰蠉蟽蔚喂蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 纬喂伪 蠂维蟻畏 蟿慰蠀 伪未蔚蟻蠁慰蠉 (- 纬喂慰蠀- 蔚纬纬慰谓慰蠉), 螡蟿蔚魏位伪谓, 蟺慰蠀 蟺蔚胃伪委谓蔚喂 伪蟺蠈 Aids.
螠蔚 蟺蟻蠋蟿畏 伪谓维纬谓蠅蟽畏 蠁伪委谓蔚蟿伪喂 伪蟻魏蔚蟿维 蔚蟺喂蠁伪谓蔚喂伪魏蠈. 螣位慰魏位畏蟻蠋谓慰谓蟿维蟼 蟿慰, 谓蠈渭喂味伪 蟺蠅蟼 蠂蟻蔚喂伪味蠈蟿伪谓 谓伪 蔚喂蟺蠅胃蔚委 魏维蟿喂 伪魏蠈渭伪, 蟺蠅蟼 慰喂 未喂伪位蠀渭苇谓蔚蟼 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚喂蟼 蟺慰蠀 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽喂维味慰谓蟿伪喂 蔚委谓伪喂 维谓蔚蠀 慰蠀蟽委伪蟼. 螌蟿伪谓 蟿慰 尉伪谓伪蟺蔚蟻伪蟽伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰谓 苇位蔚纬蠂慰, 蔚委未伪 蟺蠅蟼 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿喂 慰喂 蟽蠀纬魏蟻慰蠉蟽蔚喂蟼 蔚委蠂伪谓 魏苇谓蟿蟻慰 尾维蟻慰蠀蟼, 蠀蟺萎蟻蠂伪谓 尾伪胃蠉蟿蔚蟻伪, 蔚蟽蠅蟿蔚蟻喂魏维 伪委蟿喂伪, 蟽蟿慰 胃维谓伪蟿慰 蟿慰蠀 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪 蟿畏蟼 螘位蔚谓, 蟺慰蠀 尾委蠅蟽蔚 蟽蟿畏谓 蟺伪喂未喂魏萎 畏位喂魏委伪, 魏伪喂 蟿畏 位维胃慰蟼 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠋蟺喂蟽畏 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪 蟿畏蟼.
螠蔚 苇蠂伪蟽蔚 蠈渭蠅蟼 蟽蟿慰 蟻蠈位慰 - 纬位维蟽蟿蟻伪 蟿慰蠀 螡蟿蔚魏位伪谓, 魏伪喂 蟽蟿畏 渭畏 蟻蔚伪位喂蟽蟿喂魏萎 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠋蟺喂蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 魏伪蟿维蟽蟿伪蟽畏蟼. 螖苇蠂慰谓蟿伪喂 蟿蠈蟽慰 渭伪 蟿蠈蟽慰 蠄蠉蠂蟻伪喂渭伪 蟺蠅蟼 慰 谓蔚伪蟻蠈蟼 蟺蔚胃伪委谓蔚喂, 魏伪喂 未蠀蟽魏慰位蔚蠉慰谓蟿伪喂 谓伪 蠂蠅谓苇蠄慰蠀谓 蟺蠅蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 慰渭慰蠁蠀位蠈蠁喂位慰蟼.
螝蠀位维蔚喂 蟺慰位蠉 纬蟻萎纬慰蟻伪 蠈渭蠅蟼 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰, 魏伪喂 蟽蔚 蔚位维蠂喂蟽蟿伪 蟽畏渭蔚委伪 魏慰蠀蟻维味蔚喂!
螠蠀胃喂蟽蟿蠈蟻畏渭伪 蔚蟽蠅蟿蔚蟻喂魏慰蠉 蠂蠋蟻慰蠀, 蟺慰蠀 未喂伪蟺蟻伪纬渭伪蟿蔚蠉蔚蟿伪喂 蟿喂蟼 未喂伪蟺蟻慰蟽蠅蟺喂魏苇蟼 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚喂蟼 3 纬蠀谓伪喂魏蠋谓, 魏蠈蟻畏蟼 - 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪蟼 - 纬喂伪纬喂维蟼, 蟿畏蟼 螘位蔚谓, 蟿畏蟼 螞喂位喂 魏伪喂 蟿畏蟼 魏蠀蟻委伪蟼 螡蟿蔚尾蔚蟻慰 魏伪蟿维 蟽蔚喂蟻维.
螣喂 纬蠀谓伪委魏蔚蟼 伪蠀蟿苇蟼 魏伪位慰蠉谓蟿伪喂 谓伪 蟽蠀谓蠀蟺维蟻尉慰蠀谓 蟽蟿慰谓 委未喂慰 蠂蠋蟻慰 魏伪喂 谓伪 未喂伪蠂蔚喂蟻喂蟽蟿慰蠉谓 蟿喂蟼 蟽蠀纬魏蟻慰蠉蟽蔚喂蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 纬喂伪 蠂维蟻畏 蟿慰蠀 伪未蔚蟻蠁慰蠉 (- 纬喂慰蠀- 蔚纬纬慰谓慰蠉), 螡蟿蔚魏位伪谓, 蟺慰蠀 蟺蔚胃伪委谓蔚喂 伪蟺蠈 Aids.
螠蔚 蟺蟻蠋蟿畏 伪谓维纬谓蠅蟽畏 蠁伪委谓蔚蟿伪喂 伪蟻魏蔚蟿维 蔚蟺喂蠁伪谓蔚喂伪魏蠈. 螣位慰魏位畏蟻蠋谓慰谓蟿维蟼 蟿慰, 谓蠈渭喂味伪 蟺蠅蟼 蠂蟻蔚喂伪味蠈蟿伪谓 谓伪 蔚喂蟺蠅胃蔚委 魏维蟿喂 伪魏蠈渭伪, 蟺蠅蟼 慰喂 未喂伪位蠀渭苇谓蔚蟼 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚喂蟼 蟺慰蠀 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽喂维味慰谓蟿伪喂 蔚委谓伪喂 维谓蔚蠀 慰蠀蟽委伪蟼. 螌蟿伪谓 蟿慰 尉伪谓伪蟺蔚蟻伪蟽伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰谓 苇位蔚纬蠂慰, 蔚委未伪 蟺蠅蟼 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿喂 慰喂 蟽蠀纬魏蟻慰蠉蟽蔚喂蟼 蔚委蠂伪谓 魏苇谓蟿蟻慰 尾维蟻慰蠀蟼, 蠀蟺萎蟻蠂伪谓 尾伪胃蠉蟿蔚蟻伪, 蔚蟽蠅蟿蔚蟻喂魏维 伪委蟿喂伪, 蟽蟿慰 胃维谓伪蟿慰 蟿慰蠀 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪 蟿畏蟼 螘位蔚谓, 蟺慰蠀 尾委蠅蟽蔚 蟽蟿畏谓 蟺伪喂未喂魏萎 畏位喂魏委伪, 魏伪喂 蟿畏 位维胃慰蟼 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠋蟺喂蟽畏 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪 蟿畏蟼.
螠蔚 苇蠂伪蟽蔚 蠈渭蠅蟼 蟽蟿慰 蟻蠈位慰 - 纬位维蟽蟿蟻伪 蟿慰蠀 螡蟿蔚魏位伪谓, 魏伪喂 蟽蟿畏 渭畏 蟻蔚伪位喂蟽蟿喂魏萎 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠋蟺喂蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 魏伪蟿维蟽蟿伪蟽畏蟼. 螖苇蠂慰谓蟿伪喂 蟿蠈蟽慰 渭伪 蟿蠈蟽慰 蠄蠉蠂蟻伪喂渭伪 蟺蠅蟼 慰 谓蔚伪蟻蠈蟼 蟺蔚胃伪委谓蔚喂, 魏伪喂 未蠀蟽魏慰位蔚蠉慰谓蟿伪喂 谓伪 蠂蠅谓苇蠄慰蠀谓 蟺蠅蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 慰渭慰蠁蠀位蠈蠁喂位慰蟼.
螝蠀位维蔚喂 蟺慰位蠉 纬蟻萎纬慰蟻伪 蠈渭蠅蟼 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰, 魏伪喂 蟽蔚 蔚位维蠂喂蟽蟿伪 蟽畏渭蔚委伪 魏慰蠀蟻维味蔚喂!
April 25, 2021
Helen gets a call that her brother, Declan, is dying of AIDS and wants to spend time at their grandmother's home on the Irish coast. Declan had never revealed his gay lifestyle or his illness to his mother or grandmother, and he wants Helen to smooth the way and converse with them first. The three generations have had emotional problems since the death of Helen's and Declan's father.
Two of Declan's friends join them at the grandmother's seaside house. His friends have become a family to Declan while his mother and sister have been out of the loop. The estrangement between Helen and her mother is especially severe, but they have to face the past as they also prepare to soon lose someone they love.
The story is set in the early 1990s when AIDS was a new disease with few treatment options. It was a devastating time for the gay community, their friends, and their families. Colm Toibin uses beautiful spare prose to show the troubled relationships and the start of the healing process for this family.
Two of Declan's friends join them at the grandmother's seaside house. His friends have become a family to Declan while his mother and sister have been out of the loop. The estrangement between Helen and her mother is especially severe, but they have to face the past as they also prepare to soon lose someone they love.
The story is set in the early 1990s when AIDS was a new disease with few treatment options. It was a devastating time for the gay community, their friends, and their families. Colm Toibin uses beautiful spare prose to show the troubled relationships and the start of the healing process for this family.
March 7, 2014
Not a good idea to finish the last 20 pages of this story at 5:00 AM before work! I'm wrecked and I look like hell. The novel was wondrous - I loved it and I'll review later.
June 20, 2012
Helen lives a predictable, pleasant life, until suddenly a stranger turns up and tells her that her brother is sick--is, in fact, dying of AIDS in a nearby hospital. Declan wants to stay in their grandmother's cottage while he recuperates from his latest hospital stay. His sister, mother, and grandmother are thus thrown together in a small sea-shore cottage, forced into close quarters after a decade of estrangement. Two of his friends come to keep him company and look after his health, causing further moments of awkwardness.
Basically, six adults hang around a cottage for a few days, constantly splitting off to have one-on-one conversations with each other about the others, and about the past. Helen resents her mother who resents her own mother, and they all talk and think about it endlessly. Maybe these ruminations on what to do when you don't like or emotionally trust your family would feel more poignant or important if I identified with them more. As it was, it was all just really boring. Helen would walk along the shore, think about how cold the water looked, how strong and enduring the cliffs looked, and then come to some minor realization about her feelings for her mother. "I resented her for not being around when my father died," she realizes wonderingly. Rinse, repeat. Thrilling stuff.
My boredom with the complete lack of plot or conflict might have been alleviated if the characters read more believably. But alas, they're written, particularly Declan, Lily, and Dora, with broad strokes mixed with minutia. By the end of the book I knew that Declan liked self-service restaurants as a child, disliked carrots, and feared escalators, but I still had no idea what he did for a living, how he'd made the friends he did, or even his hobbies. It felt like his sole purpose in the story was to suffer and force Helen and their mother to have uncomfortable emotional moments together. He never felt like a person in his own right.
Although I felt T贸ib铆n relied too heavily on the sea and the lighthouse as metaphors, without doing any heavy lifting of his own, some of the writing is lovely. But some is just crap. An example:
I assume he's trying to say something about the mundane details of survival persisting despite looming tragedy, but dear god is it boring to read.
Basically, six adults hang around a cottage for a few days, constantly splitting off to have one-on-one conversations with each other about the others, and about the past. Helen resents her mother who resents her own mother, and they all talk and think about it endlessly. Maybe these ruminations on what to do when you don't like or emotionally trust your family would feel more poignant or important if I identified with them more. As it was, it was all just really boring. Helen would walk along the shore, think about how cold the water looked, how strong and enduring the cliffs looked, and then come to some minor realization about her feelings for her mother. "I resented her for not being around when my father died," she realizes wonderingly. Rinse, repeat. Thrilling stuff.
My boredom with the complete lack of plot or conflict might have been alleviated if the characters read more believably. But alas, they're written, particularly Declan, Lily, and Dora, with broad strokes mixed with minutia. By the end of the book I knew that Declan liked self-service restaurants as a child, disliked carrots, and feared escalators, but I still had no idea what he did for a living, how he'd made the friends he did, or even his hobbies. It felt like his sole purpose in the story was to suffer and force Helen and their mother to have uncomfortable emotional moments together. He never felt like a person in his own right.
Although I felt T贸ib铆n relied too heavily on the sea and the lighthouse as metaphors, without doing any heavy lifting of his own, some of the writing is lovely. But some is just crap. An example:
She put the car into gear and drove it slowly to the barrier. 'You need fifty pence. Do you have a fifty-pence piece?' she asked her mother.
Her mother searched through her bag and found a purse with loose change. She handed Helen a fifty-pence piece and Helen opened the window and put it in the slot. The barrier lifted.
'We should have gone to the other car park,' Helen said. 'You don't have to pay there.'
I assume he's trying to say something about the mundane details of survival persisting despite looming tragedy, but dear god is it boring to read.
June 9, 2024
I've had this book for decades - it's a hardcover, so probably ever since it first got published 25 years ago - but had never read it (although I HAD, at some point, seen the Hallmark Hall of Fame adaptation - which I will watch again now I've read the book). After a reread of and then T贸ib铆n's new novel, , I decided to dust it off and give it a go. Although it shows signs of being an early work (it was the author's 4th novel), it still is quite skillful.
In many ways though, the novel has become dated; it centers around an Irish family coming to term with the younger brother's AIDS diagnosis and the three women in his life/family - sister, mother and grandmother, none of whom get along with any of the rest of them - and how the tragedy of Declan's failing health and imminent death brings them all together. It's a story that has, more or less, been told many times over, and this brings little new or fresh to the table (albeit I am aware that for 1999, it probably did so back then).
It was a quick read, but I had a few quibbles - first off, all three women are rather chilly and unlikeable, which makes them rather poor company - Declan, the center of all the drama, also seems much of a cipher - he feels a bit removed from what SHOULD be HIS story. Also, although one gets satisfaction about the family coming together, it abruptly ends prior to Declan's expiration - and an AIDS drama that doesn't emotionally shatter one seems rather beside the point. Still, it is an involving work, fairly well written, so grudgingly gets 4 stars.
PS: So I DID rewatch the DVD of the film after finishing - and it's very well done - Angela Lansbury is terrific as the grandmother, and all of the casting is rather spot on. Sure, things were cut to fit a 97-minute run time, but nothing essential - T贸ib铆n has been well served in film adaptations of his work.
In many ways though, the novel has become dated; it centers around an Irish family coming to term with the younger brother's AIDS diagnosis and the three women in his life/family - sister, mother and grandmother, none of whom get along with any of the rest of them - and how the tragedy of Declan's failing health and imminent death brings them all together. It's a story that has, more or less, been told many times over, and this brings little new or fresh to the table (albeit I am aware that for 1999, it probably did so back then).
It was a quick read, but I had a few quibbles - first off, all three women are rather chilly and unlikeable, which makes them rather poor company - Declan, the center of all the drama, also seems much of a cipher - he feels a bit removed from what SHOULD be HIS story. Also, although one gets satisfaction about the family coming together, it abruptly ends prior to Declan's expiration - and an AIDS drama that doesn't emotionally shatter one seems rather beside the point. Still, it is an involving work, fairly well written, so grudgingly gets 4 stars.
PS: So I DID rewatch the DVD of the film after finishing - and it's very well done - Angela Lansbury is terrific as the grandmother, and all of the casting is rather spot on. Sure, things were cut to fit a 97-minute run time, but nothing essential - T贸ib铆n has been well served in film adaptations of his work.
April 2, 2022
2001鈥檇e bas谋lm谋艧, 2003鈥檛e bana hediye edilmi艧 bu kitab谋 bunca y谋l sonra okudum. colm t贸ib铆n鈥檌n b枚yle okumad谋臒谋m birka莽 kitab谋 daha var 眉stelik evde.
莽ok g眉zel bir roman, ola臒an ama 莽ok etkili bir hik芒ye.
roman谋n ba艧谋nda tan谋d谋臒谋m谋z helen, kocas谋yla mutlu ama a艧amad谋臒谋 bir mesafe oldu臒unu kabullenmi艧 durumda, iki o臒lu olan ana karakter. asl谋nda romandaki karakterlerin hepsi merkezde ama biz roman boyunca 眉莽眉nc眉 tekil 艧ah谋sla anlat谋lsa da sadece helen鈥檌n d眉艧眉ncelerini 枚臒reniyoruz. geri kalanlar谋 diyaloglar ve aksiyonlarla takip ediyoruz.
helen鈥檌n erkek karde艧li declan鈥櫮眓 bir bomba gibi d眉艧en aids oldu臒u haberiyle aile bir araya gelmek zorunda kal谋yor.
ve ola臒an dedi臒im konu elbette bu. y眉zle艧en aileler. ki burada k谋z 莽ocuk, anne ve anneanne aras谋nda olacak as谋l y眉zle艧meler. declan onlar谋 bir araya getiren bir neden sadece.
bir erkek yazar谋n bu denli ba艧ar谋l谋 ana-k谋z y眉zle艧mesi yazmas谋 ger莽ekten beni 艧a艧谋rtt谋. helen鈥櫮眓 donuklu臒u roman boyunca s眉rerken anneanne dora m眉thi艧 bir bi莽imde derinlik kazan谋yor. anne lily鈥檌 ve pi艧manl谋klar谋n谋 ise sona do臒ru anl谋yoruz.
bunlarla ilgili tek bir 艧ey s枚yleyece臒im, karde艧im diyalo臒un 枚nemini nas谋l biliyor bu insanlar! bizde k眉sl眉kler, k谋zg谋nl谋klar yokmu艧 gibi davranarak 莽枚z眉lemiyor. romanda a莽谋lman谋n, konu艧man谋n ve y眉zle艧menin 枚nemi anlat谋yor neredeyse.
onun d谋艧谋nda declan鈥檃 birka莽 y谋ld谋r bakan gey arkada艧lar谋 roman谋n bir ba艧ka taraf谋. aileleri, gen莽likleri ve bir yerden sonra birbirlerinin se莽ilmi艧 aileleri olmalar谋 莽ok 枚zenli bir bi莽imde aktar谋l谋yor.
bug眉n olsa muhtemelen aids鈥檒e ya艧ayabilecek declan鈥櫮眓 hastal谋臒谋n谋n 3-5 g眉nl眉k s眉reci o kadar ger莽ek莽i ki, a臒r谋lar, yaralar, kusmalar, ishal鈥� y谋llard谋r uzak oldu臒u annesi lily鈥檈 medet umar gibi annecim diye seslenip a臒lad谋臒谋 yerde ben de a臒lad谋m.
t眉m bunlar谋n arkas谋nda ise irlanda var. katolik ve protestan ayr谋m谋. irlandaca ve ingilizce ayr谋m谋. ira ve makbul vatanda艧 ayr谋m谋. ve elbette s眉t莽眉鈥檇en de bildi臒imiz dedikoducu rezil ta艧ra.
vallahi 艧u an bask谋s谋 olmamas谋 b眉y眉k kay谋p. iyi bir romanm谋艧 鈥渄eniz fenerindeki 谋艧谋k.鈥�
莽ok g眉zel bir roman, ola臒an ama 莽ok etkili bir hik芒ye.
roman谋n ba艧谋nda tan谋d谋臒谋m谋z helen, kocas谋yla mutlu ama a艧amad谋臒谋 bir mesafe oldu臒unu kabullenmi艧 durumda, iki o臒lu olan ana karakter. asl谋nda romandaki karakterlerin hepsi merkezde ama biz roman boyunca 眉莽眉nc眉 tekil 艧ah谋sla anlat谋lsa da sadece helen鈥檌n d眉艧眉ncelerini 枚臒reniyoruz. geri kalanlar谋 diyaloglar ve aksiyonlarla takip ediyoruz.
helen鈥檌n erkek karde艧li declan鈥櫮眓 bir bomba gibi d眉艧en aids oldu臒u haberiyle aile bir araya gelmek zorunda kal谋yor.
ve ola臒an dedi臒im konu elbette bu. y眉zle艧en aileler. ki burada k谋z 莽ocuk, anne ve anneanne aras谋nda olacak as谋l y眉zle艧meler. declan onlar谋 bir araya getiren bir neden sadece.
bir erkek yazar谋n bu denli ba艧ar谋l谋 ana-k谋z y眉zle艧mesi yazmas谋 ger莽ekten beni 艧a艧谋rtt谋. helen鈥櫮眓 donuklu臒u roman boyunca s眉rerken anneanne dora m眉thi艧 bir bi莽imde derinlik kazan谋yor. anne lily鈥檌 ve pi艧manl谋klar谋n谋 ise sona do臒ru anl谋yoruz.
bunlarla ilgili tek bir 艧ey s枚yleyece臒im, karde艧im diyalo臒un 枚nemini nas谋l biliyor bu insanlar! bizde k眉sl眉kler, k谋zg谋nl谋klar yokmu艧 gibi davranarak 莽枚z眉lemiyor. romanda a莽谋lman谋n, konu艧man谋n ve y眉zle艧menin 枚nemi anlat谋yor neredeyse.
onun d谋艧谋nda declan鈥檃 birka莽 y谋ld谋r bakan gey arkada艧lar谋 roman谋n bir ba艧ka taraf谋. aileleri, gen莽likleri ve bir yerden sonra birbirlerinin se莽ilmi艧 aileleri olmalar谋 莽ok 枚zenli bir bi莽imde aktar谋l谋yor.
bug眉n olsa muhtemelen aids鈥檒e ya艧ayabilecek declan鈥櫮眓 hastal谋臒谋n谋n 3-5 g眉nl眉k s眉reci o kadar ger莽ek莽i ki, a臒r谋lar, yaralar, kusmalar, ishal鈥� y谋llard谋r uzak oldu臒u annesi lily鈥檈 medet umar gibi annecim diye seslenip a臒lad谋臒谋 yerde ben de a臒lad谋m.
t眉m bunlar谋n arkas谋nda ise irlanda var. katolik ve protestan ayr谋m谋. irlandaca ve ingilizce ayr谋m谋. ira ve makbul vatanda艧 ayr谋m谋. ve elbette s眉t莽眉鈥檇en de bildi臒imiz dedikoducu rezil ta艧ra.
vallahi 艧u an bask谋s谋 olmamas谋 b眉y眉k kay谋p. iyi bir romanm谋艧 鈥渄eniz fenerindeki 谋艧谋k.鈥�
October 22, 2017
螌蟿伪谓 未喂维尾伪蟽伪 渭喂伪 魏蟻喂蟿喂魏萎 纬喂伪 蟿慰 芦螝伪蟻伪尾慰蠁维谓伪蟻慰 蟽蟿慰 渭伪蠉蟻慰 谓蔚蟻蠈禄 伪喂蟽胃维谓胃畏魏伪 蟺蠅蟼 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 伪蠀蟿蠈 胃伪 纬喂谓蠈蟿伪谓 伪蟺蠈 蟿伪 伪纬伪蟺畏渭苇谓伪 渭慰蠀 纬喂伪 蟿慰 2017. 螤蔚蟻喂苇蟻纬蠅蟼 蟿慰 苇蟺喂伪蟽伪 渭蔚 蟺慰位蠉 胃蔚蟿喂魏蠈蟿畏蟿伪 鈥� 魏维蟿喂 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰 未蔚谓 蟿慰 魏维谓蠅 蟽蠀蠂谓维 鈥� 魏伪喂 蟽蟿畏谓 伪蟻蠂萎 萎渭慰蠀谓 蟺慰位蠉 蔚谓胃慰蠀蟽喂伪蟽渭苇谓畏, 畏 蔚喂蟽伪纬蠅纬萎 蟽蟿畏谓 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 萎蟿伪谓 蔚位魏蠀蟽蟿喂魏萎. 螌蟽慰 蠈渭蠅蟼 蟺蔚蟻谓慰蠉蟽蔚 畏 蠋蟻伪 魏伪喂 慰喂 蟽蔚位委未蔚蟼 蟺慰蠀 维蠁畏谓伪 蟺委蟽蠅 渭慰蠀 蟺位萎胃伪喂谓伪谓 伪喂蟽胃伪谓蠈渭慰蠀谓 蟺蠅蟼 魏维蟿喂 苇位蔚喂蟺蔚 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 伪谓维纬谓蠅蟽畏 魏伪喂 蔚委蠂伪 伪蟻蠂委蟽蔚喂 谓伪 纬委谓慰渭伪喂 蟺喂慰 谓蔚蠀蟻喂魏萎. 螌蟿伪谓 蟺苇蟻伪蟽伪 蟿畏谓 渭苇蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 渭蠀胃喂蟽蟿慰蟻萎渭伪蟿慰蟼 伪谓蟿喂位萎蠁胃畏魏伪 蟺蠅蟼 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟺慰蠀 渭蔚 蔚谓慰蠂位慰蠉蟽蔚 萎蟿伪谓 蠈蟿喂 蔚谓蠋 蔚委蠂伪渭蔚 渭蟺蟻慰蟽蟿维 渭伪蟼 未蠀慰 蠁伪谓蟿伪蟽蟿喂魏维 胃苇渭伪蟿伪 - 蟿畏谓 魏伪魏萎 慰喂魏慰纬蔚谓蔚喂伪魏萎 蟽蠂苇蟽畏 蟿蠅谓 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蠅谓 魏伪喂 蟿慰谓 蔚蟺喂魏蔚委渭蔚谓慰 胃维谓伪蟿慰 蔚谓蠈蟼 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻伪 伪蟺蠈 AIDS - 慰 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼 未蔚谓 苇魏伪谓蔚 蟺慰位位维 渭蔚 伪蠀蟿维. 螛伪 渭蟺慰蟻慰蠉蟽蔚 谓伪 蟿慰 蔚委蠂蔚 未慰蠀位苇蠄蔚喂 蟿蠈蟽慰 魏伪位蠉蟿蔚蟻伪, 谓伪 蔚渭尾伪胃蠉谓蔚喂 伪蟻魏蔚蟿维 蟽蟿慰锟斤拷 蠄蠀蠂喂蟽渭蠈 蟿蠅谓 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蠅谓 魏伪喂 蔚喂未喂魏维 蔚谓蠈蟼 纬魏苇喂 维谓蟿蟻伪 蟺慰蠀 蟺蔚胃伪委谓蔚喂 伪蟺蠈 AIDS 伪位位维 慰 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼 维蠁畏蟽蔚 蟿畏谓 蔚蠀魏伪喂蟻委伪 谓伪 蠂伪胃蔚委.
螤伪蟻蠈位慰 蟺慰蠀 慰 Colm T贸ib铆n 魏喂谓萎胃畏魏蔚 蟽蔚 伪蟽蠁伪位萎 渭慰谓慰蟺维蟿喂伪 畏 纬蟻伪蠁萎 蟿慰蠀 萎蟿伪谓 蟺慰位蠉 蠈渭慰蟻蠁畏, 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 蟿慰 未喂维尾伪蟽伪 蟽蟿伪 伪纬纬位喂魏维 蠈蟺慰蟿蔚 萎蟻胃伪 蟽蔚 蔚蟺伪蠁萎 渭蔚 蟿慰 蟺蟻蠅蟿蠈蟿蠀蟺慰 魏蔚委渭蔚谓慰, 魏伪喂 尾蟻萎魏伪 蟿喂蟼 蟺蔚蟻喂纬蟻伪蠁苇蟼 蟿蠅谓 蟿慰蟺委蠅谓 蔚尉伪喂蟻蔚蟿喂魏苇蟼. 螠维位喂蟽蟿伪, 渭蟺萎魏伪 蟽蟿慰 Google 纬喂伪 谓伪 魏慰喂蟿维尉蠅 蟿伪 渭苇蟻畏 蟺慰蠀 伪谓伪蠁苇蟻慰谓蟿伪喂 蟽蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰. 螠慰蠀 维蟻蔚蟽伪谓 魏伪喂 慰喂 未喂维位慰纬慰喂 伪谓维渭蔚蟽伪 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼, 尾位苇蟺伪渭蔚 蟿喂蟼 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚喂蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 谓伪 伪位位维味慰蠀谓 魏伪喂 谓伪 蠅蟻喂渭维味慰蠀谓 渭蟺蟻慰蟽蟿维 蟽蟿伪 渭维蟿喂伪 渭伪蟼.
螖蔚谓 未苇胃畏魏伪 渭蔚 魏伪谓苇谓伪谓 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰蠀蟼 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼 蟿慰蠀 尾喂尾位委慰蠀 魏伪喂 未蔚谓 渭蟺慰蟻慰蠉蟽伪 谓伪 魏伪蟿伪位维尾蠅 蟺蠅蟼 纬委谓蔚蟿伪喂 谓伪 渭畏谓 渭喂位慰蠉谓 渭蔚蟿伪尉蠉 蟿慰蠀蟼 渭喂伪 慰位蠈魏位畏蟻畏 未蔚魏伪蔚蟿委伪 纬喂伪 魏维蟿喂 蟺慰蠀 蔚渭苇谓伪 未蔚谓 渭蔚 苇蟺蔚喂蟽蔚 蟺慰蟿苇 纬喂伪 蟿畏谓 蟽慰尾伪蟻蠈蟿畏蟿伪 蟿慰蠀.
危蟿慰 蟿苇位慰蟼 蠂维蟻畏魏伪 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰 未喂维尾伪蟽伪 伪魏蠈渭伪 魏伪喂 伪谓 未蔚谓 魏伪蟿维蠁蔚蟻伪 谓伪 蟿慰 伪纬伪蟺萎蟽蠅 蠈蟽慰 胃伪 萎胃蔚位伪. 螘委谓伪喂 苇谓伪 蠅蟻伪委慰 尾喂尾位委慰, 渭苇蠂蟻喂 蔚魏蔚委 蠈渭蠅蟼.
螤伪蟻蠈位慰 蟺慰蠀 慰 Colm T贸ib铆n 魏喂谓萎胃畏魏蔚 蟽蔚 伪蟽蠁伪位萎 渭慰谓慰蟺维蟿喂伪 畏 纬蟻伪蠁萎 蟿慰蠀 萎蟿伪谓 蟺慰位蠉 蠈渭慰蟻蠁畏, 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 蟿慰 未喂维尾伪蟽伪 蟽蟿伪 伪纬纬位喂魏维 蠈蟺慰蟿蔚 萎蟻胃伪 蟽蔚 蔚蟺伪蠁萎 渭蔚 蟿慰 蟺蟻蠅蟿蠈蟿蠀蟺慰 魏蔚委渭蔚谓慰, 魏伪喂 尾蟻萎魏伪 蟿喂蟼 蟺蔚蟻喂纬蟻伪蠁苇蟼 蟿蠅谓 蟿慰蟺委蠅谓 蔚尉伪喂蟻蔚蟿喂魏苇蟼. 螠维位喂蟽蟿伪, 渭蟺萎魏伪 蟽蟿慰 Google 纬喂伪 谓伪 魏慰喂蟿维尉蠅 蟿伪 渭苇蟻畏 蟺慰蠀 伪谓伪蠁苇蟻慰谓蟿伪喂 蟽蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰. 螠慰蠀 维蟻蔚蟽伪谓 魏伪喂 慰喂 未喂维位慰纬慰喂 伪谓维渭蔚蟽伪 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼, 尾位苇蟺伪渭蔚 蟿喂蟼 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚喂蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 谓伪 伪位位维味慰蠀谓 魏伪喂 谓伪 蠅蟻喂渭维味慰蠀谓 渭蟺蟻慰蟽蟿维 蟽蟿伪 渭维蟿喂伪 渭伪蟼.
螖蔚谓 未苇胃畏魏伪 渭蔚 魏伪谓苇谓伪谓 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰蠀蟼 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼 蟿慰蠀 尾喂尾位委慰蠀 魏伪喂 未蔚谓 渭蟺慰蟻慰蠉蟽伪 谓伪 魏伪蟿伪位维尾蠅 蟺蠅蟼 纬委谓蔚蟿伪喂 谓伪 渭畏谓 渭喂位慰蠉谓 渭蔚蟿伪尉蠉 蟿慰蠀蟼 渭喂伪 慰位蠈魏位畏蟻畏 未蔚魏伪蔚蟿委伪 纬喂伪 魏维蟿喂 蟺慰蠀 蔚渭苇谓伪 未蔚谓 渭蔚 苇蟺蔚喂蟽蔚 蟺慰蟿苇 纬喂伪 蟿畏谓 蟽慰尾伪蟻蠈蟿畏蟿伪 蟿慰蠀.
危蟿慰 蟿苇位慰蟼 蠂维蟻畏魏伪 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰 未喂维尾伪蟽伪 伪魏蠈渭伪 魏伪喂 伪谓 未蔚谓 魏伪蟿维蠁蔚蟻伪 谓伪 蟿慰 伪纬伪蟺萎蟽蠅 蠈蟽慰 胃伪 萎胃蔚位伪. 螘委谓伪喂 苇谓伪 蠅蟻伪委慰 尾喂尾位委慰, 渭苇蠂蟻喂 蔚魏蔚委 蠈渭蠅蟼.
January 19, 2022
Bu kitaba yorum yazmadan 枚nce bir iki g眉n beklemeek istedim zira etkisinin ayn谋 kal谋p kalmayaca臒谋n谋 merak ediyordum. Yazardan ge莽ti臒imiz aylarda kitab谋n谋 okumu艧tum ve 莽ok sevmi艧tim. Bu kitapla da yazar谋n bundan sonra okuma listelerimde yerini alaca臒谋n谋 anlam谋艧 oldum. Bence Colm Toibin, az谋nl谋kta olanlar谋n, yaral谋 insanlar谋n ve d谋艧lanm谋艧lar谋n, 枚zetle 枚tekilerin hikayelerini 莽ok iyi anlat谋yor. Asla ajite etmeden, dram 眉zerine dram eklemeden; baz谋 艧eyler ger莽ek hayatta nas谋l olursa kitaplar谋nda da 枚yle oluyor. Kurgular谋n谋 hikayele艧tirmeden olduk莽a ger莽ek莽i bir 艧ekilde yarat谋p sizi de bu ger莽ekli臒in i莽ine 莽ekiyor. Deniz Fenerindeki I艧谋k, Declan'谋n AIDSte son d枚nemece geldi臒inde, birbirleriyle ba臒lar谋 g眉venli olu艧mam谋艧 眉莽 ku艧ak kad谋n谋 莽evresinde toplamas谋yla bu ba臒lar谋n nerelerde k谋r谋lm谋艧 oldu臒unu, nelerin yanl谋艧 gitti臒ini anlat谋yor. Hikayede tek bir ana karakter yok asl谋nda. Her birinin kendi hikayesi ayn谋 枚nemde ak谋yor. Anne 艧efkati ve bunun eksikli臒i, ya艧l谋l谋k, e艧 ve baba kayb谋yla farkl谋 bak谋艧 a莽谋lar谋nda yas s眉re莽leri, eksiklik ve g眉vensizlik 眉zerine 莽ok etkileyici bir roman okuyorsunuz. Di臒er yandan da aids ger莽ekli臒i ile y眉zle艧irken, toplumsal bask谋y谋 da net bir 艧ekilde g枚r眉yorsunuz. Kitap 枚yle bir son ile bitiyor ki, Helen, Declan, Lily ve Dora zihninizde hayatlar谋na devam ediyorlar. 脟ok be臒endim.
4,5/5
4,5/5
July 30, 2012
An understated account of how a broken family begins to heal itself in the context of the return of a son dying of AIDS.
Helen, a teacher in the Dublin area, helps install her beloved brother Declan into the care of her mother and grandmother in a seashore village in southeastern Ireland. The occasion makes her deal with the nearly decade-long estrangement dating from the time when her father got cancer and her mother effectively took him away from her and her brother during his months of illness and left her and Declan in the care of the grandmother.
Slowly they begin to resolve the blocks to emotions about the source of the break, aided by the presence of two very different gay friends of Declan's who come to help. The rocky shore, erosion by waves of the cliffs and houses, and a lighthouse provide a great backdrop for reflection and metaphors about life and death and human resilence.
The Blackwater Lightship was a lighthouse that is no longer there, while another remains, no longer sharing signals the one that disappeared. I like the conception of nature telling us that we are almost nothing and not needed, leading us to solving the mysteries on our own. Sort of like the Leonard Cohen line: "We are so small between the stars, so large against the sky." That is just my take on the resonances and waves evoked by this spare family tale.
Helen, a teacher in the Dublin area, helps install her beloved brother Declan into the care of her mother and grandmother in a seashore village in southeastern Ireland. The occasion makes her deal with the nearly decade-long estrangement dating from the time when her father got cancer and her mother effectively took him away from her and her brother during his months of illness and left her and Declan in the care of the grandmother.
Slowly they begin to resolve the blocks to emotions about the source of the break, aided by the presence of two very different gay friends of Declan's who come to help. The rocky shore, erosion by waves of the cliffs and houses, and a lighthouse provide a great backdrop for reflection and metaphors about life and death and human resilence.
The Blackwater Lightship was a lighthouse that is no longer there, while another remains, no longer sharing signals the one that disappeared. I like the conception of nature telling us that we are almost nothing and not needed, leading us to solving the mysteries on our own. Sort of like the Leonard Cohen line: "We are so small between the stars, so large against the sky." That is just my take on the resonances and waves evoked by this spare family tale.
December 31, 2022
陌yiki okumu艧um diyebilece臒im eserlere bir yenisini ekledim diyebilirim.
Olduk莽a derinlikli bir i莽eri臒e sahip olmas谋na ra臒men ; kullan谋lan dilin sadeli臒i anlat谋m tarz谋ndaki yal谋nl谋k okunulmas谋n谋 daha 莽ekici hale getirmi艧. (脟evirene bin te艧ekk眉r)
Ah! Aile ili艧kileri yine !evet evet, ama burada ki biraz daha de臒i艧ik ; kitab谋 okurken mutlaka biraz k谋yaslamalar yapaca臒谋z yada kendimizi onlardan biri yani roman谋n kahramanlar谋ndan biriyle 枚zl.....
January 16, 2024
Helen tiene una buena vida en Dubl铆n; una profesi贸n que le gusta y una familia feliz llena de amor con su marido Hugh y dos hijos.
El pasado reaparecer谩 en su vida con la visita de Paul, quien trae un mensaje de Declan, el hermano menor de Helen: est谩 muy enfermo, y le ruega que lo vaya a ver.
Y con ese retorno del pasado, se reabre el recuerdo de viejas heridas y rencores; Helen, su madre Lily, su abuela Deveraux.
Y en la casa costera de la abuela, donde van a dar las tres mujeres y los tres amigos (Declan y sus amigos Paul y Larry), con una ambigua simetr铆a, se desarrolla un complejo ballet de relaciones, un baile de sal贸n lleno de avances y retrocesos, de amenazas de estallidos y salidas imprevisibles, en una rica din谩mica de intercambios, s贸lidamente sostenida por los seis personajes muy bien construidos.
A pesar de lo que puedan hacer suponer los anticipos, el SIDA, y a煤n m谩s la homosexualidad, como temas, pasan a un segundo plano, limit谩ndose a servir de marco para una rica historia de relaciones humanas.
Una postal imaginaria, deseable, flota sobre esta din谩mica: la cabeza de Declan apoyada en el regazo de su madre, que le acaricia amorosamente el pelo y le canta una canci贸n dulce. Tomando en cuenta las dolorosas heridas abiertas, 驴Ser谩 posible? 驴O la oportunidad ya ha pasado? 驴Hay esperanza?
Una excelente novela que gira en torno a las secuelas de un pasado inmodificable, en la historia de la vida familiar. Y una historia que, por diversas razones, encontr茅 conmovedora.
A modo de reclamo (comentario t贸xico, prescindible)
Ser铆a muy deseable que en alg煤n momento 欧宝娱乐 (o m谩s probablemente, algunos de sus lectores) deje de darle tanta importancia a las etiquetas. En este caso la de LGTB y sobre todo la horrible Queer, cada vez que hay un personaje homosexual en una historia (隆Hasta se la han aplicado a cl谩sicos como o !); encuentro algunas otras obras, que por falta de perspicacia de los etiquetadores, parecen haberse salvado del r贸tulo, y no ser茅 yo quien las denuncie a esta nueva inquisici贸n).
Acaso si hubiera un ciego 驴Pondr铆an la etiqueta Ceguera; o Calvicie si hubiera un calvo? 驴Oficinas, , Lluvia?. No aportan nada a lo que un lector merece conocer antes de elegir un libro. Y m谩s all谩 de la l贸gica ofensa que podr铆a significar para muchas personas, lo peor es que pone en evidencia una forma de pensar tal vez demasiado esquem谩tica.
El pasado reaparecer谩 en su vida con la visita de Paul, quien trae un mensaje de Declan, el hermano menor de Helen: est谩 muy enfermo, y le ruega que lo vaya a ver.
Y con ese retorno del pasado, se reabre el recuerdo de viejas heridas y rencores; Helen, su madre Lily, su abuela Deveraux.
Y en la casa costera de la abuela, donde van a dar las tres mujeres y los tres amigos (Declan y sus amigos Paul y Larry), con una ambigua simetr铆a, se desarrolla un complejo ballet de relaciones, un baile de sal贸n lleno de avances y retrocesos, de amenazas de estallidos y salidas imprevisibles, en una rica din谩mica de intercambios, s贸lidamente sostenida por los seis personajes muy bien construidos.
A pesar de lo que puedan hacer suponer los anticipos, el SIDA, y a煤n m谩s la homosexualidad, como temas, pasan a un segundo plano, limit谩ndose a servir de marco para una rica historia de relaciones humanas.
Una postal imaginaria, deseable, flota sobre esta din谩mica: la cabeza de Declan apoyada en el regazo de su madre, que le acaricia amorosamente el pelo y le canta una canci贸n dulce. Tomando en cuenta las dolorosas heridas abiertas, 驴Ser谩 posible? 驴O la oportunidad ya ha pasado? 驴Hay esperanza?
Una excelente novela que gira en torno a las secuelas de un pasado inmodificable, en la historia de la vida familiar. Y una historia que, por diversas razones, encontr茅 conmovedora.
A modo de reclamo (comentario t贸xico, prescindible)
Ser铆a muy deseable que en alg煤n momento 欧宝娱乐 (o m谩s probablemente, algunos de sus lectores) deje de darle tanta importancia a las etiquetas. En este caso la de LGTB y sobre todo la horrible Queer, cada vez que hay un personaje homosexual en una historia (隆Hasta se la han aplicado a cl谩sicos como o !); encuentro algunas otras obras, que por falta de perspicacia de los etiquetadores, parecen haberse salvado del r贸tulo, y no ser茅 yo quien las denuncie a esta nueva inquisici贸n).
Acaso si hubiera un ciego 驴Pondr铆an la etiqueta Ceguera; o Calvicie si hubiera un calvo? 驴Oficinas, , Lluvia?. No aportan nada a lo que un lector merece conocer antes de elegir un libro. Y m谩s all谩 de la l贸gica ofensa que podr铆a significar para muchas personas, lo peor es que pone en evidencia una forma de pensar tal vez demasiado esquem谩tica.
March 18, 2017
3.5 stars
Helen is a school principal living in Dublin. She is married with two children. She is preparing to go on Holiday with her family in the beginning of the book. Then she learns that her brother Declan has suffered from AIDS for years without telling her. Declan asks her if she would tell their Mother and Grandmother his diagnosis. Helen, who has been estranged from her Mother and Grandmother for years is put in a position to contact the women but to also deal with past issues especially her father's sudden death during her childhood. The women, in fact, have not been invited to Helen's wedding nor have they met her children. Plus, Declan has no place to stay while he recuperates and he requests to spend his time at his Grandmother's home. This is where their Mother, Lily was raised and where Helen and Declan were raised after their father died and their Mother abandoned them (in their eyes). This makes for interesting family dynamics.
The women are forced to come together for Declan's sake. They are joined by Declan's two friends, Paul and Larry, which make for an interesting mix in the home. Everyone must adjust to each other: the past hurts, misunderstandings, Declan's illness, the other men in the home, their own personal issues and each other.
Although, Declan has AIDS this book is mainly about family. How do have contact again after not having contact for so long. How do you slide back into a relationship? We see more of the women's lives. I do wish we saw more of Declan's life. But this book was really about family relationships, dynamics and healing. That ending though...
I liked this book but I was hoping for better. I loved Brooklyn and was hoping to be as invested in this book as I was in that. I had a hard time connecting to anyone in this book. The characters irritated me with the stubbornness. I do think this is what the Author wanted. He wanted the reader to be as frustrated with these characters as they were with each other. This book was a little slow moving for me at times. At other times I thought this book was brilliant. As always his writing was beautiful but at parts it failed to grab me.
See more of my review at
Helen is a school principal living in Dublin. She is married with two children. She is preparing to go on Holiday with her family in the beginning of the book. Then she learns that her brother Declan has suffered from AIDS for years without telling her. Declan asks her if she would tell their Mother and Grandmother his diagnosis. Helen, who has been estranged from her Mother and Grandmother for years is put in a position to contact the women but to also deal with past issues especially her father's sudden death during her childhood. The women, in fact, have not been invited to Helen's wedding nor have they met her children. Plus, Declan has no place to stay while he recuperates and he requests to spend his time at his Grandmother's home. This is where their Mother, Lily was raised and where Helen and Declan were raised after their father died and their Mother abandoned them (in their eyes). This makes for interesting family dynamics.
The women are forced to come together for Declan's sake. They are joined by Declan's two friends, Paul and Larry, which make for an interesting mix in the home. Everyone must adjust to each other: the past hurts, misunderstandings, Declan's illness, the other men in the home, their own personal issues and each other.
Although, Declan has AIDS this book is mainly about family. How do have contact again after not having contact for so long. How do you slide back into a relationship? We see more of the women's lives. I do wish we saw more of Declan's life. But this book was really about family relationships, dynamics and healing. That ending though...
I liked this book but I was hoping for better. I loved Brooklyn and was hoping to be as invested in this book as I was in that. I had a hard time connecting to anyone in this book. The characters irritated me with the stubbornness. I do think this is what the Author wanted. He wanted the reader to be as frustrated with these characters as they were with each other. This book was a little slow moving for me at times. At other times I thought this book was brilliant. As always his writing was beautiful but at parts it failed to grab me.
See more of my review at
August 24, 2017
螁位位慰 苇谓伪 蟺慰位蠉 魏伪位蠈 魏伪喂 蟺慰喂慰蟿喂魏蠈 尾喂尾位委慰, 伪喂蟽胃畏蟿喂魏维 魏伪喂 蟽蔚 蟺蔚蟻喂蔚蠂蠈渭蔚谓慰, 伪蟺蠈 蟿喂蟼 蔚魏未蠈蟽蔚喂蟼 Gutenberg 蟽蟿畏谓 蔚尉伪喂蟻蔚蟿喂魏萎 蟽蔚喂蟻维 Aldina. 螕蟻伪渭渭苇谓慰 蟿慰 1999, 蟿慰 "螝伪蟻伪尾慰蠁维谓伪蟻慰 蟽蟿慰 螠伪蠉蟻慰 螡蔚蟻蠈" 蔚委谓伪喂 苇谓伪 尾喂尾位委慰 纬喂伪 蟿喂蟼 慰喂魏慰纬蔚谓蔚喂伪魏苇蟼 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚喂蟼, 蟿喂蟼 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏苇蟼 纬蔚谓喂苇蟼 (纬喂伪纬喂维-渭畏蟿苇蟻伪-魏蠈蟻畏) 魏伪喂 蟿畏谓 伪谓蟿委未蟻伪蟽萎 蟿慰蠀蟼 魏伪胃蠋蟼 魏伪喂 蟿慰 未苇蟽喂渭蠈 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟽蔚 渭喂伪 未蠉蟽魏慰位畏 魏伪蟿维蟽蟿伪蟽畏. 螆谓伪 渭蠀胃喂蟽蟿蠈蟻畏渭伪 "未蠅渭伪蟿委慰蠀" 蠈蟺蠅蟼 蔚蟺喂蟽畏渭伪委谓蔚喂 魏伪喂 畏 渭蔚蟿伪蠁蟻维蟽蟿蟻喂伪, 魏伪胃蠋蟼 蔚魏蟿蠀位委蟽蟽蔚蟿伪喂 蟽蠂蔚未蠈谓 蔚尉 慰位慰魏位萎蟻慰蠀 蟽蟿畏谓 魏慰蠀味委谓伪 蟿畏蟼 纬喂伪纬喂维蟼 螡蟿蠈蟻伪 螡蟿苇尾蔚蟻慰, 渭伪 未蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 魏伪胃蠈位慰蠀 尾伪蟻蔚蟿蠈. 螠蔚 渭喂伪 伪蟺位萎, 伪蟺苇蟻喂蟿蟿畏 蟺蟻蠈味伪 魏伪喂 渭苇蟽蠅 未喂伪位蠈纬蠅谓 魏伪喂 伪谓伪未蟻慰渭蠋谓 慰 韦慰渭蟺委谓 魏伪蟿伪蠁苇蟻谓蔚喂 谓伪 魏伪蟿伪未蔚委尉蔚喂 蟿喂蟼 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚喂蟼 蟿蠅谓 蟺蟻慰蟽蠋蟺蠅谓, 蟿喂蟼 伪谓蟿喂蟺伪蟻伪胃苇蟽蔚喂蟼 魏伪喂 蟿喂蟼 伪蟺蠈蠄蔚喂蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼, 魏伪胃蠋蟼 魏伪喂 蟿喂蟼 位蔚蟺蟿苇蟼 伪蟺慰蠂蟻蠋蟽蔚喂蟼 蟽蟿喂蟼 慰蟺慰委蔚蟼 位伪谓胃维谓蔚喂 苇谓伪 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏蠈 谓蠈畏渭伪.
韦慰 胃苇渭伪 蟽蟿慰 慰蟺慰委慰 蟻委蠂谓蔚喂 蠁蠅蟼 慰 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼 魏伪喂 渭蔚 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻蔚喂 蟺慰位蠉 魏伪胃蠋蟼 蟿慰 魏维谓蔚喂 渭蔚 蔚尉伪喂蟻蔚蟿喂魏蠈 蟿蟻蠈蟺慰 蔚委谓伪喂 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿畏蟼 "慰蟻纬伪谓蠅渭苇谓畏蟼 蟽喂蠅蟺萎蟼" 蟿蠅谓 慰喂魏慰纬蔚谓蔚喂蠋谓 魏伪喂 蟿蠅谓 伪蟺蠅胃畏渭苇谓蠅谓 蟺慰蠀 伪蟺慰蟻蟻苇慰蠀谓 伪蟺蠈 伪蠀蟿萎谓. 螚 魏蠈蟻畏 螆位蔚谓, 蟿畏谓 慰蟺慰委伪 纬谓蠅蟻委味慰蠀渭蔚 魏伪喂 蠅蟼 魏蔚谓蟿蟻喂魏萎 畏蟻蠅委未伪 伪谓 魏伪喂 畏 伪蠁萎纬畏蟽畏 蔚委谓伪喂 蟿蟻喂蟿慰蟺蟻蠈蟽蠅蟺畏, 魏蟻伪蟿维蔚喂 蟺慰位位维 蟺慰蠀 胃苇位蔚喂 谓伪 蟺蔚喂 蟽蟿畏 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪 蟿畏蟼 蟺蟻喂谓 渭喂伪 蔚喂魏慰蟽伪蔚蟿委伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿蠈蟿蔚 蟺慰蠀 蟺苇胃伪谓蔚 慰 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪蟼 蟿畏蟼 伪蟺蠈 魏伪蟻魏委谓慰 伪位位维 蟿伪 魏蟻伪蟿维蔚喂 渭苇蟽伪 蟿畏蟼, 未喂伪喂蠅谓委味慰谓蟿伪喂 魏伪喂 魏伪蟿伪位萎纬慰蠀谓 蟽蔚 渭喂伪 蟽蠉纬魏蟻慰蠀蟽畏 魏伪喂 渭喂伪 伪蟺慰尉苇谓蠅蟽畏 蟺慰蠀 苇蠂蔚喂 蠅蟼 蟽蠀谓苇蟺蔚喂伪 蟿畏 未喂伪魏慰蟺萎 蔚蟺喂魏慰喂谓蠅谓委伪蟼 渭蔚蟿伪尉蠉 蟿慰蠀蟼 纬喂伪 未苇魏伪 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪. 螌渭蠅蟼 畏 伪蟻蟻蠋蟽蟿喂伪 蟿慰蠀 伪未蔚蟻蠁慰蠉 蟿畏蟼 螡蟿苇魏位伪谓, 蟺维蟽蠂蔚喂 伪蟺蠈 AIDS 魏伪喂 蔚委谓伪喂 蟽蟿伪 蟺蟻蠈胃蠀蟻伪 蟿慰蠀 胃伪谓维蟿慰蠀, 胃伪 蠁苇蟻蔚喂 蠈位蔚蟼 蟿喂蟼 纬蔚谓喂苇蟼 魏慰谓蟿维 魏伪喂 渭伪味委 渭蔚 未蠀慰 (纬魏苇喂) 蠁委位慰蠀蟼 蟿慰蠀 螡蟿苇魏位伪谓 (纬魏苇喂 魏喂 伪蠀蟿蠈蟼) 渭蔚 蔚谓蟿蔚位蠋蟼 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏苇蟼 蟺蟻慰蟽蠅蟺喂魏蠈蟿畏蟿蔚蟼, 蟿慰 蟽蟺委蟿喂 蟿畏蟼 纬喂伪纬喂维蟼 螡蟿蠈蟻伪 胃伪 纬委谓蔚喂 渭喂伪 蟺慰喂魏喂位委伪 蟺蟻慰蟽蠋蟺蠅谓, 纬蔚谓蔚蠋谓 魏伪喂 伪蟺蠈蠄蔚蠅谓 蟺慰蠀 胃伪 蟽蠀渭蟺蟻维尉慰蠀谓 纬喂伪 谓伪 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠅蟺委蟽慰蠀谓 蟿畏谓 魏伪蟿维蟽蟿伪蟽畏 魏伪喂 谓伪 蔚蟺慰蠀位蠋蟽慰蠀谓 蟿喂蟼 蟺位畏纬苇蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼. 螆谓伪 魏伪胃畏位蠅蟿喂魏蠈, 蟿蟻慰渭蔚蟻蠈 渭蔚蟼 蟽蟿畏谓 伪蟺位蠈蟿畏蟿维 蟿慰蠀 渭蠀胃喂蟽蟿蠈蟻畏渭伪.
(螣 蟻蠈位慰蟼 蟿慰蠀 AIDS 蔚委谓伪喂 未蔚蠀蟿蔚蟻蔚蠉蠅谓 魏伪喂 位蔚锟斤拷蟿慰蠀蟻纬蔚委 蟽伪谓 蟿慰 蔚谓伪蟻魏蟿萎蟻喂慰 位维魏蟿喂蟽渭伪 纬喂伪 谓伪 尉蔚蟿蠀位喂蠂胃蔚委 蟿慰 魏慰蠀尾维蟻喂 蟿蠅谓 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚蠅谓).
韦慰 胃苇渭伪 蟽蟿慰 慰蟺慰委慰 蟻委蠂谓蔚喂 蠁蠅蟼 慰 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼 魏伪喂 渭蔚 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻蔚喂 蟺慰位蠉 魏伪胃蠋蟼 蟿慰 魏维谓蔚喂 渭蔚 蔚尉伪喂蟻蔚蟿喂魏蠈 蟿蟻蠈蟺慰 蔚委谓伪喂 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿畏蟼 "慰蟻纬伪谓蠅渭苇谓畏蟼 蟽喂蠅蟺萎蟼" 蟿蠅谓 慰喂魏慰纬蔚谓蔚喂蠋谓 魏伪喂 蟿蠅谓 伪蟺蠅胃畏渭苇谓蠅谓 蟺慰蠀 伪蟺慰蟻蟻苇慰蠀谓 伪蟺蠈 伪蠀蟿萎谓. 螚 魏蠈蟻畏 螆位蔚谓, 蟿畏谓 慰蟺慰委伪 纬谓蠅蟻委味慰蠀渭蔚 魏伪喂 蠅蟼 魏蔚谓蟿蟻喂魏萎 畏蟻蠅委未伪 伪谓 魏伪喂 畏 伪蠁萎纬畏蟽畏 蔚委谓伪喂 蟿蟻喂蟿慰蟺蟻蠈蟽蠅蟺畏, 魏蟻伪蟿维蔚喂 蟺慰位位维 蟺慰蠀 胃苇位蔚喂 谓伪 蟺蔚喂 蟽蟿畏 渭畏蟿苇蟻伪 蟿畏蟼 蟺蟻喂谓 渭喂伪 蔚喂魏慰蟽伪蔚蟿委伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿蠈蟿蔚 蟺慰蠀 蟺苇胃伪谓蔚 慰 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪蟼 蟿畏蟼 伪蟺蠈 魏伪蟻魏委谓慰 伪位位维 蟿伪 魏蟻伪蟿维蔚喂 渭苇蟽伪 蟿畏蟼, 未喂伪喂蠅谓委味慰谓蟿伪喂 魏伪喂 魏伪蟿伪位萎纬慰蠀谓 蟽蔚 渭喂伪 蟽蠉纬魏蟻慰蠀蟽畏 魏伪喂 渭喂伪 伪蟺慰尉苇谓蠅蟽畏 蟺慰蠀 苇蠂蔚喂 蠅蟼 蟽蠀谓苇蟺蔚喂伪 蟿畏 未喂伪魏慰蟺萎 蔚蟺喂魏慰喂谓蠅谓委伪蟼 渭蔚蟿伪尉蠉 蟿慰蠀蟼 纬喂伪 未苇魏伪 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪. 螌渭蠅蟼 畏 伪蟻蟻蠋蟽蟿喂伪 蟿慰蠀 伪未蔚蟻蠁慰蠉 蟿畏蟼 螡蟿苇魏位伪谓, 蟺维蟽蠂蔚喂 伪蟺蠈 AIDS 魏伪喂 蔚委谓伪喂 蟽蟿伪 蟺蟻蠈胃蠀蟻伪 蟿慰蠀 胃伪谓维蟿慰蠀, 胃伪 蠁苇蟻蔚喂 蠈位蔚蟼 蟿喂蟼 纬蔚谓喂苇蟼 魏慰谓蟿维 魏伪喂 渭伪味委 渭蔚 未蠀慰 (纬魏苇喂) 蠁委位慰蠀蟼 蟿慰蠀 螡蟿苇魏位伪谓 (纬魏苇喂 魏喂 伪蠀蟿蠈蟼) 渭蔚 蔚谓蟿蔚位蠋蟼 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏苇蟼 蟺蟻慰蟽蠅蟺喂魏蠈蟿畏蟿蔚蟼, 蟿慰 蟽蟺委蟿喂 蟿畏蟼 纬喂伪纬喂维蟼 螡蟿蠈蟻伪 胃伪 纬委谓蔚喂 渭喂伪 蟺慰喂魏喂位委伪 蟺蟻慰蟽蠋蟺蠅谓, 纬蔚谓蔚蠋谓 魏伪喂 伪蟺蠈蠄蔚蠅谓 蟺慰蠀 胃伪 蟽蠀渭蟺蟻维尉慰蠀谓 纬喂伪 谓伪 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠅蟺委蟽慰蠀谓 蟿畏谓 魏伪蟿维蟽蟿伪蟽畏 魏伪喂 谓伪 蔚蟺慰蠀位蠋蟽慰蠀谓 蟿喂蟼 蟺位畏纬苇蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼. 螆谓伪 魏伪胃畏位蠅蟿喂魏蠈, 蟿蟻慰渭蔚蟻蠈 渭蔚蟼 蟽蟿畏谓 伪蟺位蠈蟿畏蟿维 蟿慰蠀 渭蠀胃喂蟽蟿蠈蟻畏渭伪.
(螣 蟻蠈位慰蟼 蟿慰蠀 AIDS 蔚委谓伪喂 未蔚蠀蟿蔚蟻蔚蠉蠅谓 魏伪喂 位蔚锟斤拷蟿慰蠀蟻纬蔚委 蟽伪谓 蟿慰 蔚谓伪蟻魏蟿萎蟻喂慰 位维魏蟿喂蟽渭伪 纬喂伪 谓伪 尉蔚蟿蠀位喂蠂胃蔚委 蟿慰 魏慰蠀尾维蟻喂 蟿蠅谓 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚蠅谓).
January 13, 2023
You can't go wrong reading one of Colin Toibin's books. His elegant, understated, gorgeous writing style mesmerizes the reader. This book also realistically deals with family and friends dealing with the imminent death of a beloved young man from AIDS. The past and unresolved family issues are dealt with in an organic, natural manner. Loved this book.
March 6, 2024
This was a lovely and oh so humane book. And so tender and funny and sad. Written by Colm Toibin. Set in his home area of Ireland. It was so different then other books of his I鈥檝e read. It spoke to AIDS and to love and family differences and true friendship. For people now who are losing a loved one (no matter the cause) - with the choice to be together or not - this book says so much about love and opening the heart, and forgiving.
I loved his writing and story telling. It is one of my favorite books that I read this year.
I loved his writing and story telling. It is one of my favorite books that I read this year.
July 21, 2022
螚 喂蟽蟿慰蟻喂伪 伪蠀蟿慰蠀 蟿慰蠀 尾喂尾位喂慰蠀 蔚喂谓伪喂 伪蟻魏蔚蟿伪 伪蟺位畏 : 蔚谓伪蟼 谓蔚慰蟼, 慰 螡蟿伪魏位伪谓 蠂蟿蠀蟺畏渭蔚谓慰蟼 伪蟺慰 蟿慰 AIDS, 蟽蔚 渭喂伪 蔚蟺慰蠂畏 蟺慰蠀 伪魏慰渭畏 慰蠀蟿蔚 蔚谓畏渭蔚蟻蠅蟽畏, 慰蠀蟿蔚 伪蟺慰未慰蠂畏, 慰蠀蟿蔚 喂未喂伪喂蟿蔚蟻畏 尾慰畏胃蔚喂伪 渭蟺慰蟻蔚喂 谓伪 蠀蟺伪蟻尉蔚喂 纬喂伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟺伪蟽蠂慰谓蟿蔚蟼, 蟽尾畏谓蔚喂 渭蔚蟻伪 渭蔚 蟿畏 渭蔚蟻伪 魏伪喂 蔚蟿蟽喂 伪谓伪纬魏伪味蔚蟿伪喂 谓伪 蔚谓畏渭蔚蟻蠅蟽蔚喂 蟿畏谓 慰喂魏慰纬蔚谓蔚喂伪 蟿慰蠀 蟺慰蠀 蟺位蔚慰谓 伪蟺慰蟿蔚位蔚喂蟿伪喂 伪蟺慰 3 alpha fe-males(纬喂伪纬喂伪, 渭畏蟿蔚蟻伪, 伪未蔚蟻蠁畏) 魏伪喂 渭蔚 蟿喂蟼 慰蟺慰喂蔚蟼 未蔚谓 蔚蠂蔚喂 蟿喂蟼 蟺喂慰 魏慰谓蟿喂谓蔚蟼 蟽蠂蔚蟽蔚喂蟼.
韦慰 胃蔚渭伪 蟿慰蠀 尾喂尾位喂慰蠀 蔚喂谓伪喂 位喂纬慰 蟺喂慰 尾伪胃蠀 魏伪喂 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺位慰魏慰:蟺蠋蟼 3 纬蔚谓喂蔚蟼 纬蠀谓伪喂魏蠅谓 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠅蟺喂味慰蠀谓 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏伪 蟿伪 胃蔚渭伪蟿伪 纬蠀蟻蠅 蟿慰蠀蟼, 蟿畏谓 慰喂魏慰纬蔚谓蔚喂伪, 蟿畏谓 伪蟺蠅位蔚喂伪, 蟿伪 位伪胃畏 蟿慰蠀蟼, 伪位位伪 魏蠀蟻喂蠅蟼 蟺蠋蟼 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠅蟺喂味慰蠀谓 畏 渭喂伪 蟿畏谓 伪位位畏...
韦伪 蟽蠀谓伪喂蟽胃畏渭伪蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 蟺蟻慰魏伪位蔚喂 伪蠀蟿慰 蟿慰 尾喂尾位喂慰 蔚喂谓伪喂 慰, 蟿喂 蟺喂慰 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺位慰魏慰 魏伪喂 伪位畏胃喂谓慰. 韦慰 蟺蠋蟼 胃伪 尾蟻蔚喂蟼 蟿慰谓 蔚伪蠀蟿慰 蟽慰蠀 谓伪 蟿伪蠀蟿喂味蔚蟿伪喂 渭蔚 蟺慰位位慰蠀蟼 魏伪喂 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏慰蠀蟼 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿畏蟻蔚蟼, 蟿慰 蟺蠋蟼 魏伪喂 魏伪蟿伪 蟺蠈蟽慰谓 蔚蟽蠀 蔚蠂蔚喂蟼 位蠀蟽蔚喂 魏伪喂 尉蔚渭蟺蔚蟻未蔚蠄蔚喂 渭蔚 位慰纬伪蟻喂伪蟽渭慰蠉蟼 魏伪喂 蟽蠂蔚蟽蔚喂蟼 蟿慰蠀 蟺伪蟻蔚位胃慰谓蟿慰蟼. 螚 蟽蠀纬魏喂谓畏蟽畏, 慰 蟺慰谓慰蟼, 蟿慰 纬蔚位喂慰, 伪位位伪 魏蠀蟻喂蠅蟼 慰 胃伪蠀渭伪蟽渭慰蟼 纬喂伪 蟿慰 蟺蠋蟼 蔚谓伪蟼 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁蔚伪蟼 蟺伪喂蟻谓蔚喂 渭喂伪 伪蟺位慰蠀蟽蟿伪蟿畏 喂蟽蟿慰蟻喂伪 魏伪喂 蟿畏谓 蔚渭蟺位慰蠀蟿委味蔚喂 渭蔚 蟿慰蟽慰 蟽畏渭伪谓蟿喂魏伪 胃蔚渭伪蟿伪 慰蟺蠅蟼 伪蠀蟿慰 蟿畏蟼 蟽蠂蔚蟽畏蟼 渭蔚蟿伪尉蠀 渭畏蟿蔚蟻伪蟼 魏慰蟻畏蟼 (萎 渭畏蟿蔚蟻伪蟼 蟺伪喂未喂蠅谓 纬蔚谓喂魏伪) 魏伪喂 蟺蠋蟼 伪蠀蟿畏 伪蠁畏谓蔚喂 蟽魏位畏蟻维 魏伪蟿伪位慰喂蟺伪 渭蔚蟽伪 渭伪蟼 萎 蟺蠋蟼 渭蟺蟻慰蟽蟿伪 蟽蟿慰 伪谓伪蟺慰蠁蔚蠀魏蟿慰 蟿慰蠀 胃伪谓伪蟿慰蠀 魏伪喂 蟿畏 蟽魏位畏蟻慰蟿畏蟿伪 蟿畏蟼 伪蟺蠅位蔚喂伪蟼, 慰位伪 伪蠀蟿伪 蠁伪谓蟿伪味慰蠀谓 蟿慰蟽慰 渭喂魏蟻伪 魏伪喂 伪蟽畏渭伪谓蟿伪.蔚喂谓伪喂 伪蟺慰 伪蠀蟿畏 蟿畏 蟽蟺伪谓喂伪 魏伪蟿畏纬慰蟻喂伪 尾喂尾位喂蠅谓, 蟺慰蠀 纬喂伪 谓伪 蟽慰蠀 未蠅蟽蔚喂 慰蟽伪 蔚蠂蔚喂, 蟺蟻蔚蟺蔚喂 蟺蟻蠅蟿伪 谓伪 蟿慰蠀 未慰胃蔚喂蟼, 谓伪 蟿慰蠀 伪谓慰喂蠂蟿蔚喂蟼 渭蔚 蔚喂位喂魏蟻委谓蔚喂伪, 蔚蟽蠀.
馃専馃専馃専馃専馃専/5 伪蟽蟿蔚蟻喂伪
"渭伪渭伪" 蔚魏伪谓蔚 畏 蔚位蔚谓 "胃伪 渭慰蠀 伪蟻蔚蟽蔚 蟺慰位蠀 伪谓 慰 蔚谓伪蟼 伪蟺慰 蟿慰蠀蟼 纬喂慰蠀蟼 渭慰蠀 纬喂谓慰蟿伪谓 蟺蟻伪纬渭伪蟿喂魏伪 魏伪位慰蟼 渭慰蠀蟽喂魏慰蟼- 魏伪喂 蟽蟿慰谓 蟺伪蟿蔚蟻伪 蟿慰蠀 胃伪 伪蟻蔚蟽蔚 蟺慰位蠀, 慰渭蠅蟼 未蔚 胃伪 纬喂谓蔚喂 慰蠀蟿蔚 慰 蔚谓伪蟼, 慰蠀蟿蔚 慰 伪位位慰蟼, 慰蟺慰蟿蔚 蟺蟻蔚蟺蔚喂 谓伪 蟽蠀渭尾喂蠅蟽慰蠀渭蔚 渭伪味喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 慰蟺蠅蟼 蔚喂谓伪喂. 螘蟺喂蟽畏蟼 胃伪 渭慰蠀 伪蟻蔚蟽蔚 伪谓 慰 蔚谓伪蟼 伪蟺慰 蟿慰蠀蟼 未蠀慰 蟿慰蠀蟼 畏蟿伪谓 魏慰蟻喂蟿蟽喂. 螛伪 渭慰蠀 伪蟻蔚蟽蔚 谓伪 蔚喂蠂伪 渭喂伪 魏慰蟻畏, 伪位位伪 未蔚 蟿慰 蟽魏蔚蠁蟿慰渭伪喂. 螛伪 渭慰蠀 伪蟻蔚蟽蔚 谓伪 谓喂蠅蟽蔚喂蟼 魏伪蟺慰蟿蔚 喂魏伪谓慰蟺慰喂畏渭蔚谓畏 渭伪味喂 渭慰蠀, 魏喂 伪蟼 渭畏谓 蔚喂渭伪喂 伪蠀蟿慰 蟺慰蠀 畏胃蔚位蔚蟼. 螛伪 渭慰蠀 伪蟻蔚蟽蔚 蔚蟺喂蟽畏蟼 谓伪 蟽蟿伪渭伪蟿畏蟽蔚喂蟼 魏伪蟺慰蟿蔚 谓伪 蔚蠀蠂蔚蟽伪喂 谓伪 畏渭慰蠀谓 魏伪蟺慰喂伪 伪位位畏. "
" 蟺伪谓蟿伪 蟽蔚 伪蟺慰未蔚蠂慰渭慰蠀谓 慰蟺蠅蟼 蔚喂蟽伪喂, 蔚位蔚谓"蟿畏蟼 蔚喂蟺蔚 畏 渭畏蟿蔚蟻伪 蟿畏蟼.
" 伪蠂, 蟿喂 蠅蟻伪喂伪 伪蠀蟿畏 畏 位蔚尉畏 蟺慰蠀 蠂蟻畏蟽喂渭慰蟺慰喂畏蟽蔚蟼, 蟽蔚蠀蠂伪蟻喂蟽蟿蠅"蟿畏蟼 蔚喂蟺蔚 畏 蔚位蔚谓.
韦慰 胃蔚渭伪 蟿慰蠀 尾喂尾位喂慰蠀 蔚喂谓伪喂 位喂纬慰 蟺喂慰 尾伪胃蠀 魏伪喂 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺位慰魏慰:蟺蠋蟼 3 纬蔚谓喂蔚蟼 纬蠀谓伪喂魏蠅谓 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠅蟺喂味慰蠀谓 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏伪 蟿伪 胃蔚渭伪蟿伪 纬蠀蟻蠅 蟿慰蠀蟼, 蟿畏谓 慰喂魏慰纬蔚谓蔚喂伪, 蟿畏谓 伪蟺蠅位蔚喂伪, 蟿伪 位伪胃畏 蟿慰蠀蟼, 伪位位伪 魏蠀蟻喂蠅蟼 蟺蠋蟼 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠅蟺喂味慰蠀谓 畏 渭喂伪 蟿畏谓 伪位位畏...
韦伪 蟽蠀谓伪喂蟽胃畏渭伪蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 蟺蟻慰魏伪位蔚喂 伪蠀蟿慰 蟿慰 尾喂尾位喂慰 蔚喂谓伪喂 慰, 蟿喂 蟺喂慰 蟺蔚蟻喂蟺位慰魏慰 魏伪喂 伪位畏胃喂谓慰. 韦慰 蟺蠋蟼 胃伪 尾蟻蔚喂蟼 蟿慰谓 蔚伪蠀蟿慰 蟽慰蠀 谓伪 蟿伪蠀蟿喂味蔚蟿伪喂 渭蔚 蟺慰位位慰蠀蟼 魏伪喂 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏慰蠀蟼 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿畏蟻蔚蟼, 蟿慰 蟺蠋蟼 魏伪喂 魏伪蟿伪 蟺蠈蟽慰谓 蔚蟽蠀 蔚蠂蔚喂蟼 位蠀蟽蔚喂 魏伪喂 尉蔚渭蟺蔚蟻未蔚蠄蔚喂 渭蔚 位慰纬伪蟻喂伪蟽渭慰蠉蟼 魏伪喂 蟽蠂蔚蟽蔚喂蟼 蟿慰蠀 蟺伪蟻蔚位胃慰谓蟿慰蟼. 螚 蟽蠀纬魏喂谓畏蟽畏, 慰 蟺慰谓慰蟼, 蟿慰 纬蔚位喂慰, 伪位位伪 魏蠀蟻喂蠅蟼 慰 胃伪蠀渭伪蟽渭慰蟼 纬喂伪 蟿慰 蟺蠋蟼 蔚谓伪蟼 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁蔚伪蟼 蟺伪喂蟻谓蔚喂 渭喂伪 伪蟺位慰蠀蟽蟿伪蟿畏 喂蟽蟿慰蟻喂伪 魏伪喂 蟿畏谓 蔚渭蟺位慰蠀蟿委味蔚喂 渭蔚 蟿慰蟽慰 蟽畏渭伪谓蟿喂魏伪 胃蔚渭伪蟿伪 慰蟺蠅蟼 伪蠀蟿慰 蟿畏蟼 蟽蠂蔚蟽畏蟼 渭蔚蟿伪尉蠀 渭畏蟿蔚蟻伪蟼 魏慰蟻畏蟼 (萎 渭畏蟿蔚蟻伪蟼 蟺伪喂未喂蠅谓 纬蔚谓喂魏伪) 魏伪喂 蟺蠋蟼 伪蠀蟿畏 伪蠁畏谓蔚喂 蟽魏位畏蟻维 魏伪蟿伪位慰喂蟺伪 渭蔚蟽伪 渭伪蟼 萎 蟺蠋蟼 渭蟺蟻慰蟽蟿伪 蟽蟿慰 伪谓伪蟺慰蠁蔚蠀魏蟿慰 蟿慰蠀 胃伪谓伪蟿慰蠀 魏伪喂 蟿畏 蟽魏位畏蟻慰蟿畏蟿伪 蟿畏蟼 伪蟺蠅位蔚喂伪蟼, 慰位伪 伪蠀蟿伪 蠁伪谓蟿伪味慰蠀谓 蟿慰蟽慰 渭喂魏蟻伪 魏伪喂 伪蟽畏渭伪谓蟿伪.蔚喂谓伪喂 伪蟺慰 伪蠀蟿畏 蟿畏 蟽蟺伪谓喂伪 魏伪蟿畏纬慰蟻喂伪 尾喂尾位喂蠅谓, 蟺慰蠀 纬喂伪 谓伪 蟽慰蠀 未蠅蟽蔚喂 慰蟽伪 蔚蠂蔚喂, 蟺蟻蔚蟺蔚喂 蟺蟻蠅蟿伪 谓伪 蟿慰蠀 未慰胃蔚喂蟼, 谓伪 蟿慰蠀 伪谓慰喂蠂蟿蔚喂蟼 渭蔚 蔚喂位喂魏蟻委谓蔚喂伪, 蔚蟽蠀.
馃専馃専馃専馃専馃専/5 伪蟽蟿蔚蟻喂伪
"渭伪渭伪" 蔚魏伪谓蔚 畏 蔚位蔚谓 "胃伪 渭慰蠀 伪蟻蔚蟽蔚 蟺慰位蠀 伪谓 慰 蔚谓伪蟼 伪蟺慰 蟿慰蠀蟼 纬喂慰蠀蟼 渭慰蠀 纬喂谓慰蟿伪谓 蟺蟻伪纬渭伪蟿喂魏伪 魏伪位慰蟼 渭慰蠀蟽喂魏慰蟼- 魏伪喂 蟽蟿慰谓 蟺伪蟿蔚蟻伪 蟿慰蠀 胃伪 伪蟻蔚蟽蔚 蟺慰位蠀, 慰渭蠅蟼 未蔚 胃伪 纬喂谓蔚喂 慰蠀蟿蔚 慰 蔚谓伪蟼, 慰蠀蟿蔚 慰 伪位位慰蟼, 慰蟺慰蟿蔚 蟺蟻蔚蟺蔚喂 谓伪 蟽蠀渭尾喂蠅蟽慰蠀渭蔚 渭伪味喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 慰蟺蠅蟼 蔚喂谓伪喂. 螘蟺喂蟽畏蟼 胃伪 渭慰蠀 伪蟻蔚蟽蔚 伪谓 慰 蔚谓伪蟼 伪蟺慰 蟿慰蠀蟼 未蠀慰 蟿慰蠀蟼 畏蟿伪谓 魏慰蟻喂蟿蟽喂. 螛伪 渭慰蠀 伪蟻蔚蟽蔚 谓伪 蔚喂蠂伪 渭喂伪 魏慰蟻畏, 伪位位伪 未蔚 蟿慰 蟽魏蔚蠁蟿慰渭伪喂. 螛伪 渭慰蠀 伪蟻蔚蟽蔚 谓伪 谓喂蠅蟽蔚喂蟼 魏伪蟺慰蟿蔚 喂魏伪谓慰蟺慰喂畏渭蔚谓畏 渭伪味喂 渭慰蠀, 魏喂 伪蟼 渭畏谓 蔚喂渭伪喂 伪蠀蟿慰 蟺慰蠀 畏胃蔚位蔚蟼. 螛伪 渭慰蠀 伪蟻蔚蟽蔚 蔚蟺喂蟽畏蟼 谓伪 蟽蟿伪渭伪蟿畏蟽蔚喂蟼 魏伪蟺慰蟿蔚 谓伪 蔚蠀蠂蔚蟽伪喂 谓伪 畏渭慰蠀谓 魏伪蟺慰喂伪 伪位位畏. "
" 蟺伪谓蟿伪 蟽蔚 伪蟺慰未蔚蠂慰渭慰蠀谓 慰蟺蠅蟼 蔚喂蟽伪喂, 蔚位蔚谓"蟿畏蟼 蔚喂蟺蔚 畏 渭畏蟿蔚蟻伪 蟿畏蟼.
" 伪蠂, 蟿喂 蠅蟻伪喂伪 伪蠀蟿畏 畏 位蔚尉畏 蟺慰蠀 蠂蟻畏蟽喂渭慰蟺慰喂畏蟽蔚蟼, 蟽蔚蠀蠂伪蟻喂蟽蟿蠅"蟿畏蟼 蔚喂蟺蔚 畏 蔚位蔚谓.
August 10, 2019
螠蔚位伪纬蠂慰位喂魏蠈 伪位位维 蟿蠈蟽慰 伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺喂谓慰.
螤伪蟻蠈位慰 蟺慰蠀 未蔚谓 萎蟿伪谓 魏慰谓蟿维 蟽蟿慰 伪谓伪纬谓蠅蟽蟿喂魏蠈 渭慰蠀 蟽蟿蠀位, 未蔚谓 渭蟺慰蟻慰蠉蟽伪 谓伪 蟿慰 伪蠁萎蟽蠅 伪蟺蠈 蟿伪 蠂苇蟻喂伪 渭慰蠀. 螤维蟻伪 蟺慰位蠉 魏伪位蠈.
螤伪蟻蠈位慰 蟺慰蠀 未蔚谓 萎蟿伪谓 魏慰谓蟿维 蟽蟿慰 伪谓伪纬谓蠅蟽蟿喂魏蠈 渭慰蠀 蟽蟿蠀位, 未蔚谓 渭蟺慰蟻慰蠉蟽伪 谓伪 蟿慰 伪蠁萎蟽蠅 伪蟺蠈 蟿伪 蠂苇蟻喂伪 渭慰蠀. 螤维蟻伪 蟺慰位蠉 魏伪位蠈.
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