Wednesday 30 July 2008

Murther and Walking Spirits by Robertson Davies

AZ: "
A novel involving the narrator, who has been murdered by his wife's lover, observing the follies of mankind and wreaking his revenge."


I bought this a long time ago (about '93) and finally got round to reading it. I didn't get very far the first time, found it uninteresting, but this time I was captivated and charmed. The quality of the writing is brilliant and the exploration of the family history which has been only names ot the main character Connor Gilmartin is brilliant, bringing Wales, the fledgling US and Canada together through one family tree. Reminds me of Poliakoff's Perfect Strangers in its evocation of the lives of people we know only as elderly grandparents or only in the roles of father and mother. Makes us ask uncomfortable questions about our own voyeurism.

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