The Singularities

After his release from prison, a man drives to the house where he grew up. Now, the Godley family lives there - the descendants of the late Adam Godley, the famous scientist - Godley’s demented wife, Adam Godley Jr., and his wife. The family takes the stranger in. Later, Adam Godley’s autobiographer joins them and moves in with the family, too.

Later, I found out that a few characters appeared also in other Banville novels, and I didn’t read those. I think this is one reason I couldn’t connect with the characters and didn’t enjoy the novel.

Barnes uses such beautiful language. But reading this novel, I sometimes had a feeling that the author tried too hard. Maybe I would advise you to read this novel with the help of the dictionary. But unfortunately, it loses all the meaning and fun this way.

I started reading the book but later realized that it was much easier to read it with the help of the audiobook. For the first part of the novel, I listened along with the book but later continued with only the audiobook. This novel is one of those that is easier to finish in audio format. But compared to reading, comprehension may not be as thorough.

I wanted to give this novel more stars. The writing was beautiful, but I think it was exaggerated. The plot didn’t move me at all. I was often confused, and the reasons for this are many, I suppose.

 

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Excerpt from the Book:

Yes, he has come to the end of his sentence, but does that mean he has nothing more to say? No, indeed, not by a long stretch. Here he is, in the chill brilliance of a breezy April morning, striding out into the world a free man, more or less. Whence came such spuffy raiment? There must be someone who cares for him, someone who cared. Witness the classy if outmoded camel-hair overcoat, its belt not buckled but nonchalantly knotted, the hand-tailores tweed jacket with a double vent at the back, the buffed broughes, the glint of gold at his shirt cuffs. Note in particular the high-crowned hat of dark-brown felt, new as the day, cocked at a dashing angle over his left eye. He bears lightly by its handle a gladstone bag, scuffed and scarred but discreetly good. Oh, yes, he is every inch the gent. The Squire was his nickname, one of his nicknames, inside. Nickname: apt, that. His name in the nick. Words are all that remain, to hold the dark at bay. For his bright morn is my brumous twilight.

Details:

• author: John Banville
  
• full title: The Singularities
  
• genre: literary fiction
  
• format/type: bookfiction
• country: Ireland
• topics:
  
• publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
  
• publish date: 25 Oct 2022
• pages: 320
  

My Rating of the Book:

• content: 💙💙.5

About the Author:  

John Banville was born in Wexford, Ireland, in 1945. He is the author of thirteen previous novels including The Book of Evidence, which was shortlisted for the 1989 Booker Prize. He has received a literary award from the Lannan Foundation. He lives in Dublin.