I have no idea what she was aiming for here. There is an abundance of melodrama, but there is no believable psychology. There are none of the insights that would later become central.

I have a personal aversion to books that insert long passages of description near the end, which this book does. However, it hardly matters because the suspense is so badly managed. Everyone is dreadfully conditional.

The lack of depth in the psychological portrayal makes it difficult for the reader to truly engage with the characters. The overabundance of melodrama seems forced and detracts from the overall narrative. The insertion of long descriptive passages near the end feels out of place and disrupts the flow of the story.

The poor management of suspense leaves the reader feeling disappointed and unfulfilled. Instead of building tension and keeping the reader on the edge of their seat, the story fails to create a sense of anticipation.

Overall, this book has several flaws that prevent it from being a truly engaging and satisfying read.

The story unfolds about a group of individuals who are both in love with and afraid of the magician who has a profound impact on all their lives. There is the captivating and unconventional young Annette. After swinging on a chandelier, she flees from her finishing school to enter the School of Life, only to discover that she learns far more than she ever expected. Then there is the fierce and melancholy Rosa, who is the mistress of two Polish brothers. Her brother is the editor of a rather shabby magazine. The scholar, Peter Saward, is completely obsessed with an indecipherable ancient script. Rainborough, a civil servant, is caught in the snares of his secretary. Their lives all revolve around the mysterious figure of Mischa Fox, a terrifying yet also touching symbol of power. Each of them is possessed by someone, some idea, illusion, or object. And each one attempts to break the spell and escape from the enchanter.

I found this to be an outstanding and often extremely strange novel. I have been engaged in a monthly reading activity with some friends, where we read an Iris Murdoch book and then discuss it via email. With this early novel, we have discovered an abundance of topics to talk about. It has truly been an engaging and thought-provoking experience.

I have been continuously thinking about a Borges remix of an Iris Murdoch novel. This remix would be an infinite first act, constantly presenting new characters and expanding forever. The early chapters are particularly captivating. Each chapter seems to introduce a new and interesting person, along with their own connected intrigues. It creates a sense of mystery and anticipation. However, I always find the final acts of her novels strangely anticlimactic. The same is the case here. The final acts don't seem to fulfill the promise of the interconnections established earlier. They either fail to live up to the expectations or just seem to represent the contraction of the novel's potential. It's as if the initial excitement and potential are not fully realized in the end.

The book came to an end rather abruptly without much in the way of a proper resolution.

I couldn't help but wonder if I had overlooked something crucial.

I have a great fondness for the biographical movie that was made about Iris. Given that, I decided to give one of her numerous novels a try.

I'm planning to read a few more of her works before I make a final determination about her writing style and abilities.

I'm quite curious to see if the other novels will offer a more satisfying conclusion and a deeper understanding of her literary prowess.

Overall, I'm still hopeful that I'll discover something truly remarkable in her writing. :-)

Hmmm, this is the first Murdoch I've given up on. It was just *so dull* that I could hardly bear it.

From the very beginning, I could see everything coming from miles away. There was no element of surprise or excitement in the story.

Moreover, I did not care about any of her male characters or their weird preoccupations. They seemed to be rather one-dimensional and uninteresting.

I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately, it failed to meet my expectations. Maybe it's just not my cup of tea, but I can't help but feel disappointed. [summer 2022]

This is my second read book by Iris Murdoch… Well, and as it happens, this is the second novel she wrote. There will be many more… for example, "The Sea, The Sea…", which charmed me. And this novel is charming, but in its own way…

In my opinion, this is not Murdoch's most successful novel. The idea was more successfully realized in a later novel, The Sea, the Sea. Here, it's still a very raw idea.

There is a certain Misha Fox who meddles with the fates of his friends, manipulating them, pushing them towards certain decisions and feelings.

It intensifies as the male heroes, upon seeing the 19-year-old heroine, begin to pursue her. This male conviction in their irresistibility and that all women exist only to be taken. Meanwhile, the girl with unformed convictions doesn't really understand how to react, doesn't understand her own feelings and can't resist. It was scary for her. And how familiar it all is!

You know, the main heroines in all those love romances usually make more logical actions than the characters in this book.

What is it about? Well, to be honest, the devil knows! If I were asked, I would first sigh, then try to explain at least a little bit, and finally stubbornly ask not to open this work.

Everything here is overdone. The author tries to dramatically present us with this or that event/character, but in the end, it's just a fiasco. As far as I could understand, it's a story about an assistant to Satan (how grand, right?), who tries to manipulate everyone and everything, and they in turn try to avoid his clutches (while at the same time all wanting to have something to do with him at the beginning). It seems like a not bad idea, but the implementation here is a failure. It's boring, not interesting at all, and when you turn the last page, only one thing remains in your mind - what was that? And why did I read it?

A set of unconnected snippets and heroes, half of whom are inexplicably connected. The constant feeling that you are skipping whole chunks of the story when reading. Fortunately, at least the language is easy and the book reads quickly (provided that the reader doesn't fall into a perpetual sleep from the completely unengaging plot).

P.S. This girl just read a small article and it TURNS OUT: the themes of immigration and feminism are raised in the novel (Karl, where was that?!). I don't deny that such things slipped by, but with what magnifying glass do you need to read this book to highlight all these subtleties?! Forgive me, probably, I just picked up a book clearly not for my mind xD

It is often said that Iris Murdoch was a moral writer and a philosophical writer.

My reading of this novel, which happens to be my first encounter with Murdoch's works, has truly convinced me of this.

We humans are not simply fabulistic creatures. We are real people with real flaws and uncertainties.

As we strive to make sense of life, we constantly stumble and make errors in judgment.

This book is richly filled with both humor and symbolism, which added depth and charm to the reading experience.

I found myself thoroughly enjoying it and looking forward to exploring more of Murdoch's literary offerings.

Her ability to weave moral and philosophical themes into a captivating story is truly remarkable.

It makes me reflect on my own life and the choices I make, and encourages me to strive for a better understanding of the world around me.

Overall, this novel has been a delightful discovery and has left a lasting impression on me.

I can't wait to see what other treasures await me in the works of Iris Murdoch.

Prefigures Brexit, Me Too, press lords (Murdoch/Maxwell?).

There are strong hints of "The Turn of the Screw" in the complex and convoluted sibling relationships.

The novel features wonderful set pieces. Take, for instance, the "committee meeting" of Artemis, which is both engaging and thought-provoking. Then there's the dreadful Gatsbyian party at Mischa Fox's mansion, which is vividly described and adds a touch of extravagance to the story. The narrative is told contrapuntally, with Murdoch's trademark gravity, proportion, and intimation of the tragic in the most ordinary of lives.

To be sure, as readers here have pointed out, there are flaws in the novel. However, in my opinion, the merits far outweigh them. The prose is simply lovely, lucid, and never hyper-inflated or overwritten. It flows smoothly, drawing the reader in and keeping them engaged from beginning to end.

Overall, this is a remarkable work that showcases Murdoch's talent as a writer and her ability to create a rich and detailed world that is both fascinating and deeply moving.

It's a truly sad day indeed when I come across the first Iris Murdoch book that I don't have an affinity for.

I have always held her works in high regard, having been enthralled by the beauty and depth of her previous novels.

However, I suppose it's only natural that not every single one of her books can be considered a masterpiece.

Perhaps this particular one just didn't resonate with me on the same level as her others.

It could be due to a variety of reasons, such as the plot not grabbing my attention, the characters not being as engaging, or the writing style not quite hitting the mark.

Nevertheless, I still have the utmost respect for Iris Murdoch as a writer and will continue to explore her other works in the hope of rediscovering the magic that I have come to expect from her.

Murdoch was not only a novelist but also a philosopher. In 1953, she published a book about Sartre, whose focus was on the conflict between conformity and authenticity. In her novel, Murdoch's approach to this theme is that her characters exist on the verge of chaos. They are never passive but always strive for something, even if they don't fully comprehend what it is they desire. There is no one else in control, no God dictating the final outcomes of these lives, yet there are various enchanters.

Murdoch endeavors to create authentic characters, specifically those that are completely distinct from herself as the author. She works hard to avoid stereotypes. Her protagonists are not mere symbols used as pawns to hammer a moral lesson into the reader's head. People are eccentric, opaque, and not fully knowable, and so are Murdoch's characters.

**Spoiler alert**

According to Webster, to enchant means to cast a spell over, to charm, and to delight. Mischa Fox is clearly our central enchanter. He seems to have everyone under his spell, and everyone is interested in him. He appears ageless, lacks a clear ethnicity, and is extremely wealthy. He has one blue eye and one brown eye. Mischa is a Russian name meaning "Who is like God?" - a name that is a question!

He is the puppet master, yet his puppets seem strangely willing. Over the course of the novel, they inexorably move into his orbit but find ways to extricate themselves when they get too deep. They are drawn to him, with all his wealth and power, as a protector who can offer them freedom from toil, while also acknowledging that with this help comes bondage, control, and oblivion. Some confuse love with enchantment (e.g. Nina), and their ejection from the power of the enchanter is the most extreme.

Annette and Rosa are the two primary characters, both of whom are enchanted by Mischa. Both grow over the course of the novel. Annette is youthful, optimistic, and idealistic. She quits school to be educated in the school of life. However, she quickly realizes that the school of life is quite harsh. A couple of men make advances towards her, she discovers that her unreciprocated fascination with Mischa has put her at odds with Rosa, whom she loves. She falls down the stairs and breaks a leg, and she even attempts suicide only to be saved by Hunter and her mother.

Rosa works in a factory and tries to find truth through misguided attempts to help people and make others happy.

Character and Enchanter:

Rosa - Mischa Fox, Lusiewicz brothers, the memory of her mother

Annette - Mischa Fox, the beauty of her own body

Nina - Mischa Fox

Peter Saward - Rosa?

Rainborough - Mischa Fox, Miss Casement

Hunter - Mischa Fox

Mothers are also early enchanters - Annette's famous and beautiful mother, Rosa's role model mother, the Lusiewicz brothers' mother...