I wasn't precisely drawn in by the synopsis on the back of my Warner Library paperback edition of this 1962 novel. However, I've never been disappointed by an Iris Murdoch book thus far, and this one was no exception.

It's a novel that delves into the themes of love and British etiquette among the upper echelons of society. A Tintoretto painting serves as the centerpiece, along with a German dagger. One of the main characters in the novel is Hugh Peronett, a late middle-aged widower whom many of the female characters affectionately refer to as a "simple ass." I've been called an ass by women I've admired. I could potentially die content if at some point in my life a powerful and attractive British woman were to call me an ass. But that's straying outside the bounds of this novel's review.

Let's return to Hugh. Thanks to the passing of his wife Fanny, he is now free to pursue a former mistress of his youth, Emma Sands. Emma is one of those mysterious souls who people many of the Iris Murdoch novels I've read. She writes detective novels, has never married, and lives in London with her beautiful assistant, Lindsay Rimmer. Lindsay has caught the eye of Hugh's son, Randall. Randall writes unsuccessful plays while neglecting his nursery business. He wants to run away with Lindsay. But Randall is married to Ann, and together they are raising a troubled teenage daughter named Miranda.

However, there are more unrequited love affairs in this book, along with furtive plots, secrets, and agendas that keep the story moving along quite nicely. And there is the smooth elegance of Murdoch's writing that keeps the reader happily immersed in her world of both the sacred and the profane. Highly recommended for lovers of British literature.

Murdoch's portrayal of human relationships is truly remarkable. She has a unique way of exposing their painful and unpredictable nature. In her works, we can see the wild passion of an affair that is shared by both father and son. This passionate connection is in stark contrast to the steady insipidity of marriage, which often lacks the excitement and spontaneity that affairs seem to offer.

Furthermore, Murdoch explores the intense longing of first love. The emotions associated with first love are often raw and powerful, and she captures them beautifully in her writing. The setting of her stories is also filled with juxtapositions that reflect the various relationships. Greyhallow, for example, is a place of both passion and isolation. It is a place where people can experience intense emotions, but it can also be a lonely and desolate place.

The rose nursery in her works represents both sexual desire and decay. The beauty and fragrance of the roses symbolize the allure of sexual desire, while the decaying flowers and the overgrown garden suggest the inevitable decline and destruction that can come with passion. Overall, Murdoch's writing is a powerful exploration of the complex and often painful nature of human relationships.

I have an intense love for Iris Murdoch. She holds a special place as my all-time favorite author. I relish every single one of her books, and I don't mind reading them over and over again. So, it came as a bit of a shock to me when I didn't fall in love with "An Unofficial Rose".

Make no mistake, it is a good book. In fact, it truly is. But it just isn't her absolute best work. At certain moments, it almost gave the impression of being formulaic. Once more, she takes good-natured individuals and twists the circumstances to observe whether truly good people will engage in bad behavior or act contrary to themselves because of their inherent goodness. Generally, her characters are so captivating and one-of-a-kind that this whole process is utterly fascinating. However, in "An Unofficial Rose", I simply didn't care about the characters. The characters were indeed quirky, with a mix of good, evil, and duplicitous traits - all the typical character types were there. But in the end, I didn't like any of them. Even worse, I found almost all of them to be boring to varying degrees.

Nonetheless, Murdoch's use of language in "An Unofficial Rose" is as magnificent as ever. She has this remarkable ability to create beauty while描绘 the most ordinary of scenes. There were certain passages that I relished, but overall, the book failed to meet the high expectations I have for Murdoch's novels.

I once had the opportunity to describe Iris Murdoch's books as being centered around 'unpleasant people in difficult situations'. And this particular book very much adheres to that description.

However, I say this with an abundance of love. This novel truly represents the standard of Murdoch's work. I found great enjoyment in it as it possessed her usual sharp wit and dry sense of humor, which were skillfully woven into what could otherwise be regarded as a rather straightforward romantic novel.

I don't believe I would recommend this as an 'entry level Murdoch' for those who are new to her works. Instead, I think it is more likely to be appreciated by those of us who already have a deep affection for her writing. We will be able to fully embrace and savor the unique charm and style that this book has to offer.

A novel set in England during the 1950s or perhaps the 1960s tells the story of a family where everyone seems to be in a state of unhappiness. The web of love interests is a tangled mess. All the men in the family either act childishly or stupidly, or maybe both. The women, on the other hand, are passive and rather weird. Hugh, who has just lost his wife of many decades, suddenly has the urge to return to the woman he had an affair with long ago. However, she has no interest in taking him back and is instead busy devising a plan to make Hugh's son Randall leave his wife Ann for another woman. Meanwhile, the neighbor has been secretly and madly in love with Ann for years. When Randall leaves, he might finally reveal his love. But then again, will his sister ruin everything by revealing her own love for Hugh first? In the end, it seems that things worked out well for all of them.

I can't help thinking that Iris Murdoch is a much under-rated novelist.

As far as I am concerned, her work has weathered the last 70 years much better than most of the male British novelists of the 1950s and 60s.

Her novels are not only well-written but also deeply thought-provoking.

This particular work is a prime example. It is a well-constructed narrative that held my attention throughout.

The cast of characters is richly developed, each with their own unique personalities and motives.

The exploration of their personal relationships is fascinating, delving into the complex emotions and dynamics that exist between people.

Murdoch's writing style is both elegant and accessible, making her novels a pleasure to read.

I highly recommend her work to anyone who enjoys a good story with depth and substance.

Absolutely delicious tale and language - renewed my interest in Iris Murdoch. The story she weaves is like a beautiful tapestry, with each word carefully chosen and placed to create a vivid and engaging world. The language she uses is rich and evocative, painting pictures in the reader's mind that are both stunning and unforgettable. It's as if she has a magical touch that can bring her characters and their emotions to life on the page. Reading her work is like embarking on a journey of discovery, where every turn of the page reveals something new and wonderful. I can't wait to explore more of her novels and see what other treasures she has in store for me.

There is a plethora of fascinating elements to uncover in this captivating novel. Once more, Murdoch showcases her remarkable talent for depicting the banality of life in an extraordinary fashion. For instance, towards the commencement, we witness how Hugh, upon departing his wife's funeral, abruptly perceives himself as a fragile old man - a shrewd observation regarding the way we seldom envision ourselves as others do from an external perspective. A central theme for me is the manner in which all the characters believe they understand the dynamics occurring between them, while the reality couldn't be more distant from the truth. As we are all aware, nothing in life is simply black and white. At times, the complexities of who loves whom verge on descending into the kind of elaborate intrigues seen in Murdoch's earlier novels. However, in this book, there always appears to be a sense of tranquility and serenity, despite all the various goings-on. In line with Murdoch's previous work, the main characters in this volume are exceedingly difficult to like. Yet, I found myself at one juncture beginning to feel ever so slightly sorry for one of them - a testament to Murdoch's prowess in drawing one into the narrative, only to deliver a jolt on the subsequent page! All in all, it is a most pleasurable read.

On the funeral of his wife, a man meets his former lover. There is still gunpowder, but the gunpowder women are no longer the same. However, one can let loose on children and grandchildren.

This is almost a tragic farce because it is just life and human relationships with oneself and the surroundings, exemplified by a particular English family. The members of this family are generally rather disorganized and reflect on this unusually much.

The text is like thick dough. You move very slowly in it, and you can't pick it up with a grunt. Therefore, I don't recommend it as reading for easy and quick satisfaction. But I got pleasure from it: from curious situations worthy of sitcoms, from the ebb and flow of human mood and consciousness, from intertextuality. Finally, from fairy tales to Shakespeare to Tintoretto.

What is the book about? It's a story of love, lust, yearning, desire and dismay. Not a bad mix for a book beginning with a funeral, eh?

I did not enjoy this story in the slightest.

It was filled with characters who were either manipulative, mean-spirited, or at best, weak-willed.

None of them were honest with themselves or with each other.

Their actions and behaviors were often frustrating and unlikable.

I found myself skimming through the latter part of the story just to get through it.

The lack of authenticity and genuine emotion in the characters made it difficult for me to engage with the story on a deeper level.

I expected more from the author in terms of character development and storytelling.

Overall, it was a disappointing read that failed to capture my interest or imagination.

To be honest, I was a bit disappointed.

Everyone has potentially romantic relationships with someone. So far, everything was fine. But why does life try to theoretically mess things up and that in some other place? And 2/3 of the films seemed simply undecided and a bit dull to me. They were already thought to be like that. But why do I have to read the same thing over many pages? I received the message that often we ourselves complicate our lives or deny happiness, and in the end, there was at least one interesting twist, for which it gets 3 stars instead of 2. (And also for the environmental portrayal.)

This experience made me realize that sometimes we expect too much from certain things or situations. We build up these high expectations in our minds, and when reality doesn't quite match up, we feel let down. However, it's important to also look for the little闪光点 in everything. Maybe that one interesting twist or the nice environmental portrayal can make the overall experience a bit more enjoyable. We should try to approach things with a more open and flexible mindset, not always being so rigid in our expectations. That way, we might be able to find more joy and satisfaction in the simple things of life.

This is my third Murdoch book, and unfortunately, it is my least favourite one up to this point.

I truly adored the first two books that I read by this author. The writing in this particular book is indeed beautifully done.

However, my main issue with it was the absence of any likable characters. Pretty much every single character in the story gave me the creeps in one way or another.

This made it extremely difficult for me to truly fall in love with the story. Despite this drawback, there are numerous gorgeous passages and profound human observations throughout the book.

These elements alone made it still worth the read. I found myself constantly highlighting and taking notes of the beautiful prose and the interesting insights into human nature.

Although the lack of likable characters was a significant flaw for me, I have to admit that Murdoch's writing skills are truly remarkable.

I will definitely continue to read her other works in the future, hoping to find that perfect combination of a captivating story and endearing characters.