DNF at 80 pages.

This book simply wasn't striking a chord with me in the slightest. From the very beginning, it failed to capture my attention and engage my interest. The story seemed to be going nowhere, and the characters lacked depth and charm. I found myself constantly skimming through the pages, hoping for something to happen that would make me want to continue reading. But alas, it never did.

Perhaps this book just isn't for me. It might be that the writing style doesn't suit my taste, or the subject matter isn't something that I'm particularly interested in. Whatever the reason, I've decided to call it quits at 80 pages. I don't see myself ever going back to this book and giving it another chance. There are just too many other great books out there waiting to be discovered.

I first encountered Iris Murdoch in the Winter of 1990 through “A Fairly Honourable Defeat”. It was a moment that would change my literary perspective forever.

During the past 30 years, I have delved deep into many of her novels, each one offering a unique and profound exploration of the human condition.

“Bruno’s Dream” is a prime example. It delves into the complex themes of Life and Death, making us question the meaning and value of our existence. It also examines Selfishness and Service, highlighting the importance of altruism in a world often driven by self-interest.

Furthermore, the novel explores Awareness and Blindness, showing how our perceptions can either enlighten or deceive us. Finally, it contemplates the Transitory and Eternal, reminding us that while life is fleeting, there are certain things that endure beyond time.

In conclusion, Iris Murdoch’s works continue to captivate and inspire me, and “Bruno’s Dream” is just one of the many treasures in her literary oeuvre.

Bruno’s Dream was not up to my expectations.

In every stage of the story, events unfold in an extreme fashion, sometimes bordering on the absurd. At the beginning, three men take on the main roles. All three of them had lost their wives several years ago and still mourned them from time to time.

In the next stage, everyone starts to fall in love. Not with just one person, but with multiple others, causing some of the relationships to overlap. Yet, they are all madly in love. They almost seem like characters straight out of a Barbara Cartland or Danielle Steel novel.

When the tangle of relationships reaches its peak, intense dramas such as duels and flood incidents occur. After that, things gradually become untangled and settle into an acceptable state.

Putting it like that, it really sounds quite silly. However, there were moments when the writer’s skill added beauty to the story. For example, how Miles’ jealousy and possessiveness were aroused by seeing Danby and Lisa, Bruno’s change in his encounters with Miles before and after he received attention from Lisa, and Adelaide’s confused love and hidden feelings of insecurity were some of the episodes that I enjoyed.

The only other Iris Murdoch book I have read is “The Secret and Profane Love Machine”. The themes of these two books are quite similar. I don’t know if all of Murdoch’s works fall into this category or not. Nevertheless, I will give some more of her books a try.

If your initial emotional response to a book is such that you feel an urge to strike the author on the head and neck with a dead possum (while wearing elbow-length rubber gloves to prevent getting the dead possum juice on yourself and spraying it all over the author), is that a sufficient reason to cease reading?

I believe that Iris Murdoch is simply not the type of author for me, in the same way that gin and tonics are not my preferred beverage.

Stopping at page 77, I have a creeping suspicion that the worst parts of the novel lie ahead. Before page 77, it was irritating enough that Murdoch switched to the present tense for only one character (Nigel), who apparently is some sort of lunatic. I have an aversion to the present tense. So when you are laboriously making your way through the past tense - and the fact that the book is written in the past tense is the only thing enabling you to progress - and suddenly crazy Nigel appears, it is just too much to bear.

Moreover, I can only endure the word "counterpane" to a certain extent in a novel. Once is truly excessive.

This person's experience with Iris Murdoch's book seems quite negative. The strange use of the present tense for one character and the overuse of the word "counterpane" have both contributed to their dissatisfaction. It's interesting to see how specific elements of a book can have such a significant impact on a reader's enjoyment and decision to continue reading.

Perhaps this reader will give other books by Murdoch a chance in the future, or maybe they will simply move on to authors who better suit their tastes. Either way, their honest assessment provides valuable insights into the reading experience.

The book describes Bruno's dying, and the pain Diana experiences only intensifies. She reaches a point where she is no longer sure if it is pain anymore. She wonders if this experience will completely transform her or if she will go back to being her ordinary self and forget what it was like in those final days with Bruno. She feels that if she can just remember it, she will be changed, but she doesn't know in what way. And what exactly is there to remember? What is that thing that seems so important, something she can understand now and is so afraid of losing? She knows she couldn't wish to endure such suffering for the rest of her life. It is a profound moment of reflection for Diana as she grapples with the impact of Bruno's death and the potential changes it will bring to her own being.

The first Iris Murdoch book I read was a challenging one. At times, a moral voice seems to enter one's mind, saying that everyone cannot fall in love with everyone. But in reality, it presents all the nakedness in which truly lost, love-starved, and lonely people can live. I think it's not so much felt love but need. After Miles' wife's death, he marries Diana because he needs someone to hold onto. And Diana also has a need to attach to a home and have someone to beautify her life. Yes, you might say he later falls in love with Lisa, but he's not really in love with her either. Due to the crazy situation she lives in with her father, she needs to escape. Darnby is looking after his old and sick widowed father, and he also has a need for something in life. And yes, the changing of needs breaks some people's hearts. The one whose heart is most broken is the beloved Diana. Essentially, you also feel sorry for the situation a woman has fallen into. But what about Bruno? He clings to his spiders, his coins, and his old memories from his sickbed.

In the book, the characters whose presence I didn't really feel much were Adeline and Will. In the end, essentially no one really had a true connection with them. Nigel, in my opinion, wasn't really a real character either. He was the voice of everyone's conscience. That's why no one liked him, and he would show up in the most unexpected places. He was interesting, crazy, but not really real.

I think it was a difficult read, but I really enjoyed every line of it. I would definitely recommend it.

This novel penned by the Booker Prize-winning author Iris Murdoch is truly a remarkable piece of work. It manages to be a tragedy, a comedy, a farce, and a soap opera all rolled into one. It is also a work of great literature that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

As I delved into this novel, I couldn't help but envision it as a theater play. The cast of eight characters interact in the most deft and absurd ways, creating a vivid and entertaining spectacle. I could see the characters making their stalking exits to stage right, delivering their lyrical lines while looking up at the spotlights, and spitting out angry words with such venom that it seemed as if spit was flying across the stage. The declarations of love and hate were both eye-rollingly insipid and yet strangely captivating. It was hilarious, but it also had the power to make you shed a tear or two.

The characters in this novel are diverse and complex. Bruno, an old man dying of an unnamed but horrific illness, is grossly disfigured but still has a clear mind. He is obsessed with spiders and stamps and is entirely reliant on his son-in-law Danby, with whom he lives. Danby has hired Nigel as Bruno's nurse and Adelaide, Nigel's cousin, as the maid. Nigel's identical twin brother, Will, shows up just to cause trouble. Meanwhile, across town, we have Miles, Bruno's estranged son, Diana, Miles's second wife, and Lisa, Diana's sister. Miles's first wife, Parvati, died soon after they were married, and he has never been able to move on from her death or the hateful things Bruno said about her.

The plot is filled with drama and intrigue. Bruno has a deathbed wish to see his son Miles and make amends for past indiscretions and arguments. Miles grudgingly agrees to see his father and is shocked not only by his appearance but also by his confessions of extramarital affairs. This sets off a chain reaction of misbehavior among the other characters, and we readers are left scrambling to keep track of who is sleeping with whom, who wants to sleep with whom, and who has been caught sleeping with whom. There is even a duel!

Despite the chaos and absurdity, Murdoch, the master writer, keeps a firm grip on the action and characters. She weaves in unforgettable and pithy philosophical lessons about the convolutions and intermingling of death and love, as well as the importance of reconciliation and redemption. Sometimes, a simple apology can mean everything.

As the reader, your job is to sit back, relax, and enjoy this little treasure of a novel. Let yourself be swept away by the drama, the humor, and the profound insights into the human condition.

Well, it was truly a delight to immerse oneself in Iris Murdoch’s writing once more, so soon after completing “The Nice and the Good”. What a significant leap it was from reading “A.L. Barker’s “John Brown’s Body”! As soon as I delved into a couple of pages of this work, I was completely hooked. The writing flowed effortlessly, and the complex characters, along with their lamentations on love and loss, were all so familiar from her shortlisted novel of the previous year.

The novel commences with Bruno on his deathbed, reflecting upon his life, the women he loved, his children, his passion for spiders, and his stamp collection. While the spiders serve as a minor theme throughout, the intricate web of interconnected characters is most certainly a reference to the web-spinning of the arachnid variety.

The themes of death and love, which were so prevalent in “The Nice and the Good”, are also prominent here, with sentences and passages of great power emerging every now and then.

For a comprehensive review, visit my blog at www.messybooker.blogspot.com.

Iris Murdoch's books are truly riveting.

They are not only complex but also possess a certain fugal quality that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish.

I have a strong desire to explore all the remaining works of hers.

The intensity of her writing is such that I find it necessary to read very different books in between to give my mind a break.

Yes, the plot may be as described, but there is so much more to her books.

They have the power to make one laugh out loud, shed tears, and marvel at her virtuosity as a writer.

Her ability to create vivid characters and intricate storylines is truly remarkable.

Each book is like a journey into a different world, filled with unique emotions and experiences.

I am constantly in awe of the depth and breadth of her literary talent.

Reading Iris Murdoch's books is not just an act of entertainment but also a profound and enriching experience.

Do you know what?

I've read two books of hers and I've decided I love Iris Murdoch.

Her writing is truly captivating. The first book I read was filled with complex characters and intricate plotlines that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

The second one was equally amazing, with its beautiful prose and deep exploration of human nature.

Murdoch has a unique ability to create worlds that are both realistic and fantastical at the same time.

Her characters are so well-developed that I felt like I knew them personally.

I can't wait to read more of her work and discover the many other treasures that she has hidden within her books.

I highly recommend Iris Murdoch to anyone who loves a good read.

A book that delves deep into the profound themes of living and dying.

Surprisingly, I managed to discover some elements of humor within the characters. They seemed to be completely befuddled about the object of their affections, which led me to question whether they truly grasped the essence of true love.

The portrayal of the dying man, Bruno, was so meticulous that one could almost envision him vividly on the page.

Murdoch's books pose a significant challenge for me when it comes to writing a review. This is because there is an abundance of complex interactions and inner musings among the characters.

There are such wild and crazy happenings throughout the story - the twins who are polar opposites, the intense duel, the torrential rain and devastating flood, the spider books, the extensive stamp collection, the various attractions, and the unexpected final outcome.

What an extraordinary and captivating story it is!!

It keeps the reader engaged from start to finish, with its rich tapestry of characters and events.

Murdoch's writing is truly a masterclass in storytelling.

Love and loss are profound themes that are delicately explored through the decline of Bruno. As he ages, he finds himself in a dream state where his own loves, losses, and regrets are laid bare.

In this dream, Bruno's past relationships and experiences come flooding back, allowing him to reflect on the choices he has made and the people he has loved and lost.

Simultaneously, those who care for him in the present are also experiencing their own loves, losses, and regrets in a variety of different ways.

Their actions and emotions mirror Bruno's, creating a complex web of interconnected stories that highlight the universality of these themes.

Through this exploration, we are reminded that love and loss are an inevitable part of life, and that we must learn to come to terms with them in order to move forward.

The dream state serves as a powerful metaphor for the way in which our past experiences shape our present and future, and how we can use these experiences to gain wisdom and understanding.

Overall, the exploration of love and loss through Bruno's decline is a poignant and thought-provoking examination of the human condition.