A mid-range Iris Murdoch sex hexagon.

Here we have the typical narcissistic, deluded yet ultimately likeable central male character. Around him (and with him), a cast of upper-middle class English caricatures engage in copulation and emotional disintegration.

It's not quite on the same level as "The Sea, The Sea" or "Under the Net", but it's enjoyable enough. However, over the second half, it descends into what I believe is known in the trade as "restoration comedy" territory.

This seems to mainly consist of people breathlessly bursting into rooms to announce that they're having an affair with so-and-so's wife/sister/brother/therapist. And so-and-so is surprisingly affable about it, usually because he/she has also been having an affair with the same person.

It's a rather complex web of relationships and antics that keeps the reader engaged, although perhaps not reaching the heights of some of Murdoch's other works.

Nonetheless, it offers an interesting exploration of human nature and the often absurd ways in which people interact and form connections.

Overall, it's a decent read that has its moments of entertainment and thought-provoking insights.

I got hooked on Iris Murdoch for a year or so when I was around 20 and read more than half of her novels.

But I did wonder where she got her ideas from. I mean, here she was, a respectable married professor of philosophy and whatnot, and her plots were always this tangled mess of everyone sleeping with everyone else in between dropping clever epigrams about Wittgenstein. I guessed that she just had a very active imagination.

It's always strange to look back and wonder how one could have been so naive. As the whole world now knows, Murdoch's life was a tangled mess of everyone sleeping with everyone else. I don't know whether her lovers dropped clever epigrams about Wittgenstein, but I bet she did, and they probably felt they needed to keep up. I can just see them frantically preparing with their understanding wives. "Darling, I'm meeting Iris this afternoon, and I need a few more witty things to say in bed. Any suggestions? No, sorry, I used that one last time."

Now, where does Iain Banks get his ideas? Evidently, his life can't be a guilt-soaked nightmare of incest, rape and murder. But then again, who knows? Maybe he has a secret life that we know nothing about. Maybe he's living out all the horrors and tragedies that he writes about in his books. Or maybe he's just a very talented writer with a vivid imagination.

Either way, it's fascinating to think about where writers get their inspiration from. It makes you wonder what goes on in their minds and what kind of experiences they've had that have led them to create the worlds and characters that we love to read about.

In fact, before the creation of "Murdock", the screenwriters of Latin American soap operas were pitiful amateurs.

The brief content of the first act of the "Marlezonski Ballet": We have a man and a woman. The man has a young mistress. The woman has a lover who is the best friend of the family and incidentally a psychoanalyst /ugh, truly, in practice it turns out that he is also an amateur/. The man has mild homosexual tendencies towards the said lover but is cautious. The same /the psychoanalyst/ has a terrible sister. The sister also has our hero, and also a brother. As a result of the complex scheme that a screenwriter of the XXL channel would already envy, the man realizes that he is in love with his wife, after which the love for the terrible sister of the lover suddenly shakes him. The sister, for her part, sleeps with her brother, and the hero's brother will marry his mistress, while in fact he sleeps with his wife.

The only one not affected in this tragedy worthy of Hesiod is the hero's sister, who somehow remains aside, the bitter one. I think it would be most just if the mourning wife shook her and in this way made a full Kent flush royal for the Finch-Gibbon family. And the line of the lesbian secretaries of the main hero remained undisclosed and slightly incomplete.

However, if the dear reader is slightly bored by the development of events, he can always be entertained with the numerous but at the same time boring details regarding the furnishings, the fights, the alcohol tolerance of the discussed family, as well as with the assortment of "Harrods".

I wonder what all the dramatization, philosophizing and attempts to introduce a pseudo-intellectual note into the narrative were for, instead of it being within the framework of the classical ancient Roman orgy. At least the heroes would have saved the moving of the furniture, and the dear reader would have remained much more satisfied.

For the impatient: The wife shoots the lover and throws herself at the husband's brother, the husband stays with the terrible sister of the lover, the lover leaves with the mistress in search of a beautiful future, and only the hero's sister remains all alone. The bitter one.

In "A Severed Head", Martin Lynch-Gibbon is a well-known wine merchant and a sophisticated man who happily engages in two-timing. He has been having an affair with Georgie, a friend and lecturer at the prestigious London School of Economics, while betraying his wife, Antonia.

The story details the collapse of his marriage and his wife's affairs with two men. One of them, Palmer Anderson, a manipulative and obnoxious psychoanalyst, had an affair with Antonia even before her marriage to Martin. The other is with Martin's sculptor brother, Alexander.

The novel also introduces us to the remarkable Honor Klein, Palmer's sister. She is sui generis, devilish, deeply disturbing, and a brilliant academic.

The book is beautifully written, and Martin's narration is compelling. The author's intelligence and her deft, brilliant characterizations are powerfully evoked. Even when the characters' natures are most troubling, their psychology, self-deceptions, quirks, temperaments, and dialogue are vividly portrayed.

Martin finds himself in a mess. He thought he was in control of his life, but it becomes clear that he is easily duped and cuckolded while deceiving himself and others. Murdoch understands the vicissitudes, muddle, confusion, and self-deception of being human.

Surprisingly, although it's difficult to care for or empathize with most of the characters (except Georgie), as a reader, you're held captive by the story. From the beginning, you can't wait to turn the page to find out what other levels of hell will unfold.

Besides Georgie, the characters are mostly loathsome. Antonia is foul, full of platitudes, and always demanding that others comply with her notions of love and consideration, which are really about pleasing herself. She is a true narcissist.

What troubled me most was the depiction of Honor Klein. Martin's anti-Semitic and obsessively hateful description of her was disturbing. However, as a reader, you soon realize that his negative obsession with her reflects his deeply troubled self.

Despite the awfulness, you're addicted to learning more about Honor. She is fascinating and a force to be reckoned with. For example, the scene where Martin asks her to demonstrate the use of her samurai sword is memorable.

In conclusion, "A Severed Head" is a disturbing, nightmarish, and brilliant novel that depicts the shenanigans, deceptions, and self-deceptions of having an affair. It is also clever, compelling, thought-provoking, powerful, and thoroughly entertaining. Highly recommended.

3.5 Stars

This rating of 3.5 stars indicates a somewhat above-average performance or quality. It suggests that there are aspects that are quite good, but perhaps not perfect.

When we see a 3.5-star rating, it implies that the item or service has met most of the expectations. It may have some minor flaws or areas for improvement, but overall, it still offers a decent experience.

For example, a restaurant with a 3.5-star rating might have delicious food, but the service could be a bit slow at times. Or a product with this rating might work well, but its design could be a bit lacking.

In conclusion, a 3.5-star rating is a respectable one, showing that the subject has some strengths and is worthy of consideration, even though it may not be without its faults.

The original article is not provided, so I can't rewrite and expand it specifically. However, I can give you a general example to show you how it might be done.

Let's assume the original article is: "The new movie is very good. The story is interesting and the acting is great."

Here is the rewritten and expanded version:

The new movie is truly outstanding.

It presents a captivating story that keeps the audience engaged from start to finish.

The plot is filled with twists and turns, adding an element of excitement and unpredictability.

Moreover, the acting in the movie is of a very high standard.

The actors bring the characters to life, portraying their emotions and personalities with great authenticity.

Each performance is nuanced and believable, making it easy for the viewers to connect with the characters on an emotional level.

Overall, this new movie is a must-see for anyone who loves good cinema.

More Murdoch!

This is one of her earlier books. It is truly fascinating to observe how her central concerns are manifested in this plot. The novel was published shortly after her philosophical collection of essays, The Sovereignty of Good.

In A Severed Head, one of the secondary characters explicitly states, "I don't believe that we make moral decisions based on a sudden convulsion of will, but sometimes the moment comes where you really do have to choose." I am paraphrasing here.

What is particularly delightful in the narration is the way we can witness how the protagonist's evolving perception of his surroundings reflects a deepening understanding of the impact of his own choices. One early chapter includes an elaborate description of the knick-knacks, decorations, and furniture in a living room. However, after a plot twist, the same items are presented in a drastically different light. It is not overly obvious but rather stark, adding a layer of complexity and depth to the story.

This aspect of the novel keeps the reader engaged and makes them reflect on the consequences of our actions and the role of morality in our lives.

The Dame delves into the gothic genre within "The Unicorn."

Here, she endeavors to crack the hard nut of "artificial comedy," paying homage to Schnitzler and Coward. In her intimate circle, there is a lively atmosphere as people move around beds, exchanging witty remarks.

It's important to note that this is not intended to be taken overly seriously. It presents a sensibility that lacks a certain degree of practical sense, and portrays sex as a manifestation of nervousness.

This exploration of the gothic genre through the lens of artificial comedy offers a unique and perhaps somewhat satirical perspective on human relationships and behaviors.

It invites the reader to view these elements in a different light, and to question the conventions and expectations that often govern our understanding of such themes.

The Dame's work in "The Unicorn" thus becomes a fascinating study in the intersection of different literary traditions and the exploration of complex human emotions.

aaa joj! I was so happy when I started reading it in the library, but now that happiness has turned into the opposite. It was still going well until the middle, and then as the plot unfolded, as the characters started to manipulate more and more, damn it... In a healthy mind, they don't even know who is sewing whom there, everyone loves; each loves their partner but ends up with someone else. Literally, I was arguing with the characters and I couldn't "swallow" them. So much complication and manipulation and giving emotional pain to others in life, is it really necessary?!

This story really took an unexpected turn. At first, it seemed like a nice and engaging read. But as it went on, it became a web of confusion and drama. The characters' actions and decisions were so hard to understand and accept. I found myself getting frustrated with how they treated each other. It made me question if this kind of complexity and emotional turmoil is what we really need in our fictional stories.

Maybe I was hoping for a more straightforward and heartwarming tale. Something that would leave me feeling good and inspired. Instead, I was left with a sense of dissatisfaction. But perhaps that's the nature of some books. They make you think and feel a range of emotions, even if they're not always positive. Still, I can't help but wonder if there's a better way to tell a story without all this unnecessary complication and emotional pain.

Well, to be honest, I didn't have a great liking for this work. However, I can't simply give it just 1 star because it did possess some good aspects.

The writing, for instance, is okay. There are moments when you can isolate paragraphs and think that they might belong to a masterpiece.

The characters initially seem solid and realistic. But then, they start to behave in a rather strange way. Of course, this can be considered realistic as people do tend to act erratically from time to time.

It appears that the writer changes her mind, inserts a new plot twist, and then makes it a double twist because the character doesn't behave as expected. In fact, the other characters actually point this out, which shows how Murdoch seems to be messing with her own creation.

Anyway, this is a minor drawback. My main disappointment was that I was anticipating some crime, perhaps a real severed head, or at least more drama than a silly romance story in the style of TV series romances among a small group of protagonists.

And yes, this is a spoiler, but I think people should be warned. Here it is: Everyone cheats on the other with another person from a very small group. Let's say there are 5 main characters who know each other, some are siblings and some are married. Now, each one of them has sex or is at least in love with at least 2 of the other 4 people in the group. And with no bisexual in the group, one could argue that everyone is having a relationship with everyone else.

Perhaps if I were a silly girl in her teens, I might appreciate it. But for such a story with several overall weaknesses to be considered a classic? Or at least one of the best books of a classic writer? Pff... and then they wonder why I read science fiction and fantasy. Even weak DnD novels are far better than this.

Ingeniosa telenovela turca.

Turkish soap operas are known for their ingenuity and captivating storylines. They often feature complex characters and unexpected plot twists that keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

The production values of these telenovelas are also quite high, with beautiful sets, costumes, and cinematography.

Watching a Turkish telenovela can be a truly immersive experience, transporting you to a different world and culture.

However, it can also be quite exhausting, especially if you get really hooked on the show.

I find myself staying up late to watch the latest episodes, and then feeling tired the next day.

But despite the exhaustion, I can't seem to stop watching. There's just something about these ingenious telenovelas that keeps drawing me in.

Maybe it's the drama, the romance, or the mystery. Or maybe it's just the fact that they offer a brief escape from the real world.

Whatever the reason, I'm addicted to Turkish telenovelas, and I don't see myself quitting anytime soon.

I truly love this book! It has captured my heart and imagination from the very first page. The story is engaging, filled with interesting characters and exciting plot twists. The author's writing style is captivating, making it easy for me to get lost in the world of the book. I find myself constantly thinking about the story and the characters even when I'm not reading. This book has become a source of inspiration and entertainment for me. It has taught me valuable lessons and has made me see the world in a different light. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good read. Whether you're a fan of fiction or non-fiction, this book has something for everyone. So, if you're looking for a book that will keep you entertained and engaged, look no further than this one!