Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful, witty book, November 10, 2000
Robertson Davies is a Candian literary icon. His genius imbues all his writing - this most of all. With a wonderful narrative told from three characters perspectives, he weaves a story of the banality of academia (it reminded me of Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum in this manner) along with characters that are both lovable and disgusting somehow. Except for Maria. She is the beauty of the story, the woman who must endure the silly old academic men, but who herself needs to learn about who she is and to find her identity in the midst of insanity. Davies does not fully create a completely believeable female character in my opinion, but he comes close. His humour is unmatched. Davies writes with a biting wit that cuts with razor sharpness. He uses an ironic narrative that will always not only make one laugh, but laugh thoughtfully. He makes us think of life and love. You can't help but be made to think. This is one of Davies best, from one of the best writers Canada has ever produced. Read and Enjoy!
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
animal house of the mind, February 18, 1999
By A Customer
It's rare for a novel to be both thoughtful and rather light and frivolously entertaining--"Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" comes to mind, and this book's got the same sort of attitude. At root it's a funny, erudite, gross and at times mean satire of academia as only an ex-academic could produce--the style is (I'm sure purposefully) reminiscent of Rabelais, who's mentioned herein so frequently. On the other hand, it's a charmingly not-too-serious meditation on the variety of paths to wisdom and ways of knowing. I was rather amused by the observation of one character that (I paraphrase) medieval thinking was a mix of muddled religion, folk belief and superstition, while modern thinking is a mix of muddled science, folk belief and superstition. Perhaps the best aspect of the book is the sheer wildness of its imagination, what with Gypsy instrument-stealers and all; it's not at all surprising that Davies was a theater ham as well (there's an indulgent nod to someone I presume is a real-life actor pal of his in here). On the personal level, I think if I'd read this book at around age 18 it would've had enormous impact on me, both for the academic satire and for the gaining-wisdom thing; I would have taken both aspects far too seriously and probably have been obscurely burdened by the whole experience. Now it's just mostly good unclean fun.--J.Ruch
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A box of treasures, and an asylum of carricatures, November 28, 2002
About a quarter of way into the reading, I was reminded of Canada's other famous funny man, Saul Bellow, especially Humboldt's Gift. As I delved deeper, I saw a definitive difference: Bellow was more exuberant, and Davies wiser, more a deadpan. Just an aside, not meant as a comparative analysis. As I read, I was swept off the floor by Davies's erudition and insight. While I understood that the disciplines described in the book were his own field of academic study, and I should not feel too badly for myself if I didn't know much about Mediavel culture, Rabelais, and Gypsy lores, however, the way Mr. Davies pulled them together is nothing short of magic. Regardless of your knowledge and scholarship, to make medieval stuff fun and funny is no small talent. Even for those who do not share Davies's sense of humor will not come out empty-handed, as the tidbits of knowledge and myth can sure serve one well in cocktail conversations. This is the positive, treasure box side. Now the complaint. Despite the acclaim that the novel is a ground-breaking depiction of the ivory tower of academic pursuit, Mr. Davies failed to give a true, or truly inspired account in this regard. The characters are, by and large, two-dimensional caricatures, and in the case of female protagonists (Maria/Mamusia), not even fully a one-dimensional line. While Mr. Davies was unquestionably talented in seeing and playing off Academic Man's eccentricities and neurocism, he was not as good in injecting him with the proper counter dose of humanity, to make him truly three dimensional. Simon Darcourt is the best of the ilk, but even he does not compare in vivacity and believability to similar characters (e.g. Humboldt of the aforementioned Bellow). I find the carricaturization a severe flaw. However, an author who can give us characters (carricatured as they are) as unforgettable as John Parlabane deserves his kudos, to say nothing of the many cultural gems and masterful command of language to serve as a model of good writing.
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