Has anyone read Waiting for Sunrise by William Boyd? What on earth was going on?

[TuttiFrutti]

I've just finished it, and I loved it, but was a bit flummoxed by the ending. Who really was Andromeda? Are we meant to think it was Jack Fyfe-Miller? And why, all the way through, did Lysander not act on his discoveries but play for time instead?

[TuttiFrutti]

No one?

[porcamiseria]

just re-reading all my William Boyd, BUT not read this one !

[maisie215]

I went to see william Boyd talk about it last week. He was a very good speaker. I also love his books.

I didn't really get this one either though tbh. I thought it was being set up for bensimon or hettie to be the key figure and was a bit disappointed when it wasn't. I was also convinced the child didn't exist. My version would have made more sense and been better

[TuttiFrutti]

Thanks Maisie, that is really interesting. I too was convinced the child didn't exist, although I am sure we were supposed to suspect this: Hettie having a completely flat stomach at 4 months pregnant, the child never being seen, her coming to England without him and saying she'd left him with an aunt...

But did you really think it was plausible that Vanderbrook was behind it all and the blackmail was just a made up story?

[GeorginaWorsley]

Couldn't get it at all.I love wartime thrillers but this left me cold.
I also thought child didn't exist.

[stillwaiting12]

1. What was the significance of all the characters being linked to Bensimon?! Why did they pick Lysander of all people? And, why did Bensimon tell hettie Lysander's sex habits or his undressing story! Yet, he never told us what Munro wanted..
   
2. Were we meant to doubt the mind games of Parallelism too? At one point didn't Freud scoff and wish him good luck with his suspiciously fast recovery (p108)... maybe he was just being stubborn or jealous?
   
3. Vanderbrook stuck to his blackmail story even whilst holding a gun to Lysander's head when all inhibitions were gone. Who was blackmailing him!
   
4. that baby was clearly made up!! Maybe for money?

[TuttiFrutti]

Oh stillwaiting, you have got me thinking about it again all over again now... I really did enjoy it, but there were too many annoying loose ends. It made me suspect I was being stupid. Good to hear that others couldn't work it out either!

[stillwaiting12]

It's good to see the questions in writing to check that I didn't just miss something major... or did I?
Bah, ah well. I did enjoy it - the last chapters' writing redeemed the rest of it.
Do update the page if you see that Boyd does have answers for us stupid ones!

[AnonymousBird]

I was just about to post asking whether this was worth a read - I haven't really read this thread though, to avoid any spoilers!!! It's just come down to £3 or so on Kindle so I may indulge.....

[Galaxymum]

I have this as top of my TBR list. Just read Restless and I was completely hooked. That was my first William Boyd novel. Now I'm intrigued to read this one but may not take it on holiday next week!

[Sprecher]

Wasn't Andromida his mother. She was blackmailing Vandebrook. Why else did she kill herself? Lysander knew it was her and covered it up by having Vanderbrook killed.