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

15 replies

TuttiFrutti · 21/03/2012 20:36

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?

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TuttiFrutti · 22/03/2012 14:26

No one?

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porcamiseria · 26/03/2012 16:08

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

maisie215 · 27/03/2012 08:26

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 Grin

TuttiFrutti · 27/03/2012 20:37

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?

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GeorginaWorsley · 02/04/2012 17:45

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

stillwaiting12 · 03/04/2013 19:23
  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 · 03/04/2013 20:07

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!

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stillwaiting12 · 03/04/2013 21:18

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 · 04/04/2013 09:47

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 · 04/04/2013 10:01

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 · 10/12/2018 17:58

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.

Sheeptest · 27/04/2025 10:04

I think that Lysander is Andromeda, that's the only way the book makes sense to me. Hear me out...

Lysander is the only individual that connects Vienna (where he was recruited by the Austrians), all events and other possible suspects. Lysander is described as a German/Austrian wolf early in the book. He personally instigates the deaths of all the people who could expose him - Glockner, Vandenbrook and his mother. The only person who would plausibly use the Andromeda libretto as the code is Lysander. He lied to Madame Duchesne about the libretto code because he is Andromeda. She was right to identify him as a traitor and shoot him for it. Vandenbrook realizes Lysander is Andromeda just before he is killed. Vandenbrook's actions are always consistent with this. Lysander lured Vandenbrook to his death, but claims it was suicide and hides the meeting from his spymasters. Lysander set up the theatre meeting between Vandenbrook and his spymasters as a plant for his story.

In the penultimate chapter there is a jarring exchange between Lysander and Munro about the letters being posted from London. Lysander realises he slipped up and wants to know the source of the information. This part sticks out from the rest of the chapter, revealing the twist about Lysander being Andromeda just before the end of the book.

A core part of the book's first section shows Lysander's character with him lying about the gardener's son.
The quote at the start of the book explaining its premise: "Truly, to tell lies is not honourable; but when the truth entails tremendous ruin, to speak dishonourably is pardonable".
The last sentence of the book is "it's hard to make things out clearly, hard to tell exactly what is what, and who is whom - Mr Lysander Rief looks like someone who is far more at ease occupying the cold security of the dark; a man happier with the dubious comfort of the shadows."
The whole book is Parallelism, where Lysander twists his lies to make a new 'truth'.

Does this sound right? Or have I not had enough sleep?!

Sheeptest · 27/04/2025 10:19

Sorry, reposting because the formatting is messed up and I can't delete it:

I think that Lysander is Andromeda, that's the only way the book makes sense to me. Hear me out...

Lysander is the only individual that connects Vienna (where he was recruited by the Austrians), all events and other possible suspects.
Lysander is described as a German/Austrian wolf early in the book.
He personally instigates the deaths of all the people who could expose him - Glockner, Vandenbrook and his mother.
The only person who would plausibly use the Andromeda libretto as the code is Lysander.
He lied to Madame Duchesne about the libretto code because he is Andromeda. She was right to identify him as a traitor and shoot him for it.
Vandenbrook realizes Lysander is Andromeda just before he is killed. Vandenbrook's actions are always consistent with this.
Lysander lured Vandenbrook to his death, but claims it was suicide and hides the meeting from his spymasters.
Lysander set up the theatre meeting between Vandenbrook and his spymasters as a plant for his story.

In the penultimate chapter there is a jarring exchange between Lysander and Munro about the letters being posted from London. Lysander realises he slipped up and wants to know the source of the information. This part sticks out from the rest of the chapter, revealing the twist about Lysander being Andromeda just before the end of the book.

A core part of the book's first section shows Lysander's character with him lying about the gardener's son.
The quote at the start of the book explaining its premise: "Truly, to tell lies is not honourable; but when the truth entails tremendous ruin, to speak dishonourably is pardonable".
The last sentence of the book is "it's hard to make things out clearly, hard to tell exactly what is what, and who is whom - Mr Lysander Rief looks like someone who is far more at ease occupying the cold security of the dark; a man happier with the dubious comfort of the shadows."
The whole book is Parallelism, where Lysander twists his lies to make a new 'truth'.

Does this sound right? Or have I not had enough sleep?!

EmotionallyWeird · 27/04/2025 21:27

I have read it but not recently enough to be able to answer the question. I do like William Boyd, but I have a feeling that was not one of his best.

TonTonMacoute · 30/04/2025 15:37

I have to say that the last few WB books I have read I have not found enjoyable at all, and I have now abandoned him, when he used to be a must read.

The last two were Sweet Caress and one about a piano tuner (Love is Blind?). I just kept thinking when is something going to happen? Dull!.

Any Human Heart, on the other hand, is one of the best books I've ever read.

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