The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch

[perceptionreality]

Would you recommend? I think I would love it and was interested to see what people think.

I read that the characterisation is very good and on Amazon a reviewer says it's a bit like The Secret History.

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You've reminded me to get back to this book. I read about the first 50-60 pages and then was distracted/busy. But I was really enjoying it. It is very intriguing indeed. The central male character is very interesting and some of the opening events are unsettling -- in a good way.

OP this is a wonderful book. I think Iris Murdoch has an unfair reputation as being a "difficult" writer to read, but that's so not the case.

You may also like The Bell and The Unicorn (which I'm re-reading now, hence my interest in your post).

We've had to have a clearout of books recently because my mum moved in with us and needed space in the spare bedroom, and these were the 3 of my Iris Murdoch's books that I kept because I've enjoyed reading and re-reading them.

I loved it too, would definitely give it a go. Not too difficult IMO.

Thanks for your replies. I will definitely try it then. It looks really intriguing and I like books where the cerntral characters are complicated.

The Bell is good - I studied it for A level and loved it.

I love the Bell. I found The Sea, The Sea hard work (brings back memories of being on a skiing trip and slicing my leg on day one, so I had nothing else to do but read that book).

I loved The Sea, The Sea. As others above, highly recommend The Bell which I think is my absolute favourite of hers along with The Unicorn and The Sandcastle.

I loved The Sea, The Sea

Also Under the Net, which was her first novel. It's very funny and clever

It's a long time since I read it, so I'm leaving the reviews to others, but I see that no one has mentioned this important point: It is NOTHING LIKE THe Secret History.

Also a bit hmm to see it compared to the Secret History- agree with surgeon, it's nothing like it, but I loved it.

Yeah it's not like The Secret History at all

I didn't notice the Secret History comparison - absolutely nothing like at all.

I'd forgotten Under the Net - that's what I love about this bit of MN, it puts me back in touch with a whole lot of books I read when I was young and didn't have a brain like ice cream spilled on the pavement on a hot summer's day.