3.0
The Comforters
By Muriel SparkPublisher Description
Spark’s mind-bogglingly stunning 1957 debut
With easy, sunny eeriness, Spark lights up the darkest things: blackmail, a drowning, nervous breakdowns, a ring of smugglers, a loathsome busybody, a diabolic bookseller, human evil.Download the free Fable app
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communities27 Reviews
3.0
Lucie
Created 4 days agoShare
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Elle K
Created 2 months agoShare
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Han Jar
Created 5 months agoShare
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“I have a fondness for books from this time period as they often exude whimsical and playful tones, providing a refreshing change of pace from my usual modern reads. While I hesitate to draw direct comparisons, I couldn't help but notice vague similarities in writing style and storytelling between this book and Edith Wharton's "The Age of Innocence," despite their very different plots.
"The Comforters" was presented to me as a story where a woman gradually realizes she is a character in a novel. Intrigued by this premise, I must admit I was somewhat underwhelmed as I had hoped for a more substantial execution.
Instead, the narrative unfolds as a mystery involving Laurence who suspects his grandmother's involvement in a gang, leading us through a series of intertwined storylines until the mystery is unraveled. The aspect of the woman realizing she's in a novel plays a minor role, leaving me feeling that the book could have maintained its essence even without this angle, resembling a chaotic rendition of the "it was all a dream" trope.
There is some pretty blatant homophobia in this novel as well, I suppose more a product of the time period in which it was written. The portrayal of homosexual characters borders on caricature, almost comically exaggerated and I feel like those of you that know my heart can guess what I mean by that.
Despite its convoluted narrative, "The Comforters" remains an entertaining and silly read. I am intrigued to explore more of Muriel Spark's works, as her unique voice shines through despite the disjointed storytelling.”
carleigh
Created 5 months agoShare
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haya
Created 7 months agoShare
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“not my cup of tea, i see why people like it”
About Muriel Spark
Muriel Spark (1918–2006) was the author of dozens of novels, including The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Memento Mori, A Far Cry from Kensington, The Girls of Slender Means, The Ballad of Peckham Rye, The Driver’s Seat, and many more. She became Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1993.
Other books by Muriel Spark
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