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Here We Are
In his newest novel, acclaimed author Graham Swift marries the erratic devastations of reality with the elusive probability of magic under the lights of vaudeville, a story of delicate illusions where what one chooses to believe can unearth the most revealing connections.
It's the summer of 1959, and something magical can be witnessed at the end of the pier in beach town Brighton, England. Jack Robbins, Ronnie Deane, and Evie White are performing in a seaside variety show, starring as Jack Robinson the compere comedian, and The Great Pablo and Eve: a magic act. By the end of the summer, Evie's glinting engagement ring will be flung to the bottom of the ocean and one of the trifecta will vanish forever.
All three friends begin their path toward the end of Brighton's pier early in life. Evie and Jack's mothers always trumpeting the support that is trademark of stage mothers, while Ronnie's mother sends her son out in the child evacuations to Penny and Eric Lawrence for safety from the London blitz. It's within the safety and love of Evergrene, the Lawrences' estate, that magic creeps into Ronnie's life for the first time and starts the intricate intertwining of fate, chance, and show business.
Magic and reality share the stage in this masterly and devastating story that pulls back the curtain on the power of love, family, and the touchstones of our memories.
It's the summer of 1959, and something magical can be witnessed at the end of the pier in beach town Brighton, England. Jack Robbins, Ronnie Deane, and Evie White are performing in a seaside variety show, starring as Jack Robinson the compere comedian, and The Great Pablo and Eve: a magic act. By the end of the summer, Evie's glinting engagement ring will be flung to the bottom of the ocean and one of the trifecta will vanish forever.
All three friends begin their path toward the end of Brighton's pier early in life. Evie and Jack's mothers always trumpeting the support that is trademark of stage mothers, while Ronnie's mother sends her son out in the child evacuations to Penny and Eric Lawrence for safety from the London blitz. It's within the safety and love of Evergrene, the Lawrences' estate, that magic creeps into Ronnie's life for the first time and starts the intricate intertwining of fate, chance, and show business.
Magic and reality share the stage in this masterly and devastating story that pulls back the curtain on the power of love, family, and the touchstones of our memories.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 22, 2020
About the author
Graham Swift
49 books628 followersGraham Colin Swift FRSL (born May 4, 1949) is an English author. He was born in London, England and educated at Dulwich College, London, Queens' College, Cambridge, and later the University of York. He was a friend of Ted Hughes.
Some of his works have been made into films, including Last Orders, which starred Michael Caine and Bob Hoskins and Waterland which starred Jeremy Irons. Last Orders was a joint winner of the 1996 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction and a mildly controversial winner of the Booker Prize in 1996, owing to the superficial similarities in plot to William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying. Waterland was set in The Fens; it is a novel of landscape, history and family, and is often cited as one of the outstanding post-war British novels and has been a set text on the English Literature syllabus in British schools.
Some of his works have been made into films, including Last Orders, which starred Michael Caine and Bob Hoskins and Waterland which starred Jeremy Irons. Last Orders was a joint winner of the 1996 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction and a mildly controversial winner of the Booker Prize in 1996, owing to the superficial similarities in plot to William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying. Waterland was set in The Fens; it is a novel of landscape, history and family, and is often cited as one of the outstanding post-war British novels and has been a set text on the English Literature syllabus in British schools.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 587 reviews
February 17, 2024
5 "a beguiling ode to love" stars !!
Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Random House Canada for an ecopy. I am providing an honest review. This was released September 2020.
This is a novel that slowly worked its way into my heart. We are introduced to a young trio of friends in 1950s Brighton who work in a seasonal variety show. Deftly, the author takes us into their developmental histories as we see the unfolding of a love triangle alongside camaraderie and good intentions. There is wizardry and wonder and a sense of sliding doors as love is not always noble but is forever welcome. Mr. Swift writes with elegance, wit and dare I say it magic...yes magic....tears were shed and a timelessness evoked....
A short novel with an emotional wallop. Bravo !
October 12, 2020
This is a review of the audiobook edition of this novel. I had a lot of problems with this book. First off I tried to read the book which was confusing and I couldn’t get into any of the characters. So this time I tried listening, unfortunately I didn’t fare any better with this version.
The narrator spoke in a monotone for most of the story, almost as if he was sitting next to me and whispering the story in my ear. That is, when he wasn’t singing popular songs from the variety act in 1959 which the book is about.
I am not at all familiar with the setting, Brighton pier in the UK. I definitely would have enjoyed this more if the author had described the area more and set the atmosphere before the story unfolded.
Most of the story takes place during the summer of 1959. Meet Jack Robinson, the compere of this vaudeville theater, he is the person who begins and ends the show and often performs songs himself. The duo of Ronnie the Magician and Evie, his assistant are the hit of the season. There is chemistry between these two, but also between Evie and Jack. These relationships were a bit hard to get a handle on. The story goes back and forth in time and jumps from one person to another. I found this omniscient point of view not really working for me in this book, it felt disruptive.
It wasn’t until about half way through the book that I realized that this was Evie, 50 years later, remembering that fateful summer. There is a great presentation towards the end of the novel but it wasn’t enough to make this short novel memorable.
None of the characters were completely filled out or described. I thought I could understand Ronnie the most as we do get a little bit of back story on him. He was sent away from London during the Blitz and was raised by a foster family. We do learn that Ronnie had parents who wanted him to do well in the theater but I don’t remember much at all about Evie’s life before she became the magician’s assistant. Unfortunately I couldn’t connect with any of these characters.
If someone would ask me what the book was about I would have to say “the thoughts of a magician’s assistant, thinking back on a summer that changed her life”.
I received this audiobook from the publisher through NetGalley.
The narrator spoke in a monotone for most of the story, almost as if he was sitting next to me and whispering the story in my ear. That is, when he wasn’t singing popular songs from the variety act in 1959 which the book is about.
I am not at all familiar with the setting, Brighton pier in the UK. I definitely would have enjoyed this more if the author had described the area more and set the atmosphere before the story unfolded.
Most of the story takes place during the summer of 1959. Meet Jack Robinson, the compere of this vaudeville theater, he is the person who begins and ends the show and often performs songs himself. The duo of Ronnie the Magician and Evie, his assistant are the hit of the season. There is chemistry between these two, but also between Evie and Jack. These relationships were a bit hard to get a handle on. The story goes back and forth in time and jumps from one person to another. I found this omniscient point of view not really working for me in this book, it felt disruptive.
It wasn’t until about half way through the book that I realized that this was Evie, 50 years later, remembering that fateful summer. There is a great presentation towards the end of the novel but it wasn’t enough to make this short novel memorable.
None of the characters were completely filled out or described. I thought I could understand Ronnie the most as we do get a little bit of back story on him. He was sent away from London during the Blitz and was raised by a foster family. We do learn that Ronnie had parents who wanted him to do well in the theater but I don’t remember much at all about Evie’s life before she became the magician’s assistant. Unfortunately I couldn’t connect with any of these characters.
If someone would ask me what the book was about I would have to say “the thoughts of a magician’s assistant, thinking back on a summer that changed her life”.
I received this audiobook from the publisher through NetGalley.
November 23, 2020
For some strange reason (obviously nothing to do with global pandemics, murder hornets, and deranged, dictatorial oompa loompas), I’ve spent most of this year reading escapist fiction, from immersing myself in Silver Age Spider-Man and X-Men to hanging with my old pal Pendergast to embarking on numerous fantastical adventures, most recently with the delightful White Trash Warlock.
But, I felt the incessant pull of literary fiction, an annoying itch I must periodically quell—it’s like the reading version of my annual need to consume candy corn, though I tend to regret reading litfic less than consuming candy corn, for obvious reasons (namely because it’s less waxy).
After considering several options, I decided on this slim tome, largely in part because I’m a sucker for anything that feature magicians during the golden age (or at least the silver age, I guess) of stage magic. I also tend to enjoy stories that leverage the power of nostalgia, explore the thin line between reality and fantasy, and home in on youthful, formative moments in time. Here We Are combines all of these things, plus Swift’s poetic prose to boot.
As all good Fiction (with a capital F) does, this story raises more questions than answers, forces introspection, and leaves itself open to multiple interpretations. It also gets at something fundamental about the nature of perception versus reality and the way that time, distance, context, and will combine in some complex equation to define who we are, what we want, and whether and how quickly those things shift.
In all, I found it a worthwhile read, and time well spent (its brevity didn’t hurt; even though it’s hardly a doorstopper—quite the opposite, really; it’s a door slider-under—a few parts feel repetitive).
Whew. Glad I got that out of my system. Time for some Brandon Sanderson and this month’s Cosmo (wait, what—they discovered 17 new, different kinds of orgasms AGAIN?!).
But, I felt the incessant pull of literary fiction, an annoying itch I must periodically quell—it’s like the reading version of my annual need to consume candy corn, though I tend to regret reading litfic less than consuming candy corn, for obvious reasons (namely because it’s less waxy).
After considering several options, I decided on this slim tome, largely in part because I’m a sucker for anything that feature magicians during the golden age (or at least the silver age, I guess) of stage magic. I also tend to enjoy stories that leverage the power of nostalgia, explore the thin line between reality and fantasy, and home in on youthful, formative moments in time. Here We Are combines all of these things, plus Swift’s poetic prose to boot.
As all good Fiction (with a capital F) does, this story raises more questions than answers, forces introspection, and leaves itself open to multiple interpretations. It also gets at something fundamental about the nature of perception versus reality and the way that time, distance, context, and will combine in some complex equation to define who we are, what we want, and whether and how quickly those things shift.
In all, I found it a worthwhile read, and time well spent (its brevity didn’t hurt; even though it’s hardly a doorstopper—quite the opposite, really; it’s a door slider-under—a few parts feel repetitive).
Whew. Glad I got that out of my system. Time for some Brandon Sanderson and this month’s Cosmo (wait, what—they discovered 17 new, different kinds of orgasms AGAIN?!).
December 19, 2021
Put yourself in Brighton during the summer months of 1959. All other events either lead up to or spin off from what happened that summer. There are both flashbacks and a flashforward to 2009. Three characters are focused upon—a magician, the magician’s alluring assistant and the master of ceremonies who introduces and leads the vaudeville performers entertaining Brighton’s crowds the summer of 1959. Those who have been to Brighton will be flooded by memories pervaded by the resort town’s special ambiance.
We learn of the characters’ families. One was a child evacuee during the war. Two were pushed by mothers attracted to the theater and stage. In 1959, the three are in their middle to late twenties. We watch as they are caught up in the performing arts and each other.
This is a short novel. Its message circles around what is real and what is illusion. You think someone is there and then he is not. Or, you know a person is not present, but it feels as though he is. What constitutes presence? How do you define absence when memories put a person there beside you? Does this sound fantastical? It is not—it is what we sense when we lose or have lost track of a person once held dear.
Magic, wizardry, miracles, illusions—how do they differ and where do they overlap?
I like this book because it keeps your attention. It gives you details that you strive to weave together. How do the parts fit together?
The ending? Don’t expect conclusive answers. But tell me, isn’t life that way? That I desperately wanted clear answers is the best indicator of the extent to which the story pulled me in. I have come to the conclusion that the ending is perfect.
Phil Davis’ narration of the audiobook is very good. He speaks slowly. This gives readers time to think through what is said. Every word is clearly spoken. He sings the songs that are in the book; he doesn’t just read their words. He sings well. This increases one’s enjoyment. The audio production is good too. At the start and finish we are treated to carnival music—this fits wonderfully the book’s setting and content. Four stars for the narration.
Invariably, Graham Swift’s novels pull me in. I will read anything that he writes.
*****************************
*Waterland 4 stars
*Mothering Sunday 4 stars
*Here We Are 4 stars
*Last Orders 3 stars
We learn of the characters’ families. One was a child evacuee during the war. Two were pushed by mothers attracted to the theater and stage. In 1959, the three are in their middle to late twenties. We watch as they are caught up in the performing arts and each other.
This is a short novel. Its message circles around what is real and what is illusion. You think someone is there and then he is not. Or, you know a person is not present, but it feels as though he is. What constitutes presence? How do you define absence when memories put a person there beside you? Does this sound fantastical? It is not—it is what we sense when we lose or have lost track of a person once held dear.
Magic, wizardry, miracles, illusions—how do they differ and where do they overlap?
I like this book because it keeps your attention. It gives you details that you strive to weave together. How do the parts fit together?
The ending? Don’t expect conclusive answers. But tell me, isn’t life that way? That I desperately wanted clear answers is the best indicator of the extent to which the story pulled me in. I have come to the conclusion that the ending is perfect.
Phil Davis’ narration of the audiobook is very good. He speaks slowly. This gives readers time to think through what is said. Every word is clearly spoken. He sings the songs that are in the book; he doesn’t just read their words. He sings well. This increases one’s enjoyment. The audio production is good too. At the start and finish we are treated to carnival music—this fits wonderfully the book’s setting and content. Four stars for the narration.
Invariably, Graham Swift’s novels pull me in. I will read anything that he writes.
*****************************
*Waterland 4 stars
*Mothering Sunday 4 stars
*Here We Are 4 stars
*Last Orders 3 stars
October 6, 2020
Here We Are by Graham Swift is an interesting story about magicians.
Here We Are brings you into a magician and his assistant’s head. I loved hearing both sides of the story. It took me a while to get into this book. However, once I got pulled in I was invested in the story.
Phil Davis did a great job narrating. His voice really fit with the story. However, I prefer narrators with more emotion in their voices. I don’t think that would’ve been as fitting with this story. I might have preferred to read instead of listen to Here We Are.
I recommend Here We Are to magician fans. It reminded me of a lighter version of The Prestige.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for Here We Are.
Here We Are brings you into a magician and his assistant’s head. I loved hearing both sides of the story. It took me a while to get into this book. However, once I got pulled in I was invested in the story.
Phil Davis did a great job narrating. His voice really fit with the story. However, I prefer narrators with more emotion in their voices. I don’t think that would’ve been as fitting with this story. I might have preferred to read instead of listen to Here We Are.
I recommend Here We Are to magician fans. It reminded me of a lighter version of The Prestige.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for Here We Are.
March 25, 2021
3.5 Stars
A very short novel that takes us to Brighton , England in the days of variety shows.
Graham Swift is a very poetic writer, who creates a dream like illusion in this book. We meet Eve, in the present, as she reflects back to her time as a magician’s assistant. Ronnie is our magician and Swift spends the most time on his character. We learn his back story but very little is said about Eve and Jack, the third person in this trio. I think this novel would have been stronger if we the reader knew more about them as well.
There seemed to be quite a bit of repetition as we go back and forth in time.The story never captured me completely, but I was left overall pleased at the book’s direction.
I never loved Mothering Sunday by Swift, although it was highly praised. I preferred this book over that one, and he probably would not have been an author I would have revisited, but this book came as part of a subscription.
All in all, I am glad to have read this book.
A very short novel that takes us to Brighton , England in the days of variety shows.
Graham Swift is a very poetic writer, who creates a dream like illusion in this book. We meet Eve, in the present, as she reflects back to her time as a magician’s assistant. Ronnie is our magician and Swift spends the most time on his character. We learn his back story but very little is said about Eve and Jack, the third person in this trio. I think this novel would have been stronger if we the reader knew more about them as well.
There seemed to be quite a bit of repetition as we go back and forth in time.The story never captured me completely, but I was left overall pleased at the book’s direction.
I never loved Mothering Sunday by Swift, although it was highly praised. I preferred this book over that one, and he probably would not have been an author I would have revisited, but this book came as part of a subscription.
All in all, I am glad to have read this book.
July 8, 2020
KNYGOS SOUNDTRACKAS / VAIZDTRACKAS: Glenn Close - Send in the Clowns
Visai kaip ir "Motinų sekmadienis", šita Swifto knygelė - visai trumpa, bet ne tokia lyriška - apie tai, iš ko susideda gyvenimo istorija. "Motinų sekmadieny" jis rodė, kaip vienas gyvenimas nusidriekia per skirtingas soc santvarkas (s korablia na bal), pro karus, per skirtingas ekonomines sistemas, nuo vienos sistemos populiaraus modelio (tarnaitė) prie kitos sistemos madingo modelio (menininkė, rašytoja).
"Here we are" - pramoginė versija, apie entertainerius: jaunystėje tai buvo iliuzionistas, jo asistentė ir programos vedėjas, paskui - kas tapo aktoriais, kas tapo vadybinininkais. Buvo žiauriai gražu žiūrėti, kaip Swiftas varto pasakojimus kaip kaleidoskopą: vieną akimirką matai aistringiausios meilės istoriją, kuri paskui, tik pakreipus galvą / perspektyvą paaiškėja buvusi visą gyvenimą laikoma kaltės ir baimės, kitą akimirką matai liūdną vaikystę, kuri paskui pasirodo buvusi su tikrais santykiais, vertybėm ir gyvenimą formuojančiom patirtim. Visais pasakojimo žingsniais taip ir vyksta: matai įtėvius, kurie tipo naudojasi galimybe paglobot vaiką --> paaiškėja, kad tai tikresni tėvai už tikrus, altruistai, vietom net tokie žan-valžaniški. Matai nosinę, kuria mosuoja ir į kurią verkia vaiką išlydinti mama --> čia pat ta nosinė naudojama magijos triuke, kur uždengia stiklinę su vandeniu ir po ja atsiranda balandis. (Beveik Nekrošiaus "Makbetas", kur šalmas - ir raganų puodas, kuriame jos mato likimą, ir spąstai, ir galiausiai čiut ne Salomės bliūdas, į kurį įkrenta nukirsta galva. Tik pas Swiftą nėr tos "rimties", kaip pasakytų Pistonų kinokritikas.)
Apskritai visa knyga - toks literatūrinės meistrystės demonstravimas, kaip juvelyro / mago, bandymas pažiūrėti, kaip kurti pasakojimo iliuziją - be įmantrių naratyvinių triukų ar visokių metafikcinių ėjimų a la iš Fowleso ar Nabokovo. Visai pasiilgstu tokių tekstų - tiesiog gražių, ypač kai ima atrodyti, kad jau tuoj numirsiu nuo visų Šeimos sagų ir Likimų. Skaitant man kažkuo priminė miuziklą: irgi apie show business, irgi su kažkokiais nepaaiškinamais tikrovės pažeidimais, kai tik mėgaujiesi tuo, ką matai, ir neklausinėji "o tai kas čia dabar iš tikrųjų su kuo, nesuprantu". Kaip ir geras miuziklas (kaip koks "Kabaretas") turi būt neprikaištingai su-choreografintas, tik tada faina žiūrėti, taip ir šitoj knygelėj - sumanymas keistas, siužetas - tarsi yra, tarsi nėra, balansuojant per vieną žingsnį nuo šnipšto, bet tas žingsnis - literatūrinė / stilistinė meistrystė, kurią, jei turi, gali naudot egzistencijoms, gali tralialiuškoms, ir vis tiek nebus piguva.
Visai kaip ir "Motinų sekmadienis", šita Swifto knygelė - visai trumpa, bet ne tokia lyriška - apie tai, iš ko susideda gyvenimo istorija. "Motinų sekmadieny" jis rodė, kaip vienas gyvenimas nusidriekia per skirtingas soc santvarkas (s korablia na bal), pro karus, per skirtingas ekonomines sistemas, nuo vienos sistemos populiaraus modelio (tarnaitė) prie kitos sistemos madingo modelio (menininkė, rašytoja).
"Here we are" - pramoginė versija, apie entertainerius: jaunystėje tai buvo iliuzionistas, jo asistentė ir programos vedėjas, paskui - kas tapo aktoriais, kas tapo vadybinininkais. Buvo žiauriai gražu žiūrėti, kaip Swiftas varto pasakojimus kaip kaleidoskopą: vieną akimirką matai aistringiausios meilės istoriją, kuri paskui, tik pakreipus galvą / perspektyvą paaiškėja buvusi visą gyvenimą laikoma kaltės ir baimės, kitą akimirką matai liūdną vaikystę, kuri paskui pasirodo buvusi su tikrais santykiais, vertybėm ir gyvenimą formuojančiom patirtim. Visais pasakojimo žingsniais taip ir vyksta: matai įtėvius, kurie tipo naudojasi galimybe paglobot vaiką --> paaiškėja, kad tai tikresni tėvai už tikrus, altruistai, vietom net tokie žan-valžaniški. Matai nosinę, kuria mosuoja ir į kurią verkia vaiką išlydinti mama --> čia pat ta nosinė naudojama magijos triuke, kur uždengia stiklinę su vandeniu ir po ja atsiranda balandis. (Beveik Nekrošiaus "Makbetas", kur šalmas - ir raganų puodas, kuriame jos mato likimą, ir spąstai, ir galiausiai čiut ne Salomės bliūdas, į kurį įkrenta nukirsta galva. Tik pas Swiftą nėr tos "rimties", kaip pasakytų Pistonų kinokritikas.)
Apskritai visa knyga - toks literatūrinės meistrystės demonstravimas, kaip juvelyro / mago, bandymas pažiūrėti, kaip kurti pasakojimo iliuziją - be įmantrių naratyvinių triukų ar visokių metafikcinių ėjimų a la iš Fowleso ar Nabokovo. Visai pasiilgstu tokių tekstų - tiesiog gražių, ypač kai ima atrodyti, kad jau tuoj numirsiu nuo visų Šeimos sagų ir Likimų. Skaitant man kažkuo priminė miuziklą: irgi apie show business, irgi su kažkokiais nepaaiškinamais tikrovės pažeidimais, kai tik mėgaujiesi tuo, ką matai, ir neklausinėji "o tai kas čia dabar iš tikrųjų su kuo, nesuprantu". Kaip ir geras miuziklas (kaip koks "Kabaretas") turi būt neprikaištingai su-choreografintas, tik tada faina žiūrėti, taip ir šitoj knygelėj - sumanymas keistas, siužetas - tarsi yra, tarsi nėra, balansuojant per vieną žingsnį nuo šnipšto, bet tas žingsnis - literatūrinė / stilistinė meistrystė, kurią, jei turi, gali naudot egzistencijoms, gali tralialiuškoms, ir vis tiek nebus piguva.
February 6, 2021
I've been a fan of Graham Swift for over 20 years. His narratives, set in the present, are heavily influenced by a pivotal moment of time in the past, and the deep introspection that ensues usually raises a mystery that is not answered until the very last. I have taken to audio format for Swift's work since his style is better served by that format. This one is one of his best. Phil Davis's delivery is impeccable, his gravelly voice conveying the regret of the present combined with the nostalgia for a time forever past. In this case, the past isn't as remote as other Swift journeys -- 1959, the end of the vaudeville era on the Brighton Pier, but the fascination for magic never grows stale, and that is the core. Those three young performers 50 years ago had a life changing summer, and Swift beautifully captures both the closing days of summer and the waning of that form of entertainment. In present day, Evie is the only one left, the woman at the center of the mystery all those years ago, and it is her memories that form the crux of this story.
October 20, 2020
This is a novella that should have been a short story. There just isn’t enough content in this love triangle. It is comprised of the all tell - no show relationships of Jack, the handsome singer/comedian/host of a variety show in Brighton, Ronnie, his army buddy who is now a magician, and Evie who is engaged to Ronnie and adds the sex appeal to his act. We learn at the beginning that Ronnie disappeared after a performance and was never seen again. Unfortunately, there is no payoff to this slight mystery. I listened to the audio book edition of this book. The narrator was OK, but his monotone delivery didn’t really enhance the story and he sounded significantly older than the characters. This was disappointing.
I received a free copy of this audio book from the publisher.
I received a free copy of this audio book from the publisher.
March 8, 2022
Even in his seventies Graham Swift still is one of the finest English writers of the moment. I think he is unparalleled especially when it comes to the composition of his stories. This book may not be his best (for me that are Waterland and Mothering Sunday) but Swift manages to impress with this story too. In itself it is not that spectacular, revolving around a couple that shone for a while, in 1959, with a magic act on the pier of Brighton. But Swift interweaves it magnificently with the theme of the illusion of love. The run-up to the story is quite slow, but certainly past the halfway mark he increases the pace considerably to offer a denouement that reveals the double meaning of the title of the book 'here we are'. Well done. Especially because Swift once again offers some masterly written pages, such as the scene in which 75-year-old Evie sees her garden bathing in the autumn morning sunlight and notices the countless fine-meshed, silver cobwebs hanging from the bushes, cobwebs that are at other times almost invisble (another “here we are”). What a beautiful image this is, which the author even connects with a very poignant, existential experience.
October 2, 2021
Like Swift's previous book Mothering Sunday, this is a masterful piece of storytelling that recreates a lost world, in this case the world of seaside variety shows. Most of the book is set in Brighton in 1959, where the three main characters are all performers. The star of the show is Ronnie, a young magician and former evacuee, and his assistant Evie recalls their relationship from a distance of 50 years, most of which she spent with Jack, the compere of the show, . A quiet piece of storytelling whose power creeps up gradually.
September 25, 2020
Catching a bullet and making the Statue of Liberty disappear are awesome tricks, but the best magicians don’t need such extravagance. I learned that truth long after hanging up my cape and leaving the birthday party racket for good. Despite years of admiring David Copperfield, the only time I felt the disorienting amazement of actual magic was while talking with a street performer outside a Boston subway station. His set-up couldn’t have been more modest, but when he made a card appear under my own hand, I stumbled around all day like I’d been in the presence of Merlin.
Graham Swift is no common street performer — he won the Booker Prize in 1996 — but he appreciates the transcendent artistry of small works perfectly performed. His slim new novel, “Here We Are,” transports us to a seaside theater in Brighton, England, during the summer of 1959. It’s about young love and the little acts of chance and villainy that realign lives.
The theater is nothing special, Swift assures us, just a variety show sporting jugglers and plate-spinners, singers and ventriloquists. But the man who holds the reins is a dashing young. . . .
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entert...
Graham Swift is no common street performer — he won the Booker Prize in 1996 — but he appreciates the transcendent artistry of small works perfectly performed. His slim new novel, “Here We Are,” transports us to a seaside theater in Brighton, England, during the summer of 1959. It’s about young love and the little acts of chance and villainy that realign lives.
The theater is nothing special, Swift assures us, just a variety show sporting jugglers and plate-spinners, singers and ventriloquists. But the man who holds the reins is a dashing young. . . .
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entert...
July 2, 2020
Gal po trijų Graham Swift knygų galiu rikiuoti prie mėgstamiausių savo autorių?
https://knyguziurkes.wordpress.com/20...
https://knyguziurkes.wordpress.com/20...
July 8, 2020
3/5
Sunkiai man sekasi atrasti bendrą kalbą su trumpomis istorijomis. Dažniausiai kamuojuosi - man atrodo, kad pasakyta per mažai, per daug sugrūsta simbolizmo, kuris ir egzistuoja tik vardan simbolizmo, o ir jaučiuosi kaip vaikiškame baseine - nei paplauksi, nei panardysi, toks greitas pasipliuškenimas ir tiek. Panašiai jaučiausi ir bandydama atrasti santykį su "Regimybėmis" - tarsi romanas, tačiau tai man pasirodė veikiau novelė dideliu šriftu, dideliausiais tarpais, dailiausiai įpakuota - viskas čia greitai, glaustai, trumpai, o ir nepakankamai giliai, kad pajausčiau stiprų malonumą. Kad ir kaip stengiausi. O stengtis dėl knygos, bandyti ją prisijaukinti, man save pavyksta įtikinti vis rečiau ir rečiau.
Jaučiu nepaprastą prielankumą istorijoms, kurioje veiksmas vyksta cirkuose, scenose, veikia magai, jų padėjėjai. Galbūt vis bandau patenkinti tą vidinį magijos poreikį, atsiradusį dar vaikystėje, bet magiško tikrąja ta žodžio prasme pasakojimo stengiuosi nepraleisti. Ir vis dėlto, tikriausiai šį kartą lūkesčiai prasilenkė su realybe - magijos čia nedaug. Daugiau skausmo, neišsakytų žodžių, nutylėtų jausmų. Nuostabus sudėtingų tėvų ir vaikų santykių karo fone portretas, apgalvotas kiekvienas žodis, krustelėjimas, kiekviena smulkmena.
Ir vis dėlto, savo pačios liūdesiui nelikau įtikinta - nespėjau įsijausti, nespėjau pajausti, nespėjau pasidžiaugti, nespėjau įsimylėti - nei laikmečio, nei veikėjų, nei jų istorijų. Galbūt todėl, kad nemoku skaityti lėtai, nemoku sverti kiekvieno žodžio. Jaučiu, kad ne toks turėtų būti tobulas Swifto skaitytojas, bet neabejoju, kad tokių gausu. Kaip ir neabejoju, kad bus tokių, kurie patirs absoliutų skaitymo malonumą. Vis dėlto, šį kartą lieku gūžčiojanti pečiais - negaliu šios knygos nerekomenduoti - ji kokybiška visais aspektais. Tačiau nekyla ranka ir bandyti save įtikinti, kad pajaučiau ką nors daugiau, nei tiesiog abejingumą.
Sunkiai man sekasi atrasti bendrą kalbą su trumpomis istorijomis. Dažniausiai kamuojuosi - man atrodo, kad pasakyta per mažai, per daug sugrūsta simbolizmo, kuris ir egzistuoja tik vardan simbolizmo, o ir jaučiuosi kaip vaikiškame baseine - nei paplauksi, nei panardysi, toks greitas pasipliuškenimas ir tiek. Panašiai jaučiausi ir bandydama atrasti santykį su "Regimybėmis" - tarsi romanas, tačiau tai man pasirodė veikiau novelė dideliu šriftu, dideliausiais tarpais, dailiausiai įpakuota - viskas čia greitai, glaustai, trumpai, o ir nepakankamai giliai, kad pajausčiau stiprų malonumą. Kad ir kaip stengiausi. O stengtis dėl knygos, bandyti ją prisijaukinti, man save pavyksta įtikinti vis rečiau ir rečiau.
Jaučiu nepaprastą prielankumą istorijoms, kurioje veiksmas vyksta cirkuose, scenose, veikia magai, jų padėjėjai. Galbūt vis bandau patenkinti tą vidinį magijos poreikį, atsiradusį dar vaikystėje, bet magiško tikrąja ta žodžio prasme pasakojimo stengiuosi nepraleisti. Ir vis dėlto, tikriausiai šį kartą lūkesčiai prasilenkė su realybe - magijos čia nedaug. Daugiau skausmo, neišsakytų žodžių, nutylėtų jausmų. Nuostabus sudėtingų tėvų ir vaikų santykių karo fone portretas, apgalvotas kiekvienas žodis, krustelėjimas, kiekviena smulkmena.
Ir vis dėlto, savo pačios liūdesiui nelikau įtikinta - nespėjau įsijausti, nespėjau pajausti, nespėjau pasidžiaugti, nespėjau įsimylėti - nei laikmečio, nei veikėjų, nei jų istorijų. Galbūt todėl, kad nemoku skaityti lėtai, nemoku sverti kiekvieno žodžio. Jaučiu, kad ne toks turėtų būti tobulas Swifto skaitytojas, bet neabejoju, kad tokių gausu. Kaip ir neabejoju, kad bus tokių, kurie patirs absoliutų skaitymo malonumą. Vis dėlto, šį kartą lieku gūžčiojanti pečiais - negaliu šios knygos nerekomenduoti - ji kokybiška visais aspektais. Tačiau nekyla ranka ir bandyti save įtikinti, kad pajaučiau ką nors daugiau, nei tiesiog abejingumą.
January 3, 2020
Curiously dissatisfying. I loved his last book but he didn't quite pull it off this time, for me at least. Some lovely descriptions and nice character development with Ronnie, though the other characters seemed sketchy by comparison - this may have been intentional. The author repeats elements of the story with slightly different details each time but it failed to layer and deepen the narrative, just got a bit repetitive and slow. I finished it feeling I'd missed something crucial, maybe I have. A short book that felt much longer.
December 17, 2020
Μικρό και ευκολοδιάβαστο. Ήταν ωραίο που διάβαζες και την μεριά και των τριών πρωταγωνιστών. Αρκετά ποιητικό σε κάποια σημεία και με ενδιαφέροντα flashbacks. Σου αφήνει μια αίσθηση μαγείας!
May 13, 2020
So there you are, Ronnie. At last. Well thanks for coming anyway. What a pity we couldn't have had a last little chat. Perhaps it wouldn't have got us very far anyway, probably not. And in any case, here's the main item for you. Here I am. Here we are. This is your mother, Agnes. And here's a fine little trick for you to perform, if you're up for it. So come on.
Here We Are is rather short and sweet, filled with many vivid settings from different, transitional, time periods. Graham Swift writes lovely and interesting sentences, but while I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience, it didn't add up to very much. Still happy to have read it.
There are no magic wands, Ronnie. There are magic wands, but there are no magic wands. Do you understand me?
Here We Are is set (primarily) in three time periods: Just before and during WWII (from the POV of Ronnie Deane, an eight-year-old boy evacuated to a country manse from his modest London home); 2008, from the POV of aged former showgirl, Evie White; and the summer of 1959 on the Brighton Pier, when Ronnie and Evie paired up as a magician and his assistant, to appear in a variety show hosted by charming song-and-dance man, Jack Robbins. Each timeline demonstrates how people transition into new selves, conflating identity with illusion – performers assuming stage names, an actor being called by his most famous TV character's name on the street, a playboy's girlfriends collectively called “Flora” because no one could be bothered to remember their actual names, a married woman wanting to keep her maiden name but forever called by her husband's – and the idea of “illusion” is made manifest by the magic taught to Ronnie by his foster father in the country (a familial situation that each side wishes could be made permanent, even if it's never discussed):
He had an audience of two, and he stood facing them, the green-topped table beside him. He knew by now that the surface was called “baize”, a nice word, but he knew also that the table was not what it seemed. It was a table and not a table, and this might be true of a great many things. It was the first door that you had to pass through, as it were, into a new way of thinking about everything around you.
The variety show setting on the Brighton Pier makes for many entertaining scenes, but always, there's a sinister threat posed by the nearby sea. From Evie's thoughts:
And it was strange how in all those shows, all those performances, a whole season's worth, you hardly stopped to think – she never thought about it as she looked at her face in the mirror and placed the tiara, like a regular coronation, in her hair: The sea is right beneath us now. Right beneath us now the waves are swishing and swirling, the fish are darting, the seaweed is swaying this way and that. If the stage were to open up, we'd all go tumbling through to the water.
From Jack's:
Sometimes, beyond the stirrings and the gaspings of the audience, he might think he could hear the creakings and strainings of the pier itself, like a big foundering ship. But perhaps it was more that he was the one who was going under.
And from Ronnie's:
He bent to kiss her forehead. It was cold to his lips and she made no sign – no smile or frown or flinch – that she knew what he was doing. And he felt that his lips were touching also the cold surface of the water, the deep heedless water under which his father lay, unknowing too.
Rabbits and romance, parrots and rainbows, air raids and sequins: Swift paints beautiful word pictures that certainly capture a variety of times and place, but they feel more like nice little scenes than a complete novel. Still happy to have read it.
October 12, 2020
3.5, rounded down.
I read Swift's last short novella, Mothering Sunday, and enjoyed it enough that I thought I'd try this one, as the Brighton music hall setting appealed. Like its predecessor, this is a very slight tale, one that can easily be read in one sitting, but there really isn't much to it. It has a lovely elegiac feel, and the period is nicely evoked, but - perhaps because his last work was denigrated for being too short - this seems a mite padded; it didn't really need 200 pages for the modest events it details.
I read Swift's last short novella, Mothering Sunday, and enjoyed it enough that I thought I'd try this one, as the Brighton music hall setting appealed. Like its predecessor, this is a very slight tale, one that can easily be read in one sitting, but there really isn't much to it. It has a lovely elegiac feel, and the period is nicely evoked, but - perhaps because his last work was denigrated for being too short - this seems a mite padded; it didn't really need 200 pages for the modest events it details.
January 31, 2020
What is the difference between tricks and illusions? To the non-magician, the answer might be, “Not much.” But for those who believe in magic, a trick is a sort of swindle that makes the audience wonder how it was done while an illusion convinces them that they have truly but inexplicably experienced the impossible.
Graham Swift is interested in exploring the sleight of hand in his slim but compelling new novel. He focuses on a threesome, a magician named Ronnie (stage name: The Great Pablo), his dazzling assistant and love interest Evie (stage name: Eve, the first woman) and Jack Robinson (stage name: Jack Robinson) who is the master of ceremonies.
The real names of his characters shift as does the relationship that exists among them. The illusion of who they are on stage also adjusts and eventually leads to a reckoning with consequences. And always, the past hovers in the wings and the future beckons; as one character says, “The future is elsewhere.”
This novel’s undercurrent is about the limitations of magic and how lives can be little more than illusions when it comes right down to it. At times, Graham Swift errs at sketching his scenes rather than developing them a bit more, but even so, the book is haunting. A big thanks to the publisher Alfred A. Knopf, for an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
Graham Swift is interested in exploring the sleight of hand in his slim but compelling new novel. He focuses on a threesome, a magician named Ronnie (stage name: The Great Pablo), his dazzling assistant and love interest Evie (stage name: Eve, the first woman) and Jack Robinson (stage name: Jack Robinson) who is the master of ceremonies.
The real names of his characters shift as does the relationship that exists among them. The illusion of who they are on stage also adjusts and eventually leads to a reckoning with consequences. And always, the past hovers in the wings and the future beckons; as one character says, “The future is elsewhere.”
This novel’s undercurrent is about the limitations of magic and how lives can be little more than illusions when it comes right down to it. At times, Graham Swift errs at sketching his scenes rather than developing them a bit more, but even so, the book is haunting. A big thanks to the publisher Alfred A. Knopf, for an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 12, 2020
“Evergrene was Ronnie’s home now. He was happy in it. He was happier than he’d ever been and the Robinsons were happy to have him. Their loving kindness enveloped him. (...) How could you have had one life and then simply exchange it for another?”
Ao ler sobre aquela altura, durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial, em que os londrinos tomaram a difícil decisão de enviar os filhos para a província, onde em princípio estariam mais seguros, questionava-me se não teria havido nenhuma criança que se teria afeiçoado de tal forma à família de acolhimento que não tivesse querido regressar. Em “Here We Are”, Graham Swift fala-nos de Ronnie Deane, um menino que passou os melhores anos da sua vida com uma família que não era a sua, em Oxfordshire, onde aprendeu os rudimentos daquela que viria a ser a sua profissão, o ilusionismo. É uma história muito discreta, competentemente contada por Swift, mas perde demasiado tempo com as duas outras personagens que não são de todo tão interessantes nem complexas como o ilusionista The Great Pablo.
“This was his mother and he would not, could not be here, standing here, were not for her. This was his mother yet she had vanished, yet she was still here. How could anyone, anything just vanish? He bent to kiss her forehead. It was cold to his lips. He felt his lips were also touching the cold surface of the water, the deep heedless water under which his father lay.”
Ao ler sobre aquela altura, durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial, em que os londrinos tomaram a difícil decisão de enviar os filhos para a província, onde em princípio estariam mais seguros, questionava-me se não teria havido nenhuma criança que se teria afeiçoado de tal forma à família de acolhimento que não tivesse querido regressar. Em “Here We Are”, Graham Swift fala-nos de Ronnie Deane, um menino que passou os melhores anos da sua vida com uma família que não era a sua, em Oxfordshire, onde aprendeu os rudimentos daquela que viria a ser a sua profissão, o ilusionismo. É uma história muito discreta, competentemente contada por Swift, mas perde demasiado tempo com as duas outras personagens que não são de todo tão interessantes nem complexas como o ilusionista The Great Pablo.
“This was his mother and he would not, could not be here, standing here, were not for her. This was his mother yet she had vanished, yet she was still here. How could anyone, anything just vanish? He bent to kiss her forehead. It was cold to his lips. He felt his lips were also touching the cold surface of the water, the deep heedless water under which his father lay.”
February 2, 2020
I adored Swift's previous book Mothering Sunday so much that I would forgive him a multitude of sins, so I kept hoping that Here We Are would suddenly hit that mark. A couple of times when we went into the backstory of one of the main characters, I thought, ah-ha we're onto something here, but I never really got the purpose of the story or really engaged with any of the three protagonists. Sad, but true.
June 25, 2020
Ir vėl, kaip ir "Motinų sekmadienis", toks be galo lengvas, greit perskaitomas (poilsinis) pasakojimas, niekaip nekomplikuotas, neperkrautas refleksijomis, sudėtingomis sąsajomis, žiauriomis scenomis, etinėmis kolizijomis ir jokiais panašiais dalykais. Ir nepaisant to, geras. Toks kaip geras greitas meistriškas eskizas, kur atrodo nieko nėra ypatingo, bet kažkas neįvardijamo pagauta, ir labai gražu.
Iš pradžių galvojau, kad sunkiai pakelsiu, nes scenos magų (kaip ir pvz. cirko artistų arba jūrininkų) tema mane paprastai atstumia nuo pirmų sakinių, negaliu paaiškinti dėl ko. Visos kitos aplinkos kažkaip netrikdo - fabriko darbininkai, kaliniai, valstiečiai, net visokie profesoriai (ir tuos ištveriu), bet kas, bet tik ne magai arba jūrininkai. Tokias knygas iškart padėdavau. Ir va - knyga, kurios pagrindinis (jis vis dėlto pagrindinis) veikėjas yra magas iliuzionistas, ir beje, jūrininko vaikas, įtraukė per kelis puslapius. Gal kad nebuvo tos banalios opozicijos "tarp gyvenimo pilkumos ir scenos spindesio", nes įtariu, kad būtent ta priešprieša labiausiai ir erzina: kaip kažkas yra kerintis scenoje ir baisiai nelaimingas gyvenime. Čia ne - visiškai sklandi istorija, kur iliuzionistas dirba mylimą ir jo paties gerbiamą (!!!) darbą, turi mylimus žmones, savo istoriją su skaudžiais ir gražiais etapais, ir keistą jos pabaigą. Link tos pabaigos veda visas pasakojimas, bet tik ties viduriu knygos pradedi suprasti, kad vis lauki to paaiškinimo. Ir jau kai sulauki, nė vienas iš spėliojimų nepasitvirtina :) Bet dar toks papildomas teatrinis apšvietimas įsijungia ant viso knygos siužeto ir atminty ji dar kitokia išlieka, negu būna tuo metu, kai skaitoma. Tikrai Swiftas yra meistras. Ir vertėja Rasa Drazdauskienė, beje, irgi - ačiū ir jai ir visiems, kas dirbo prie puikaus lietuviško varianto.
Iš pradžių galvojau, kad sunkiai pakelsiu, nes scenos magų (kaip ir pvz. cirko artistų arba jūrininkų) tema mane paprastai atstumia nuo pirmų sakinių, negaliu paaiškinti dėl ko. Visos kitos aplinkos kažkaip netrikdo - fabriko darbininkai, kaliniai, valstiečiai, net visokie profesoriai (ir tuos ištveriu), bet kas, bet tik ne magai arba jūrininkai. Tokias knygas iškart padėdavau. Ir va - knyga, kurios pagrindinis (jis vis dėlto pagrindinis) veikėjas yra magas iliuzionistas, ir beje, jūrininko vaikas, įtraukė per kelis puslapius. Gal kad nebuvo tos banalios opozicijos "tarp gyvenimo pilkumos ir scenos spindesio", nes įtariu, kad būtent ta priešprieša labiausiai ir erzina: kaip kažkas yra kerintis scenoje ir baisiai nelaimingas gyvenime. Čia ne - visiškai sklandi istorija, kur iliuzionistas dirba mylimą ir jo paties gerbiamą (!!!) darbą, turi mylimus žmones, savo istoriją su skaudžiais ir gražiais etapais, ir keistą jos pabaigą. Link tos pabaigos veda visas pasakojimas, bet tik ties viduriu knygos pradedi suprasti, kad vis lauki to paaiškinimo. Ir jau kai sulauki, nė vienas iš spėliojimų nepasitvirtina :) Bet dar toks papildomas teatrinis apšvietimas įsijungia ant viso knygos siužeto ir atminty ji dar kitokia išlieka, negu būna tuo metu, kai skaitoma. Tikrai Swiftas yra meistras. Ir vertėja Rasa Drazdauskienė, beje, irgi - ačiū ir jai ir visiems, kas dirbo prie puikaus lietuviško varianto.
September 16, 2020
Graham Swift. REGIMYBĖS.
Sunkiai sekasi rasti žodžius, galinčius aprašyti šią istoriją. Jau kelintą kartą atsidarau kompiuteryje esančią rašymo programą ir užrašau autoriaus vardą, pavardę bei pavadinimą. Pasiruošiu. Daugiau nieko, sustoju. Po kelių akimirkų jau veikiu šį tą kitko, tekstas pasimiršta, ateina kita diena, laiko nebėra, REGIMYBĖS lieka neįrėmintos.
Rodos, noriu sakyti, kad pasimiršo ir įspūdžiai, bet krapštydamas tekstą, vartydamas knygą, laikydamas ją rankose, prisimenu. Prisimenu tą įsimintiną dieną, kai saulė jau leidosi kažkur horizonte, ėjau tiltu link namų, kai staiga skaitomas tekstas taip maloniai įgavo prasmę, tarsi įrėmintas paveikslas. Ir kaip aš apgailestauju, kad ta akimirka netrūko amžinybės, nes vos tik saulė nusileido, tiltas pasibaigė, grįžau į realybę.
O realybė tokia, kad iki šiol nežinau, ar knyga patiko. Likau sužavėtas teksto lėtumu, rašymo maniera, tais spalvotais potėpiais, bet tik tiek. Kiekvieną kartą, kai paimdavau knygą, atsiverdavo visai kiti vaizdai, buvau įsiurbiamas, o kai tik užversdavau - viskas pasimiršdavo, nuotaikos nelikdavo, vaizdinys išblukdavo. Tuštuma.
Mėgavausi tik tuomet, kai skaičiau. Kaip nupasakoti tai? Matyt, kad tik rekomenduojant perskaityti patiems. Pasikartosiu dar kartą - lėtumas. Tokioms istorijoms duoti daugiau laiko, suteikti daugiau erdvės, paleisti vaizduotę, labiau atsipalaiduoti, jokiu būdu neskubėti ir pasibaigti visus darbus, kurie dega arba jau sudegė, nes kūrinio tekstas nėra toks galingas, kad sulaikytų besiveržiančių minčių. Metu akmenį į REGIMYBĖS daržą, o į savo paties. Ir visų, kurie skuba kaip vielabraukis pietų pertraukon.
Rekomenduoju. Mėgstantiems intelektualią ir rafinuotą literatūrą yra optimistinių galimybių, kad patiks. Pats vis dar negaliu atsakyti sau pačiam - kūrinys patiko ar ne. Nors net neabejoju, kad po kurio laiko norėsiu pamėginti dar kartą.
Sunkiai sekasi rasti žodžius, galinčius aprašyti šią istoriją. Jau kelintą kartą atsidarau kompiuteryje esančią rašymo programą ir užrašau autoriaus vardą, pavardę bei pavadinimą. Pasiruošiu. Daugiau nieko, sustoju. Po kelių akimirkų jau veikiu šį tą kitko, tekstas pasimiršta, ateina kita diena, laiko nebėra, REGIMYBĖS lieka neįrėmintos.
Rodos, noriu sakyti, kad pasimiršo ir įspūdžiai, bet krapštydamas tekstą, vartydamas knygą, laikydamas ją rankose, prisimenu. Prisimenu tą įsimintiną dieną, kai saulė jau leidosi kažkur horizonte, ėjau tiltu link namų, kai staiga skaitomas tekstas taip maloniai įgavo prasmę, tarsi įrėmintas paveikslas. Ir kaip aš apgailestauju, kad ta akimirka netrūko amžinybės, nes vos tik saulė nusileido, tiltas pasibaigė, grįžau į realybę.
O realybė tokia, kad iki šiol nežinau, ar knyga patiko. Likau sužavėtas teksto lėtumu, rašymo maniera, tais spalvotais potėpiais, bet tik tiek. Kiekvieną kartą, kai paimdavau knygą, atsiverdavo visai kiti vaizdai, buvau įsiurbiamas, o kai tik užversdavau - viskas pasimiršdavo, nuotaikos nelikdavo, vaizdinys išblukdavo. Tuštuma.
Mėgavausi tik tuomet, kai skaičiau. Kaip nupasakoti tai? Matyt, kad tik rekomenduojant perskaityti patiems. Pasikartosiu dar kartą - lėtumas. Tokioms istorijoms duoti daugiau laiko, suteikti daugiau erdvės, paleisti vaizduotę, labiau atsipalaiduoti, jokiu būdu neskubėti ir pasibaigti visus darbus, kurie dega arba jau sudegė, nes kūrinio tekstas nėra toks galingas, kad sulaikytų besiveržiančių minčių. Metu akmenį į REGIMYBĖS daržą, o į savo paties. Ir visų, kurie skuba kaip vielabraukis pietų pertraukon.
Rekomenduoju. Mėgstantiems intelektualią ir rafinuotą literatūrą yra optimistinių galimybių, kad patiks. Pats vis dar negaliu atsakyti sau pačiam - kūrinys patiko ar ne. Nors net neabejoju, kad po kurio laiko norėsiu pamėginti dar kartą.
November 2, 2021
Graham Swift vardą įsiminiau nuo pirmosios jo lietuviškai išverstos knygos "Motinų sekmadienis". Jau tada kažkas sukirbėjo viduje, kad tai gali būti vienas tų autorių, kurių kūrybą aš seksiu ir kurių visos knygos bus suskaitytos. Imponavo autoriaus nepretenzingas rašymo stilius, kalbos paprastumas ir tai, kiek daug jis sugeba sutalpinti į tikrai mažos apimties savo kūrinius.
Perskaičius jau antrąją Swift knygą "Regimybės" tik dar kartą įsitikinau, koks jis nuostabus. Šįkart pasakojimas nukelia į pramogų pasaulį. Galime sekti trijų artistų gyvenimą, kurie susitinka ir sukuria žiūrovus užburiančia programą. Vienas jų yra išskirtinai charizmatiškas ir puikiu humoro jausmu apdovanotas vedėjas, kitas itin gabus iliuzionistas, na ir paskutinė vyšnaitė ant torto - Eva, iliuzionisto padėjėja. Jeigu jūs jau užuodžiate meilės trikampio kvapą, tai jūsų uoslė jus veda teisingai.
Pasakojimo laikas nėra linijinis. Autorius mus mėto ir vėto skleisdamas istoriją lyg daugiabriaunį brangakmenį: štai viena o briauną - vieno iš veikėjų skaudi vaikystė, kita briauna - stilingas ir spalvingas jų pasirodymas, dar viena - meilės peripetijos. Briaunų daug ir visos jos sudaro tikrai nuostabią visumą.
Turiu prisipažinti, kad negriebiau šios knygos skaityti tik Baltoms lankoms jas išleidus ir taip atsitiko dėl to, kad šiek tiek atstūmė tai, kuo leidykla bandė vilioti skaitytoją. Raktiniai žodžiai: magija, iliuzija ir pan. Vis atidėliojau. O be reikalo. Knyga žaisminga, skaudi, jauki, stilinga, subtili. Dar daug epitetų čia tiktų, bet viskas į vienus vartus - ji nuostabi.
Daugiau atskleisti jums nenoriu, kad tiesiog nesugadinti malonumo tiems, kurie susigundys ir paims šią knygą į rankas. Tas atradimo džiaugsmas tikrai garantuotas.
Surijau šią knygą per dieną su didžiuliu pasigardžiavimu. Kviečiu ir jus ją skaityti, nes ji verta jūsų dėmesio.
Perskaičius jau antrąją Swift knygą "Regimybės" tik dar kartą įsitikinau, koks jis nuostabus. Šįkart pasakojimas nukelia į pramogų pasaulį. Galime sekti trijų artistų gyvenimą, kurie susitinka ir sukuria žiūrovus užburiančia programą. Vienas jų yra išskirtinai charizmatiškas ir puikiu humoro jausmu apdovanotas vedėjas, kitas itin gabus iliuzionistas, na ir paskutinė vyšnaitė ant torto - Eva, iliuzionisto padėjėja. Jeigu jūs jau užuodžiate meilės trikampio kvapą, tai jūsų uoslė jus veda teisingai.
Pasakojimo laikas nėra linijinis. Autorius mus mėto ir vėto skleisdamas istoriją lyg daugiabriaunį brangakmenį: štai viena o briauną - vieno iš veikėjų skaudi vaikystė, kita briauna - stilingas ir spalvingas jų pasirodymas, dar viena - meilės peripetijos. Briaunų daug ir visos jos sudaro tikrai nuostabią visumą.
Turiu prisipažinti, kad negriebiau šios knygos skaityti tik Baltoms lankoms jas išleidus ir taip atsitiko dėl to, kad šiek tiek atstūmė tai, kuo leidykla bandė vilioti skaitytoją. Raktiniai žodžiai: magija, iliuzija ir pan. Vis atidėliojau. O be reikalo. Knyga žaisminga, skaudi, jauki, stilinga, subtili. Dar daug epitetų čia tiktų, bet viskas į vienus vartus - ji nuostabi.
Daugiau atskleisti jums nenoriu, kad tiesiog nesugadinti malonumo tiems, kurie susigundys ir paims šią knygą į rankas. Tas atradimo džiaugsmas tikrai garantuotas.
Surijau šią knygą per dieną su didžiuliu pasigardžiavimu. Kviečiu ir jus ją skaityti, nes ji verta jūsų dėmesio.
March 23, 2020
Outsized short story in enlarged type. Uninvolving and dull, written in that bitty style that has spread over Swift’s work since The Light of Day like black mould.
October 29, 2022
Ένα επιτυχημένο σόου με κομπέρ, ζογκλέρ και ταχυδακτυλουργούς, οι παραστάσεις του οποίου δεν έμελλε να συνεχιστούν μετά το καλοκαίρι του 1959. Κι ένα ειδύλλιο ανάμεσα στους λαμπερούς πρωταγωνιστές του, που, παρά το απόλυτο ταίριασμά τους (στη σκηνή και τη ζωή), δεν έμελλε να καταλήξει στον γάμο που οι ίδιοι σχεδίαζαν.
Γλυκόπικρη ιστορία, που διηγείται σαγηνευτικά ο Γκράχαμ Σουίφτ, για τις ψευδαισθήσεις της νιότης (σάμπως ο απόλυτος έρ��τας δεν είναι μια από αυτές;), την ομορφιά και τη δύναμη της αγάπης, τα δύσκολα παιδικά χρόνια τον καιρό του Β΄ΠΠ, και το δυσαναπλήρωτο κενό των ανθρώπων που έμελλε να φύγουν νωρίς (σάμπως όταν φεύγουν οι αγαπημένοι μας άνθρωποι δεν είναι πάντα νωρίς;).
Μυθιστόρημα που αγάπησα όσο λίγα.
Γλυκόπικρη ιστορία, που διηγείται σαγηνευτικά ο Γκράχαμ Σουίφτ, για τις ψευδαισθήσεις της νιότης (σάμπως ο απόλυτος έρ��τας δεν είναι μια από αυτές;), την ομορφιά και τη δύναμη της αγάπης, τα δύσκολα παιδικά χρόνια τον καιρό του Β΄ΠΠ, και το δυσαναπλήρωτο κενό των ανθρώπων που έμελλε να φύγουν νωρίς (σάμπως όταν φεύγουν οι αγαπημένοι μας άνθρωποι δεν είναι πάντα νωρίς;).
Μυθιστόρημα που αγάπησα όσο λίγα.
July 28, 2022
Turiu kelis rašytojus, kurių noriu perskaityt viską, ką jie parašo! Ir, žinokit, panašu, kad Graham Swift į juos papuola! 😍
Koks pasimėgavimas yra skaityti jo knygas! Jis taip subtiliai ir išmaniai primėto užuominų ir vilioja. Kaip voras mezga tinklą ir gaudo skaitytoją. Vilioja taip, kad saldu. Ir nors suprantu, kad vilioja, bet niekaip atsispirti negaliu, o ir visai nenoriu. Visiškas skaitymo malonumas!
Graham Swift kuria pasakojimą iš nutylėjimų, tiesos trupinėlių. Jis leidžia spėlioti, duoda peno vaizduotei, po truputį atskleisdamas istoriją iš visų pusių. Knygoje ne kartą sakinius skaičiau po kelis kartus. Kartais dėl grožio, kartais pasitiksinimui, kartais mąstydama, ar tikrai tik tiek pasakė ir nieko nepraleidau. 😀
Man rodos, net jeigu istorija nepasirodytų pagavi pats rašymo stilius turi daug potencialo sužavėti. Jeigu, kaip ir aš, mėgstate, kai ne viskas akivaizdu. O šioje knygoje dar ir magija. Tiesiogiai magija. Net ne mano mėgstamas magiškasis realizmas, o grynų gryniausia magija. Ne tik istorijoje, bet ir tekste. 😍
Ir pabaiga! Kaip man būna gera, kai užvertus knygą tiesiog šypsausi iš pasitenkinimo!
Visiškai mano tipo knyga. Ji bus mano metų top knygų sąraše. 💛
Koks pasimėgavimas yra skaityti jo knygas! Jis taip subtiliai ir išmaniai primėto užuominų ir vilioja. Kaip voras mezga tinklą ir gaudo skaitytoją. Vilioja taip, kad saldu. Ir nors suprantu, kad vilioja, bet niekaip atsispirti negaliu, o ir visai nenoriu. Visiškas skaitymo malonumas!
Graham Swift kuria pasakojimą iš nutylėjimų, tiesos trupinėlių. Jis leidžia spėlioti, duoda peno vaizduotei, po truputį atskleisdamas istoriją iš visų pusių. Knygoje ne kartą sakinius skaičiau po kelis kartus. Kartais dėl grožio, kartais pasitiksinimui, kartais mąstydama, ar tikrai tik tiek pasakė ir nieko nepraleidau. 😀
Man rodos, net jeigu istorija nepasirodytų pagavi pats rašymo stilius turi daug potencialo sužavėti. Jeigu, kaip ir aš, mėgstate, kai ne viskas akivaizdu. O šioje knygoje dar ir magija. Tiesiogiai magija. Net ne mano mėgstamas magiškasis realizmas, o grynų gryniausia magija. Ne tik istorijoje, bet ir tekste. 😍
Ir pabaiga! Kaip man būna gera, kai užvertus knygą tiesiog šypsausi iš pasitenkinimo!
Visiškai mano tipo knyga. Ji bus mano metų top knygų sąraše. 💛
October 8, 2020
Δεύτερο βιβλίο του Γκράχαμ Σουίφτ που διαβάζω, μετά το (μάλλον) πολύ καλό "Φτερωτό μπαλάκι" που διάβασα τον Νοέμβριο του 2011 (διάολε, πώς περνάνε τα χρόνια!), και δηλώνω ιδιαίτερα ευχαριστημένος. Σίγουρα τη διαφορά στο βιβλίο την κάνει η χειμαρρώδης και κάπως σαγηνευτική αφήγηση, που από την αρχή μέχρι το τέλος αποπνέει σιγουριά, αλλά και μια κάποια μαγεία, μιας και μετατρέπει μια μάλλον κοινότοπη ιστορία σε κάτι το ξεχωριστό. Η αλ��θεια είναι ότι η ιστορία αυτή καθαυτή μπορεί να μην εντυπωσιάζει ιδιαίτερα και να μην έχει κάτι καινούργιο να πει, ενώ επίσης θα έλεγα ότι είναι κάπως ισχνή σε περιεχόμενο, όμως η πένα του Σουίφτ κάνει... μαγικά, η γραφή ρέει σαν γάργαρο νερό, με τις περιγραφές του καταφέρνει να δημιουργεί ωραίες εικόνες και ποικίλα συναισθήματα. Και στο τέλος αφήνει μια γλυκόπικρη γεύση στο στόμα, όπως και η ίδια η ζωή άλλωστε.
October 20, 2020
In typical Graham Swift style, we slowly fill in the details of a single summer, 1959 in Brighton, during which a magician, his assistant (and fiancé), and their friend who runs the review show they star in, cross into and out of each other's lives in unexpected ways.
It's a quiet book, told in retrospective from 50 years after the summer in question, but it's a fascinating look at the secrets, the secret lives, and the mysteries of these three people. All in a very brief 195 pages.
It's a quiet book, told in retrospective from 50 years after the summer in question, but it's a fascinating look at the secrets, the secret lives, and the mysteries of these three people. All in a very brief 195 pages.
October 8, 2020
Never read this author before but being a “Booker Prize-winning author” and so many 4*-5* reviews I expected something – a story, a plot or something like that.
Started this book a while ago. Got bored. Gave up and read something else. Picked it up again. Got to page 30 and realized I had no idea what the book is about.
No more time to waste – too many other books to read.
Started this book a while ago. Got bored. Gave up and read something else. Picked it up again. Got to page 30 and realized I had no idea what the book is about.
No more time to waste – too many other books to read.
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