Book Review: The Sandcastle by, Iris Murdoch

In today's video I'll be reviewing The Sandcastle by, Iris Murdoch.

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[alexagiacomini]

Recently found your channel and absolutely adore your approach to talking about books. You may only film once a month but your reviews are insightful and enjoyable to listen to! I love the diversity of the books you read as well, which is how I also read. Thank you for your content!

[martasoltys]

LOVE your hair tied back! Not only do you have a beautiful face, but the playing with the hair takes away from what you say. I'm not loving Paul as much as I expected. I like the plot, the idea behind it, but i'm so sick of being told every sentence what I'm supposed to be thinking. There is no wiggle room! It's the ultimate literary fiction where I'm being told where to go. I mean... Well done, but it's too structured. I'm still going to finish it and probably reread it as some point. I am looking forward to your review. So far, The Little Life has been my favourite this year, which I find surprising b/c I find it a bit fantastical (in a sense that all the friends are so successful and I keep wondering if Jude could become who he became given his background); however, I actually like the style. It reads easily, even if a bit overwritten at times, I don't mind. I find it enjoyable, which is exactly what I've noticed I'm missing in Paul. It's like eating turkey that's super stringy, no fat on it whatsoever. You have to chew and chew and the chewing seems so never-ending you end up spitting it out. IDK. Maybe that's a strange metaphor but that's how I feel. I do love the concept though; a novel written about a short amount of time. I may read The Birthday Party; the whole novel describes one party. Makes me wonder if it can be done well. This novel you're reviewing reminds me of The French Lieutenant's Woman. It's such a smart book on what freedom and how different the meaning is to women and men in the context of history. I might read Sorrow and Bliss, since it's your friend's favourite.

[cathyg.]

Great review! I haven’t read anything by Iris Murdoch and I added this book to my TBR. I haven’t heard of Thirst of Salt until you mentioned it and added it to my TBR also. Looking forward to your review of it as well!

[mattkean]

I still need to dip into Iris.

I cried in the second Dunnett book, the sequel to that one.

I spy We, the Drowned on your shelf. It's been on my extended tbr for a while now

[novelideea]

Absolutely love the themes and meaning you pulled out of Sandcastle, I don’t want to pick it up, but I am curious. I haven’t read beyond The Sea The Sea.
I love sea narratives as well.

[hihihihittt]

Just read The Sea, the sea and loved it! I'm gonna try The Sandcastles. Have you read Tove Ditlevsen?

[kurtfox]

Lorna Doone. I recently finished _True History of the Kelly Gang_, and it is mentioned in there.

[kurtfox]

I am still anticipating that book shelf tour.
You finished 1Q84; I can't wait to hear the review.. (.. but I'll agree to disagree.)
Jonathan Norrell & Mr. Strange is a good rainy/cold weather book.

[Sinikiwe]

So far i like "black prince" and "a severed head". Agreed the synopsis of her books are a little cheesy, they put me off her work for a while until i saw a youtube review. I am also having a hard time finding her books

[jamesduggan]

Hey Alana: Looking forward with great anticipation to June '24 bc it will be the first Moby Dick review I've seen here on BookTube - where it's fashionable to bash that venerable American Classic. I may, if I can, read along with you. It will only be my second time but I have seen several adaptations of it. Usually, I talk about it in terms of the unreliable narrator. Ishmael has a wild story to tell but for some of the scenes I would like a little corroboration. There are temptations to read into it things that might have or could have happened but apparently did not.