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The Sea, the Sea
- Vintage Classics Murdoch Series
- Narrated by: Richard E. Grant
- Length: 23 hrs and 3 mins
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The Sea, the Sea
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Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
Vintage Classics Murdoch: Funny, subversive, fearless and fiercely intelligent, Iris Murdoch was one of the great writers of the 20th century. To celebrate her centenary, Vintage Classics presents special editions of her greatest and most timeless novels.
I saw a monster rising from the waves.
Charles Arrowby has determined to spend the rest of his days in hermit-like contemplation. He buys a mysteriously damp house on the coast, far from the heady world of the theatre where he made his name, and there he swims in the sea, eats revolting meals and writes his memoirs. But then he meets his childhood sweetheart Hartley, and memories of her lovely, younger self crowd in - along with more recent lovers and friends - to disrupt his self-imposed exile. So instead of 'learning to be good', Charles proceeds to demonstrate how very bad he can be.
Winner of the Man Booker Prize 1978.
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What listeners say about The Sea, the Sea
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Robert M B Brandt
- 24-08-21
A perfect match of writer and narrator
A unique, intriguing, beguiling book that flitters around truth but never lands on it, constantly forcing the reader to think beyond what is written and turn the page. Sometimes funny, sometimes tragic but never obvious. The real magic here though, is in the reading; Richard E. Grant puts his life and soul into the characters and is the perfect choice for this book, providing just the right level of performance over straight reading and has a very well prepared and astute understanding of the text so that every sentence is phrased perfectly.
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- Jaemy
- 12-12-22
Sheer bliss from start to finish
Talk about bringing a tale to life in an ocean full. REG is a maestro.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Carl Conway
- 13-08-21
A complex and intertwining story
Loved the storyline and the variety of characters involved, entertaining and enthralling, well worth read.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Kindle Customer
- 06-05-23
The Sea The Sea
My introduction to Iris Murdoch. Thoroughly enjoyed the prose and thought provoking philosophical observations. Richard E Grant's performance was exceptional, with clear delineation of each character.
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- AH
- 28-04-20
Thank you Richard E. Grant
This is not a narration by Mr Grant, it is a wonderful and generous performance.
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22 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 27-05-20
An elusive, ambiguous masterpiece
What a superb reader Richard E Grant is. His tone is perfectly suited to this odd, brilliant, vexatious book.
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10 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 28-12-20
A tour de force of first-person narrative
My thoughts on finishing a second reading of The Sea, The Sea
It's curious how novels remain the same but our response to them changes as we change. Ten years on, it seems a vaster, richer novel than I remembered, a great cathedral of a book, an astonishing achievement of sustained first-person narrative.
Charles' breathtaking arrogance, his conceitedness, his childish petulance (James and Lizzie), his outrageously manipulative behaviour and interference in other people's lives, make him at times almost hateful, and yet, precisely because of the first-person narration, the rich and detailed description and unfolding revelations are also Charles', and so to an extent redeem him as a character. But apart from Charles, what a rich array of characters we encounter. Complex, mysterious James is my favourite, Lizzie is endearing, Rosina at times witch-like, charismatic, vulnerable, Gilbert loveable, Peregrine inscrutable, unpredictable, potentially dangerous, and Ben, what can one say about Ben? A marvellously fully-fleshed character for whom I feel a degree of sympathy given Charles' outrageous encroachment on his marriage. And then there's Mary (Charles' stubborn insistence on 'Hartley' irritates and even infuriates me the further I get into the book.) She is in some ways a pathetic creature (and no doubt a fantasist) but equally you could argue, she has her own quiet dignity, she is her own person, if only Charles would leave her and Ben alone, to get on with their lives in peace.
(I've inadvertently left out Titus, but other readers will have their own thoughts about his function and importance in the novel.) Also, what is the symbolism of the bead curtain and of Minn's cauldron? The sea itself is a wonderfully unfathomable element in the story. It's interesting that both James and Titus, at different points in the novel, use the phrase 'the sea, the sea'.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- jane mcallister
- 28-11-21
Brilliant
The book is excruciatingly well observed and audible casts the narrator brilliantly. A highly recommended listen.
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- Delissa
- 05-08-20
To not read this would be like not seeing Venice.
Gosh! What a masterpiece. Murdoch created this complex fascinating character who was at times so vile, so vulnerable, so bitchy. Any book's a winner where you find yourself screaming out loud NOOOOOO!. I loved all the characters. Last time I read a Murdoch was for my A Level and I have never read another since and I don;t know why. She is the most incredible writer - so many wonderful quotes to takeaway and remember. And brilliantly read by Richard E Grant doing all the voices. A treat.
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6 people found this helpful
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- ERIC
- 16-05-22
Blown away by this outstanding novel
This has to be the most memorable and remarkable story that I have ever read. The characters will stay with me, and the descriptive writing is a joy.
My next step? To seek out Iris Murdoch's other novels; it will be a treasury of literary achievement if they are anywhere nearly as good as "The Sea, The Sea".
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1 person found this helpful