When the first name slipped in, I had to rewind to be sure of what I'd heard. Further, the characters remain nameless throughout much of the book-and only the two main characters ever acquire names. Later, when the main character's lover tells the story of his youth, she switches to a more straightforward narrative, which serves his revelations well and makes they all the more powerful because of the unornamented language. It is beautiful and I didn't get lost in it, mainly I think because of the author's beautiful reading (I think this is a great book to listen to). McBride writes her protagonist's inner voice in the allusive and fragmentary style I mentioned above. The relationships all echo and reflect, and there are dawning awarenesses from several characters. The central love story is counterpointed by experiences in the main characters' childhoods of disturbed love from adults, as well as by the dogged and responsible love a father feels for his daughter. Still, from my vantage point, it sometimes seems like a distant land and I wanted to wring the necks of those youngsters, for their lack of perspective and undaunted pursuit of their desires.
These are not fade-to-black sexual scenes but McBride's writing in this regard is bold and sensitive-not like anything I've read before. The author writes about sex explicitly and poetically throughout-this might not be to every reader's liking.
It's also about the sexual initiation of a young woman, newly arrived in London to go to acting school. ***** This book is largely about sex and love, and the ways they intersect or don't. I just started so not far in, but the language is so beautiful, in the service of youth and art. It is like a mash-up of Shakespeare and Beckett, with language that is rhythmic, rhyming, and allusive. I would like to have heard more of the woman's story - however it is as if being in her mind with her she can't be self conscious enough to tell her story. It fascinates me that this starts out very much a story of the first person female narrator who has a very moving story - yet the book ends up really being about the life of the man she is involved with. There are revelations about the past lives of the characters which are painful but moving. Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you? Have you listened to any of Eimear McBride’s other performances before? How does this one compare? The author is gifted at making everyday life come alive and taking you to a very specific place and time. What was one of the most memorable moments of The Lesser Bohemians? The language seemed pretentious at first and was distracting, but t hen there were beautiful passages and descriptions once I got used to it. What did you love best about The Lesser Bohemians?
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