Really? you might be thinking. More on The Forgotten Waltz? Yes, there’s more.
Consider the following:
…there was no doubt that we felt easier about the world, for the fact that our father was no longer in it. We loved him, of course, but we both knew that life was simpler now that he was dead and he wasn’t coming back.
Now with Enright’s voice and detail:
…there was no doubt that we felt easier about the world, for the fact that our father was no longer in it. We loved him, of course, but we both knew that life was simpler now that he wasn’t just ‘out,’ or ‘late,’ or even ‘gone on a wander,’ but definitely and definitively dead, dead, dead. No coming back. No late-night key scratching for the lock. (115)
And there’s more, but I think we’ll stop there. Next post, something else.
From this series of posts, I can see why you love this book. It’s the poetry and precision of language.
It’s funny. I love the writing more than I love the book.
I am enjoying all the things you have mentioned, plus Enright’s humor.
From your last post:
“And he drove back to the hotel too fast, where I failed to seduce him on my way to the shower and he failed to seduce me on my way out of it. And on it went.” (126)
And this: “Anyway. Before out lives became a desolation of boredom, rage and betrayal, I loved Sean, I mean, Conor.” (201)
And my favorite so far, “I can’t believe I am free of all that. I just can’t believe it. That all you have to do is sleep with somebody and get caught and you never have to see your in-laws again. Ever. Pfffff! Gone. It’s the nearest thing to magic I have yet found.” (538)
Whoop! I am loving her new novel.
Wonderful point. I particularly like Enright’s brand of humor because it’s generally so dry and biting. Looking forward to more of your comments about the book!
Hi Cynthia,
just the other day I posted Anne Enright’s “Ten rules for writing fiction” on my blog. I loved her list, but must admit I don’t at all know her as a writer, then suddenly I discovered that you do! If you were new to her work, where would you start?
All the best!
Sigrun
Hi Sigrun, I had fun visiting your blog again. Loved Enright’s rules, especially #4: “Description is hard. Remember that all description is an opinion about the world. Find a place to stand.” So far I have just read The Gathering and The Forgotten Waltz, but I now have a nice stack of every book she’s written. I preferred The Gathering, but maybe start with her latest The Forgotten Waltz and work backwards? But if you only have time for one–The Gathering.