Present Regarding Books The Book of Evidence (Frames: The Freddie Montgomery Trilogy #1)
| Title | : | The Book of Evidence (Frames: The Freddie Montgomery Trilogy #1) |
| Author | : | John Banville |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | First Vintage International Edition, June 2001 |
| Pages | : | Pages: 220 pages |
| Published | : | June 12th 2001 by Vintage Books (first published 1989) |
| Categories | : | Fiction. Cultural. Ireland. European Literature. Irish Literature. Mystery. Literature. Novels. Literary Fiction |
John Banville
Paperback | Pages: 220 pages Rating: 3.71 | 4006 Users | 392 Reviews
Explanation Supposing Books The Book of Evidence (Frames: The Freddie Montgomery Trilogy #1)
Irish novelist John Banville—known to readers of mystery fiction as Benjamin Black—had been writing novels for twenty years when, in 1989, The Book of Evidence was short-listed for the Booker. Every page of this elegant psychopathic monologue—a thief and murderer's intelligent and restrained account of his inane and violent crime—reveals Banville to be a master of his craft. Protagonist Freddie Montgomery is—like Humbert Humbert—an unreliable narrator. He and Humbert are unreliable, however, not because they lie to us, but because their amorality and lack of feeling rob them of the capacity to connect their own actions with consequences, and therefore they are deprived of the ability to create a coherent emotional identity. Freddie, in fact, may commit his crimes—and write his "book of evidence" too—in a vain attempt to feel something—anything—and, through such feelings, to comprehend his ever elusive self. But—just like the monkey-artist in Nabokov's preface to Lolita—the first, the only, portrait he can fashion is a picture of the bars of his cage. In addition to the unreliability of his narrator, Banville resembles Nabokov in the beauty of his prose. Though his style is less resplendent and concentrated, it is also more melodious and precise. The jeweled splendor of Nabokov is perhaps inimitable, but one could do worse than imitate Banville's flowing, pellucid style.
Mention Books Toward The Book of Evidence (Frames: The Freddie Montgomery Trilogy #1)
| Original Title: | The Book of Evidence |
| ISBN: | 0375725237 (ISBN13: 9780375725234) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Series: | Frames: The Freddie Montgomery Trilogy #1 |
| Literary Awards: | Booker Prize Nominee (1989), Guinness Peat Aviation Book Award (1989), Premio Ennio Flaiano (1991) |
Rating Regarding Books The Book of Evidence (Frames: The Freddie Montgomery Trilogy #1)
Ratings: 3.71 From 4006 Users | 392 ReviewsNotice Regarding Books The Book of Evidence (Frames: The Freddie Montgomery Trilogy #1)
Freddie Montgomery is unmistakably guilty - he stole and killed. The confession he writes, while in jail and awaiting trial, may be unreliable, but then, I dont think it is about reliability. You could see it as a confession of a psychopath, or as a story about a man whose life is missing some essential element. But it has depth, and self-reflection. It has something that gripped me, like no other story that I read recently. Not because Freddie is likable, because believe me - he is not, butRemorse implies the expectation of forgiveness.There's a tradition of first person narrators talking about their murders, regretting, not regretting, not understanding, understanding. In this case, Meursault, the protagonist of Camus' The Stranger (1942), comes to mind. Even though Meursault provides the events as they unfold, rather than as a confession, there is something of his absurdity and detachment, even the circumstantial, that guides Banville's Freddie Montgomery.A more obvious
This is already very, very funny. It simply is NOT THE POINT that this character is not a nice person, not likeable. Baffled by some of the other reviews that find this book unreadable because he's horrible. Hugely entertaining and so well written it hurts.Compelling glimpse into the mind of a psychopath, the disconnect, the normality, the brutality. The killing of the maid is so well, and chillingly written. Banville really is an extraordinary writer.
Through his remarkable and dark-humorous writing, Banville lets his hero Freddie narrate or plead GUILTY to his jury/ audience - We, the readers - You, "Who must have meaning in everything, who lusts after meaning, your palms sticky, and your faces on fire!" It would be difficult not to think of Nabokov when you listen to self-pity story of Freddie and the way he addresses the readers or mocks them, at times.Nevertheless, this is beautifully written and not lengthy. You would not be disappointed
"I killed her because I could, I said, what more can I say?"I have found another favorite author. My Goodreads friend, Judith, highly recommended John Banville, and in particular his The Untouchable. I read good books very slowly so since I still work more than full time I began with a much shorter novel, one of Banville's earlier works, The Book of Evidence (1989), which made the short list for Booker Prize. It took me almost an entire week to read the 217 pages (a popular novel of this volume
Fourth attempt, fourth time abandoning The Book of Evidence.I made it a little farther this time, as I do each time I take a crack at it, but I've still not reached one hundred pages, and I can't see myself ever picking this book up again. But it's John Banville, and I am an Irish Lit guy, so I feel like something is wrong with me; I can't read his books.But there's definitely something wrong with this book that isn't about me. John Banville doesn't care about his protagonist, Freddie
Make no mistake! John Banville's 1989 novel The Book of Evidence is great writing at its best. The author fulfills readers' expectations (or at least the stereotype) of Irish writers and their special gift for using the English language. This tale is told by the churl and cad Freddie Montgomery who as the story opens appears to be telling a magistrate about the murder of a servant girl. He admits freely admits to being the culprit. So the main question in this mystery is not who did it or will
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