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The Gathering

Author: Anne Enright
Publisher: Vintage
Category: Book

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Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

20 reviews
Sales Rank: 745

Media: Paperback
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.8

ISBN: 0099501635
EAN: 9780099501633
ASIN: 0099501635

Publication Date: March 20, 2008
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Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

unjustly maligned June 23, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful

Having just finished this book, I find some of the descriptions of its boredom-inducing qualities in other reviews unwarrented. The central 'plot' is well-described elsewhere - a woman comes to term with her past and that of her recently dead brother in the context of her large Irish family - but it is the peeling back of the onion layers, the gradual revelation, the crystallisation of detail that gives this book its appeal. Yes, it reads as a monologue, first-person narrated, and yes, there may be little traditional characterisation, but I found it compellingly written, in a distilled-down, nothing-wasted kind of style that combines simplicity and depth. If you are prepared to accept ambiguity in what is real, what is unreal, what is half-remembered by the narrator, then it's a rewarding read.

2 out of 5 stars

A Family of Saga of Death or a Femist Tract? June 19, 2008
Somewhere in the course of lives, I suspect that a need arises to dissect one's life and the life of close relatives and friends. Veronica, the narrator of The Gathering, is prompted to do so on the death of her brother, Liam. Veronica's narrative takes us back and forth in time as she dissect and reveal family relationships and in particular her's and Liam's journey into adulthood.

On publication there was so much hype about The Gathering being a bleak and depressing novel, primarily about the suicide of Liam, that on reading it I felt defrauded. True Veronica's story is bleak and at times depressing but it is so for other reasons beyond the melancholy of suicide. To a large extent, what Anne Enright does is to present a neo-feminist tract in the guise of a family saga.

All that should not suggest that this novel is not an interesting read. Ironically, it is partly interesting because Enright lacked the skills to cover the machination of the novel. Ostensibly, the death of Liam plunges Veronica into a soul searching reverie about life and death. Her musings, sometimes bitter, angry but above all down right honest is a threnody not only to Liam but also and perhaps more importantly to her own life in terms of what could have been possible.

However, a close reading soon reveals that The Gathering is very much a naturalistic novel. It places the Hegarty's in a particular social milieu and partly explores the impact of hereditary and environment upon, at least, three generations of Hegarty's. This approach rendered the novel pessimistic and over deterministic. It is not that I don't enjoy naturalism in the novel, I was and still am a great admirer of the master of naturalism, namely Emile Zola. However, in the hands of Enright, I found her naturalism lacking the pangs of emotions that move me when I come across it the arts.

I found Enright's mataphors and use of language opaque at times. This had me re-reading sentences. Her style did not help to bring the issues of the novel alive. I was therefore not drawn into the family saga and became disengaged. Enright also left no pace between the extremes of black and white. In other words, the novel lacked nuance and subtlety.

Another reason why this novel did not struct a cord with me is that I did not like nor could I sympatise with the main character, Veronica. Her temprement was brooding and she was self serving. Imagine on the night of the wake for a dead brother telling your old and senile mother that he is dead because she sent him to live with his grand parent where he was sexually abused. Then adding that your mother failed to protect her son which sent him on a path to suicide. This would be a supreme act of trying to expunge guilt by extreme selfishness. That is exactly what Veronica does.

When the family do get together not much happens. It is an anti-climax. This is mainly because Veronica has moaned and groaned so much about herself ahd her relationships that there is not much left to surprise us.

It is not the subject of the novel nor its bleakness that makes The Gathering a disappointment. Rather it was that my expectation of what I was going to read about was turned upside down and I was left feeling that I was sold one thing under the guise of another.

4 out of 5 stars

Honestly I didn't think it was that bad June 14, 2008
But then I loved "We need to talk about Kevin" so I think I quite like books that lean towards the dark side, saying that though I feel a bit gloomy today but that could be the grey clouds or the little wine I had last night.
I bought this book elsewhere knowing nothing of the reviews, except the blurb on the jacket. After reading those here I thought oh no! but I read it anyway.
I did find this book a little hard to read in some places and difficult to get into - I bravely soldiered on. Consequently it grew on me, the writing style was different and I was slightly put off by this - I've only ever let a few books go, the synopsis gives enough of the plot so I wont add further and as a book it meanders, to enjoy I guess you have to meander too. I guess its partly down to personal taste but I don't think it deserved two stars, what a harsh lot you are :-P

2 out of 5 stars

Challenging and thought provoking in parts, but mediocre at best. June 13, 2008
This was a book filled with potential but sadly lacking in many areas.
The main character was so self obsessed she seemed unable to think of anyone else-bubbling with resentment and anger that she felt for all those around her.
Bitter, and unlikeable as a character I felt no empathy towards her despite what had/had not happened in her past.

I can however understand the contradictions in the book, they are as a result of the rambling thoughts, memories and half truths in Veronica's mind as she tries in her own irritating way to piece together the past.

There were some poignant moments and views that certainly that made me think, sadly these were few and far between in a sea of mediocrity.

When finished the only thought in my mind was "Phew, thank goodness that's over"

1 out of 5 stars

Pointless June 13, 2008
It was a struggle to finish this, but I felt that it had to get better or have some great ending that made the tedium worth the Booker Prize - it didn't! Utterly boring and unengaging. I don't understand why this got published, let alone won the Booker. I have read lots of winners and I don't always like them, but I can usually appreciate why they won. This was an utter waste of time.