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Ancient Light

By John Banville
Series: Penguin Essentials
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3.62 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 3,465 ratings, 595 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Ancient Light by John Banville explores the intertwining memories of a retired actor reflecting on a youthful affair with his best friend's mother, and his present involvement in a tumultuous film project. The narrative delves into themes of memory, love, and the passage of time, artfully blending past and present in a poignant contemplative style.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate beautifully crafted prose and complex narrative structures. It delves into themes of memory, love, and the intricacies of human relationships, with a touch of mystery that will keep you engaged throughout. If you're drawn to introspective journeys and the nuances of life, this novel could resonate with you.

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Ancient Light

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A story of obsessive young love and overwhelming grief from the Booker Prize-winning author - now a Penguin Essential.

'Billy Gray was my best friend and I fell in love with his mother.'

Alexander Cleave, an actor who thinks his best days are behind him, remembers his first unlikely affair as a teenage boy in a small town in 1950s Ireland - the illicit meetings in a rundown cottage outside town; assignations in the back of his lover's car on sunny mornings and rain-soaked afternoons.

And with these early memories comes something sharper and much darker - the more recent recollection of the actor's own daughter's suicide ten years before.

Ancient Light is the story of a life rendered brilliantly vivid - the obsession and selfishness of young love and the terrifying shock of grief.

It is a dazzling novel, funny, utterly pleasurable and devastatingly moving in the same moment.

Series: Penguin Essentials

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Ancient Light by John Banville is highly praised for its evocative prose and the lush depiction of a past filled with passion and longing. Critics admire Banville's ability to capture the textures of memory and the nuances of youthful desire without resorting to clichés. The narrative, rich in imagery, invites readers to savour its beauty and mournfulness, creating an immersive experience. Many reviewers highlight the novel's ability to intertwine themes of love and loss with Banville's typically rhythmic and allusive language, distinguishing it as a sophisticated exploration of human memories and emotions.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241986455

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 06 June 2019

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 16.0mm

Width: 111.0mm

Height: 181.0mm

Weight: 142g

Pages: 256

Collections

Fiction General Fiction John Banville Literary Fiction Penguin Books Series: Penguin Essentials

About the Author

John Banville was born in Wexford, Ireland, in 1945. He is the author of fourteen previous novels including The Sea, which won the 2005 Man Booker Prize. He was recently awarded the Franz Kafka Prize. He lives in Dublin.

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