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Loading... The Impostor (original 2008; edition 2008)by Damon Galgut
Work InformationThe Impostor by Damon Galgut (2008)
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. I’ve read four or five of his novels and although I haven’t been impressed by all of them, he is undeniably talented. Galgut is a master of dread and of creating an unsettling atmosphere; this novel is no exception but I found the book more like a slow-paced thriller than anything else. The story, ultimately, is a story about losing one’s moral center and attempting to regain it—the theme applies not only to the protagonist but to his relationships and even, on a far broader scale, to the recent history of South Africa itself. His writing, as always, is top-notch but the plot struck me as overly complex and unnecessary. Galgut has shown in previous works that he can do extraordinary things with the simplest of events; that he has so overloaded the framework here is both disappointing and, ultimately, unconvincing. ( ) It's odd how many people see this as a thriller when, although to be sure it is unputdownable and one could say it is thrilling, it is anything but a thriller. For a start there is no hero, not even an anti-hero. Instead the main character is a weak, immoral, selfish man who plays at being poor for a while and hasn't a brave bone in his body. This is not to say one is unsympathetic to him, far from it. But he is never anything other than pathetic and the same goes for his next door neighbour and the Cannings. For another thing, nothing happens in the story: nothing that one could equate to the circumstances one expects in a thriller. Rest here: http://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpress.com/2014/07/27/the-impostor-by-damon-galg... It is a miracle to me that this novel hasn't become a major bestseller as it has all the elements necessary: interesting characters, intriguing storyline, a well-hidden plot and beautiful prose. In addition it poses questions about the lack of truthfulness in our lives: how often are we untrue to others, society and ourselves? And is it an unavoidable part without which life becomes unbearable? no reviews | add a review
When Adam moves into the abandoned house on the dusty edge of town, he is hoping to recover from the loss of his job and his home in the city. But when he meets Canning - a shadowy figure from his childhood - and Canning's enigmatic and beautiful wife, a sinister new chapter in his life begins... Canning has inherited a vast fortune and a giant folly in the veld, a magical place of fantasy and dreams that seduces Adam and transforms him absolutely, violently - and perhaps forever. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)823.914Literature English & Old English literatures English fiction Modern Period 1901-1999 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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