Group Read, October 2017: The Last World

Our October group read is The Last World by Christoph Ransmayr. Please join us and post any comments on this thread.

Is anybody else reading this very odd but interesting book? I'm about 30 pages in and I think I like it.... but I'm not sure exactly what the point is. I am assuming that one will emerge.

I'll be starting next week - sounds intriguing.

I plan to - but since it's about Ovid I got the silly idea that I should read Metamorphoses first.

I think I ordered a copy of it. Should probably check that...

>4 Henrik_Madsen: I don't think you need to have read the Metamorphoses. A general sense of what they are is enough. There is an extended appendix/glossary in the back of Ransmayr's book that gives you what you need as it pertains to his story. What I really didn't know was anything about Ovid himself, which would be very relevant!

>6 annamorphic: Do you think it would be useful to read the appendix first? And maybe a Wikipedia summary of Ovid?

Mine arrived yesterday. I had completely forgotten why I ordered it till I saw this thread! Ooops!

>7 puckers: No, it's more the kind of thing you check out as you go along. At least that's how I'm doing it.

> thanks. I'll join you soon.

>6 annamorphic: You're right of course, and maybe I didn't express myself well. I don't think I 'need' to read Ovid first. It just seems like a good occasion to do so since it's unread and on the list.

But I also have a paper on strategy for my MPG looming on the horizon so maybe not.

It wouldn’t hurt to know a bit of Ovid! I just discovered that not everything is covered in the appendix. For instance, the really weird dream he has about the many-eyed monster, the cow, the music, and the peacock is the story of Mercury and Argus. I recognized it because Rubens painted it!

I'm now about 50 pages in. I had read some background on Ovid's life (and exile) and a summary of the structure and themes of Metamorphoses which helps I think with seeing the parallels within this book (as well as some differences in the historic timeline that may prove relevant). However even if you don't have any background info I think you can enjoy the vivid imagery and atmosphere of Ransmayr's writing.

I finished the book this evening. Enjoyed it very much. The appendix I found useful when a new name appeared in the story but I would restrict my reading to the “Ancient World” column as the “Last World” column gives spoilers as to the fate of the character in the story. I liked the way Ransmayr mixes a tale of Ovids exile with characters from his Metamorphoses. But even leaving the whole Ovid parallels to one side, this book is full of wonderful imagery and descriptions that transport you to a town at the ends of the (Roman) world.

Definitely sparked my interest in reading Metamorphoses sooner rather than later.

My copy arrived today, I was wondering about whether I should read Metamorphoses first, but after reading your comments, I think I will read this first and then search out Ovid's work after.

>15 soffitta1: I read Metamorphoses immediately after this book and there was nothing in it that is essential to understanding Ransmayrs book. Metamorphoses tends to rush over the stories of the major players in Last World - the references at the end of Last World provide you with everything you need. As annamorphic comments though a basic understanding of Ovids exile from Rome might help as background before reading this.

Thank you puckers, I just cracked the book open on my commute this morning and have loved it. I did Classics and Latin at school, so I do it is a case of being reminded about the "real" characters, but the author has taken them in whole new directions. If I stop reading comments and start doing school prep now, I should be able to read the last bit tonight!

I'm about two thirds of the way. Eerie! I'm really enjoying the rhythm of little twists in the story that keep it hard to imagine what direction it all really is going.

One possible ending has occurred to me—Cotta himself turns out to be just one more character in the Metamorphoses and disappears in a puff of metafiction. We'll see.

A belated comment on this - I did read Metamorphoses before turning to Ransmayr's book, and even though it wasn't necessary to read The Last World I did find it helpful.

I agree with most of the statements above: A strange but also quite fascinating book where characters are named like persons in ancient Greek myths and forced to repeat their mistakes in a new way. (This idea is itself very Ovid)

The last world is not just Tomi or the exile of Ovid but something more abstract, sort of a contrast to the normal world where everything is temporary and breaking down. It is also outside time and mixes Roman and newer elements without any explanation. Oddly enough I was fine with this.