- Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
- Publisher: Plume Books; Reprint edition (July 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0452280516
- ISBN-13: 978-0452280519
- Product Dimensions: 20.2 x 13.5 x 2.4 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 5,245,425 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
Nell marries against her mother's advice and, for a time immolates herself in her husband's tyranny. At length she fights against it and takes strength from her young sons, with whom she has a strong and loving relationship - or so she thinks.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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5 reviews
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
All bleakness and despair ... a book to cut your wrists by !
2 Jan 2000
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Edna O'Brien has written a novel so bleak and despairing I'd call it a book to cut your wrists by. Is the experience of womanhood all about pain, deprivation and loss ? Is there no joy in the bargain ? You wouldn't think so, judging by the experience of Nell. The cruelty of her husband drives her to seek emotional refuge in her two sons but when they leave the nest, she turns in desperation to a series of unreliable lovers who bring her more misery. The relentless feeling of despair beating upon Nell reaches its climax when she loses Paddy, but by then, the reader is too numb to care. It doesn't help that O'Brien's prose is often dense and turgid. Some critics call it poetic or lyrical, which may be so, but the jerkiness of some of the episodes (eg, in the middle section, with her lovers) makes the narrative difficult to follow. It is sometimes even hard to tell who she's writing about. Her characterisation is also weak, though this may be deliberate. O'Brien isn't interested in anybody other than Nell. The supporting cast of characters are only there to help create the soundtrack playing through Nell's mind. The message that O'Brien delivers on motherhood isn't redemptive either. Paddy's and Tristan's alienation from Nell is, not surprisingly, reminiscent of Nell's estrangement from her own mother. The horror of Nell's emotional existence reaches a crescendo when she stares at a half crazed baglady one day on the streets and sees the ravaged face of her once young housemaid, Rita. There is no more powerful image depicting the madness and despair that will take hold of Nell. "Time and Tide" is emotionally exhausting to read. It isn't quite the artistic failure it is made out to be, but O'Brien could have lightened her touch a tad ! This is not a book for everyone.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Not for me..
5 Jun 2006
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Edna O'Brien is a different style writer then I am used to. She has a kind of poetic style in her writing which made it way to confusing to keep up with. I understood the points that she was trying to make and the gist of the story. I think 90% of the book was a lot of mumble jumble. Didn't interest me in the least, but I wanted to read it through till the end but was very disapointed.
Emotional
6 Nov 2001
Format:Mass Market Paperback
"Time and Tide" is an excellent literary novel, very emotional in style and essence. I was deeply touched by this book, and I am very grateful to one of my friends for recommending me Edna O'Brien as an author. Snip: (...)
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