i gave this book four stars, but in all fairness i shouldn't have given it any since i did not finish the book. "ghost light" was for some reason extremely difficult to read and after avoiding it for almost a month, i decided for a compromise- i'll read the parts that seem interesting and skip the rest. i don't usually do this (these semi-reads are perfect for books that are given in school as reading assignments, though), but since "star of the sea" is one of my all time favourites, i just couldn't give this one up.i opened the book randomly and found the relationship between molly and john somewhat puzzling. to understand it better, i returned a couple of pages back to understand what they are discussing. this happened so often that i just decided to read their every dialog to get some clue as to what the heck was going on. i ended up brownsing the pages for the words changeling, mr synge and miss algood.my superficial way of reading wasn't the best, i know, but it enabled to me to enjoy the book in my own way. i couldn't bring myself to read the parts where molly is old and drunk and pennyless and a shell of her former self (this book was at times very depresing indeed). it was also very good. even i, with my sloppy reading style, could tell that this book was something else. it had a greatness, an epicness and unbelieveble sadness to it. i can't say that i understand it, but i appreciate it for what it is- truly good literature. I must admit that I found this novel to be somewhat of a mystery. Is it a love story? Is it just an exercise in stream of consciousness? In either case, I did not wholly appreciate the experience.While Molly Allgood/Maire O'Neill is definitely a character to be remembered, there is an emotional attachment to her that is missing. It is this emotional attachment that would have created the empathy required to truly feel sad for this woman in the late stages of her life. Still, the reader certainly is made to feel her plight and exits with a real sadness for this life seemingly wasted.John Synge is a an author I've never read and I can't say that I leave this story with a desire to do so. One is left feeling neither warm nor cold about this man, which prevents the development of true emotion in the story.The greatest pleasure we are left with is the pen (keyboard!!( of Joseph O'Connor. As the best of all Irish writers, we see, smell, hear and taste the world created in the novel. We feel the sadness of the life of Molly, but with a touch of typical Irish humor.
What do You think about Volgspot (2010)?
One of the most beautifully written books I've read in many years.
—Elizabeth
Disappointed. Couldn't warm to JM, Molly or their love story.
—waussupgurl
Would have liked to like it, but struggled to keep at it ...
—biancaaioana
Reignited my love of all things Irish.
—maiicookiess1
