A review by ifigeneiatsa
The Bell by Iris Murdoch

mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I have mixed feelings about this novel. I was very intrigued in the beginning and eager to see how the story unfolds, but halfway through it got a bit redundant. I was struggling to finish it by the end. The story is incredibly slow without any major points of interest and I found the end quite rushed and not properly explained. It reminded me of a 'where they are now' segment in a film. I also got tired at some point of all the descriptions of Imber Court. I found them all quite the same and unnecessary for the moving of the plot. Additionally, I thought I was going to like Dora more, but I found her quite annoying, and impulsive and she could not make up her mind. I liked though that she is the only one in the end who is looking forward to her new life. I did not get the whole witch thing with her. To me, her behaviour was not that extreme. Michael is also portrayed as a complete saint, which is not the truth at all. Overall, I thought I was going to like this more than I did, which left me quite disappointed.

Quote: "Remember that all our failures are ultimately failures in love. Imperfect love must not be condemned and rejected but made perfect. The way is always forward, never back.”