The Sea
is where Max Morden, a middle-aged art historian, retreats after his
wife dies of cancer. Max goes to the Irish seaside village of Ballyless
where he once spent a holiday as a boy. While there, he alternately
remembers his life with his wife and that summer holiday where he became
infatuated with the wealthy and sophisticated Grace family, first with
the mother, and then with the daughter. These relationships with these
three women were the uneasy mess of life that helped define who he has
come to be. Even now in retrospect, Max must remember even the most
difficult truths if he is to find solace in them. John Banville's novel
has received mostly positive reviews with The Scotsman saying, "This is a
novel in which all Banville's remarkable gifts come together to produce
a real work of art, disquieting, disturbing, beautiful, intelligent,
and in the end, surprisingly, offering consolation."