Comments on: Sanctuary Line, by Jane Urquhart

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:18:21 +0000

David: Thanks for bringing up that reference, which I certainly did not notice when I read the book itself. I second your assessment, although with a minor caveat. Of the four characteristics on the list, "emotionally" is probably least important to me and where I often diverge from other tastes in not liking a book (Emma Donaghue's Room comes to mind). Having said that, I also agree that when a novel can succeed in achieving that component as well as two, if not three, of the others, it does move into at least approaching greatness.

By: David

David — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:12:40 +0000

Funny you should say that, Kevin – at one point in the story the Uncle quizzes Mandy about the four ways in which a person can enter a book, the answer being “emotionally, aesthetically, intellectually and philosophically”. For me ‘Sanctuary Line’ without question succeeds at the middle two (and possibly the last), but if it had one failing it was that I couldn’t really connect emotionally with any of the characters. I don’t demand that every work of fiction I read move me, but I find it is nearly always the emotional component that lifts a book from being one I like a great deal to one I love. I thought ‘Sanctuary Line’ was superb, but it’s not a novel I could say I loved, and like you I imagine the characters will slip from my memory over time.

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:36:53 +0000

David: Looking back at the review, I find I remember some (not all) of the themes better than I remember much of the action or the characters in the novel. Actually, I would say that is probably typical of my reaction to most Urquhart novels. I would not describe this as an “easy” read and can understand why some find it frustrating — it is one I intend to revisit at some point but I suspect that there are other Urquhart’s that I will go back to first.

By: David

David — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:55:08 +0000

I bought this one not long after you posted your review, Kevin, but have only just been prompted to read it as a result of it being released here in the UK last month (which incidentally means it should be eligible for this year’s Booker). And I’m so glad I did – goodness knows why I’d been putting it off, as I enjoyed Urquhart’s “The Stone Carvers” when I read that a number of years ago, and I thought this one was excellent too – your description of it as 20 yards wide but 300 feet deep is spot on. I really enjoyed all the themes of migration and transition, genetic memory/family history, cycles of destruction and rebirth, those pivotal moments of action or inaction that can either avert or cause catastrophe… it’s definitely one I’m going to be thinking about for several days to come.

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 03:39:42 +0000

Sherri: Thanks for your comment and good luck with your discussion. I have read all eight of Jane Urquhart's novels and suspect that I am somewhat out of step with my preferences -- I'd put The Underpainter on top, just ahead of Away and Changing Heaven. Alas, I read all three before I started blogging so no review here. I think it is fair to say that every one of her novels supplies many thoughts for discussion.

By: Sherri Hext

Sherri Hext — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:36:19 +0000

KevinfromCanada :
I heard Jane read at Stratford last summer & took lots of notes to share with my Bookworms {1 of my 4 book discussion groups}. This is the second time I’ve chosen one of her books, with The Stone Carvers being the first. I also attended her reading of that novel.
Not only is Jane an impressive writer, she is also an extremely warm & generous person. She remembered me from all those years ago & thanked me for again choosing her latest novel.
Next Wednesday evening, Feb. 8th is the night we’ll be looking into our own thoughts, her personal comments & several on-line reviews, including KevinfromCanada !!!
I am so glad I discovered your review plus the comments from other avid readers of Jane Urquhart. Thanks for making all of this interesting material available to us.

***One thing I found interesting from her Stratford presentation was that without any conscious effort she’d included several “M” characters and themes. I’ll leave it to you to search them out, but will start you off with one from each category: Mandy & migration.
Have fun discovering many more !!!

Sherri {Petrolia, Ontario}

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:24:58 +0000

Cherine: Well, Away has a little more pace to it than Sanctuary Line, but I suspect The Master is a better choice.

By: Cherine Badwi-Hlady

Cherine Badwi-Hlady — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 03:17:38 +0000

Just finished this book and having read your review and the comments can’t add anything new really except to say I fell in the “OMG this book bored me to death but I persevered because I love Jane Urquhart” camp. The only redeeming parts were the uncle’s crazy stories about the family history. Everything else, bleh. And if I read the word “bifurcating” one more time, someone was going to get hurt. I was going to read Away next, but I think I need to take a bit of a breather from Ms Urquhart. I am going to read Toibin’s The Master instead.

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 16:40:03 +0000

teza: Jane Urquhart is a very meticulous writer and I find that sometimes that means I struggle with engaging in a novel in the opening pages — as you did with this one. And occasionally (A Map of Glass for one) I can’t engage at all. Having said that, she is one of my favorite authors as well. Her works are challenging and I appreciate that — because there is a substantial reward for the effortl. I also find that she is an author who is very rewarding to read a second time — I am less preoccupied by the detailed set-up and more aware of the nuances that are being explored.

By: teza

teza — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 01:15:13 +0000

I have only recently discovered your weblog and have been enjoying reading your erudite reviews. When I stumbled upon this, of one of my favourite Canadian authors, I was inspired to reply.

I have been a fan of Jane for many years, reserving a place for her opon a pedestal upon which remains heads and shoulders above many other female writers here in Canada.] I was introduced to her via her poetry and soon discovered her early fiction: Away, The Whirlpool and Stone Carvers remain firm favourites. I noticed a shift with ‘A Map of Glass’ but still found it somewhat enjoyable.

Unfortunately, I struggled with Sanctuary Line. Similar to another respondant, I found myself bored within the first fifty pages. Out of sheer loyalty I decided to persevere, and for the most part was happy that I did. As you mention, hers is not a prolific library and for those diehard fans, we tend to savour every available morsel that she places before us. I am not about to give up just yet!