The Rebel Angels

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant story of academic folk
Review: If you have never read Robertson Davies don't worry, it's not too late. He is one of the wittiest, intelligent, erudite authors I know. Don't let the word "erudite" worry you into thinking that this is some impenetrable work written by some dusty sage for other academic literati. This, like all of his books, is a wonderful, wild ride through the weird world of academia, peopled by characters we would love to meet, set against a backdrop bejewelled with sparkling prose. I like to read Dick Francis and usually consume one of his novels in one sitting, I adore to read Robertson Davies and recently reread this whole trilogy during a single trans-world flight without sleeping. This story is a tale of lust, envy, deceit & hate scattered with gems of humour and highlighting again Davies' astonishing breadth of knowledge. A breathtakingly brilliant book, and fortunately, the first in a Trilogy. Do yourself a favour, buy the trilogy. Save time & money.

Rating:
Summary: Deep erudition and fun: a rare cocktail for the mind
Review: In a tranquil Canadian University a voice spreads: Parlabane is back! Cave!Cave!, Molesworth would say. Cerebral and celebrate scholars, fascinating student girls, modern-style mecenates and unconventional researchers will soon find their lives upset by the most Rebel of the Rebel Angels. A disgraced teacher,Parlabane is philosophically contradictory, insolent, taking everyone for a ride in his absolutely anarchic world, and is the pivotal personnage of this wonderful novel. His ex-colleagues are also involved in the inventory of an inherited literary and artistic treasure, from which an important Rabelais' manuscript is missing.A literary puzzle that will be solved in a very bizarre manner.
All is wonderful in this novel: the irony, the depiction of the
academic world, the charachters beautifully detailed like Beerbohm caricatures, the great arcane erudition of Robertson Davies, and a marvelous story whose unpredictable end is absolutely unique. A gem of a book, whit an exquisitely arcane flavor

Rating:
Summary: Parlabane is back...
Review: Rarely have I read a book that is so dead-on in its depiction of the petty concerns turned to obsession and often ingrown, self-righteous "worldly" provincialism that is higher academia. Robertson Davies has perfectly captured all the head spinning egotism and resulting humor (so ready for those not wrapped up in themselves or their work to discover) that is always lurking within its ivy-covered halls.

At its core, "The Rebel Angels" is the story of the trials and joys that a student assistant to a medieval literature instructor goes through as she works with "the great man." Most of these trials (and a couple of the joys) arrive in the form of John Parlabane. It is Parlabane's return that sets off the action of the plot. It is his departure that sets off its resolution.

"The Rebel Angels" is one of those rare books that has a plot so intricate, and characters so unique that I do not wish to spoil it with too much elaboration here. Instead, I'd rather sing the praises of Davies as an author.

Davies is, first and foremost, a master of the English language. His turns of phrase are wonderfully expressive. They always hit the mark perfectly. Rarely has such a wit walked the Earth. In my opinion Davies is the greatest example of the classical definition of a "wit" since the time of Pope and Dryden. His mastery of language and wit make "The Rebel Angels" a dangerously funny book. He had me laughing at some pretty awful things.

Yet, inspite of some of its more juvenile moments, "The Rebel Angels" also contemplates some of the deeper things. The whole book serves to challenge our very modern, very empirical worldviews. Is all knowledge exclusively progressive? It'd be mighty vain to think so. "The Rebel Angels" takes us to task for doing just that.

This is a great book. I give it my full recommendation.

Rating:
Summary: The Perfect Novel?
Review: The Rebel Angels immediately entered my personal canon of favorite works of literature. Could it be the perfect novel? It features astounding characters, well defined and memorable (especially the unforgettable John Parlabane, almost as singular a character as Liesl in Davies' Deptford Trilogy). It features a page turning plot. I was initially hoping for a literary mystery, along the lines of Eco, when the "lost manuscript" is introduced. The plot doesn't exactly lead that way, but creates its own twists and turns, both comic and tragic.

Davies' fine novel is an erudite display of knowledge, philosophy, emotion. There are no blacks and whites, nor even shades of grey. Each character is peppered alternately both black and white...each an incredibly real person encompassing friendship and selfishness, good and evil.

This is the kind of novel you feel better for having read. It impressed me on each page; a great work of literature as well as a very enjoyable read.