Rating: 
Summary: Psychoanalysis/mysticism fuel Davies' vivid Deptford tale
Review: (Those of you who desire a bullet review of this novel ought to skip my academic excrement and read the last paragraph down there... thank you) Though Davies' Deptford trilogy has received its share of publicity in recent years, I still find that many fans of modern literature have ignored this series of Canadian stories. Perhaps readers are hesitant to pick up any of the three books, for fear that they must read the entire trilogy to realise the extent of Davies' themes, yet nothing could be further from the truth. The Manticore (second in the Deptford series) was my first experience with Davies' rich, penetrating prose and certainly steered my interest to his other novels.The tale of David Stauton and his search for self-realization begins in Zurich, where he has committed himself to Jungian analysis under the guide of a capable, palpably European psychotherapist. Readers who shy from the realm of psychology may be a bit put off by this doctor-patient interplay as it frames the majority of the novel's dialogue. Rest assured, however, that Davies' extensive knowledge and illustration of Jungian archetypes is not merely an embellishment, but serves as the catalyst for the protagonist's evolution. His self-discovery builds to a poignant, surreal climax under Davies' capable hand. By the novel's end the reader feels as if a part of himself is invested in David Stauton's character and his ascension. Essentially, Davies is a synthesis of intellectual energy and damn good story-telling. The novel's references are revealing, but not essential to its development. Each of The Manticore's many characters is unique and multi-dimentional in his or her own way, and there are plenty of humorous incidents to keep the half-attentive readers engaged. If you find yourself wondering what becomes of David Stauton, however, you're out of luck. The Deptford Trilogy does not pick up where it left off, though this can be viewed as a loss AND a gain, assuming you enjoy this novel as much as I did.
Rating:
Summary: The Second Best
Review: Based in Switzerland on terms based on the first book of the Deptford epic, our main character finds himself on leave to discover the answer to his problems in life and unravel the mystery of this trilogy. Through out the book Davies places emphasis on Psychological ethos and technique as well as expressing the extremes of the human ego and sexual desires. Davies however, is a story teller. Throwing aside callous and unnecessary detail and drawing upon less used characters from Fifth Business, Robertson brings us down a compelling though sometimes debatable path of a man coming to terms with who he is and what his life has been lived for. Occasionally the main Character drags on with seemingly unrealistically long narratives. Ramsay the Hero of Fifth Business (the first installation of the Deptford Trilogy) seems to receive a bad review from the main character of the Manticore. This enrages the reader who remains faithful to Ramsay but whom is trying to keep up with our new main character. The Manticore requires an open mind, more so then fifth business and is a long and drawn out read. However with the third and best book only pages away it is a must read for those who desire a satisfying epic. Second best. Four stars.
Rating: 
Summary: Running at a tangent
Review: Book 2 of the Deptford Trilogy. In an odd way, this book runs at a tangent to the two massive novels that frame it, Fifth Business and World of Wonders. It is tightly focused on a minor character from the other two novels and does not drive the story forward. At the end of the book the reader is left a bit nonplussed -- where is the scope and epic nature from Fifth Business? But the "trilogy" is not intended to be a serial. This becomes clear upon completion of the three. This book serves to deepen the reader's appreciation for the themes expressed in Fifth Business and which culminate, if a theme can culminate, in World of Wonders. The reader who pays attention (a pleasant requirement for Davies's greatest novels) finds himself engrossed in a sad, exhuberant, and contradictory life, and also gains some clues about the other two novels. This book could really stand alone, outside of the "trilogy". Mr. Davies was not a slave to convention (although he certainly understood convention both theatrical and novelistic) and would have found the task of a serial across three books both frustrating and pointless. None of his three (not four, thanks to Father Time) "trilogies" are serials: they simply explore similar themes and share a few characters and -- important to Davies as playwright and keen fan of poetry -- setting and atmosphere.
Rating: 
Summary: jungian, shmungian
Review: I really like some of Davies' work for its narrative drive and fresh characterization. However some things continually annoy me about him and they are very present in this novel. Firstly, I find it intellectually revolting how he still clings to such old-fashioned, reactionary ideas such as Jungianism (or that kook Joseph Campbell), and uses "archtypal" patterns as a way to formulate a story. Also his characters have an annoying habit of believing themselves to have "figured everything out" when really they just have a bunch of stuffy ideas that they will not let go of. In other novels by Davies these things annoy me but they are easy to ignore, but this novel is fully made up of such things.
Rating:
Summary: jungian, shmungian
Review: I really like some of Davies' work for its narrative drive and fresh characterization. However some things continually annoy me about him and they are very present in this novel. Firstly, I find it intellectually revolting how he still clings to such old-fashioned, reactionary ideas such as Jungianism (or that kook Joseph Campbell), and uses "archtypal" patterns as a way to formulate a story. Also his characters have an annoying habit of believing themselves to have "figured everything out" when really they just have a bunch of stuffy ideas that they will not let go of. In other novels by Davies these things annoy me but they are easy to ignore, but this novel is fully made up of such things.
Rating: 
Summary: Better than 'Fifth Business'
Review: I was compelled to read this book on a bet: we were doing some character-study work after reading Fifth Business in class, and a group member and I disagreed about a point -- I won't state it, as to not spoil Fifth Business for anybody, but when the issue was brought to our teacher, as I predicted, he told us to read the rest of the trilogy (though it would have been easier just to answer the question -- but much less rewarding). Anyway, I read it. It's great. Only Davies could have taken Jungian psychology and interspersed it throughout this novel so evenly and so effectively. A book like this could easily have become boring or heavy, but it is always entertaining and infinitely informative. David Staunton's life is by some measures mediocre, but his personal journey is deep and lively, as few writers could have portrayed it. It is also one of the few books that actually change your view on the world. That is an over-used phrased often misplaced, but it is true here; as an introduction to Jungian psychology, this is as good as it gets: all the ideas and facts to be found in a text, but with a superior story woven with it. Simply put, read the thing!!
Rating:
Summary: like Magic Mountain without the politics
Review: Okay, so the comparison to Mann's work is a bit far fetched, but this book is a Jungian exploration of our main character's consciousness. Thanks to the convention of having Davey recount his story to his shrink, we feel a bit detached and disoriented. There is an element of almost-mysticism and we trace all the paths of Davey's mind and experiences. How did this famous criminal lawyer become such an incorrigible drunk and why does he check himself into Zurich for analysis? Unfortunately I read Fifth Business 4 years ago, so I can't remember any of the story line or comment on the relation of this book to the first. It seems to me though that this book does not depend on the first book in the series. I plan to read World of Wonders next, so I'll have more to say about the relation. Back to this book -- it's extremely engrossing with penetrating descriptions of all the characters in Davey's life and a curiously detached view of his life. I couldn't put it down, even at the end when the mystical element almost gets out of hand and he literally climbs the mountain and crawls through a primal cave. Even if you don't buy all the Jungian stuff, Davies is such a good and interesting writer that most should enjoy the experience. As a social commentator, he reminds me of Thomas Wolfe. A gripping read.
Rating:
Summary: like Magic Mountain without the politics
Review: Okay, so the comparison to Mann's work is a bit far fetched, but this book is a Jungian exploration of our main character's consciousness. Thanks to the convention of having Davey recount his story to his shrink, we feel a bit detached and disoriented. There is an element of almost-mysticism and we trace all the paths of Davey's mind and experiences. How did this famous criminal lawyer become such an incorrigible drunk and why does he check himself into Zurich for analysis? Unfortunately I read Fifth Business 4 years ago, so I can't remember any of the story line or comment on the relation of this book to the first. It seems to me though that this book does not depend on the first book in the series. I plan to read World of Wonders next, so I'll have more to say about the relation. Back to this book -- it's extremely engrossing with penetrating descriptions of all the characters in Davey's life and a curiously detached view of his life. I couldn't put it down, even at the end when the mystical element almost gets out of hand and he literally climbs the mountain and crawls through a primal cave. Even if you don't buy all the Jungian stuff, Davies is such a good and interesting writer that most should enjoy the experience. As a social commentator, he reminds me of Thomas Wolfe. A gripping read.
Rating:
Summary: Complex & interesting!
Review: The life of the protagonist--whom we previously knew just an appendage to his father's colossal persona in Fifth Business--is analyzed. The story has many sockets within sockets and abundant psychological theory. Robertson Davies is so artful sn author that the information on archetypes never feels as though it came out of an encyclopedia. Rather, it is essential to the character's trajectory. Highly recommended. Makes me proud to be a Canadian!
Rating:
Summary: Complex & interesting!
Review: The life of the protagonist--whom we previously knew just an appendage to his father's colossal persona in Fifth Business--is analyzed. The story has many sockets within sockets and abundant psychological theory. Robertson Davies is so artful sn author that the information on archetypes never feels as though it came out of an encyclopedia. Rather, it is essential to the character's trajectory. Highly recommended. Makes me proud to be a Canadian!
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