The Lighthouse (2012 novel)

The Lighthouse
Cover of The Lighthouse by Alison Moore
AuthorAlison Moore
LanguageEnglish
PublisherSalt Publishing
Publication date
15 August 2012
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
Pages192 pages
ISBN1907773177

The Lighthouse is a novel by English novelist Alison Moore, published on 15 August 2012. The novel deals with a middle-aged man's memories of childhood abandonment as he embarks on a walking trip through Germany. The book was shortlisted for the 2012 Man Booker Prize on 11 September 2012.[1]

Synopsis

Futh, a recently separated middle-aged Englishman, takes a ferry to the Continent for a hiking trip through Germany. He brings with him memories of his mother abandoning him while he was still a child, his father's constant philandering, and his wife's infidelities. Meanwhile, Ester, the unhappy wife of a German hotelier, tries to get her husband’s attentions by cheating on him. When Futh and Ester's paths meet, the consequences are disastrous...

Reception

Culture Critic assessed critical response as an aggregated score of 85%.[2] On The Omnivore, an aggregator of British press, the book received an "omniscore" of four out of five.[3]

Jenn Ashworth of The Guardian called the novel "a chilly, heart-wrenching story".[4] Boyd Tonkin, reviewing the book for The Independent, described it as "[d]isquieting, deceptive, crafted with a sly and measured expertise".[5]

References

  1. ^ "The Lighthouse". Man Booker Prize. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
  2. ^ "Alison Moore - The Lighthouse". Culture Critic. Archived from the original on 22 January 2013. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  3. ^ "The Lighthouse". The Omnivore. Archived from the original on 25 November 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  4. ^ Ashworth, Jenn (24 August 2012). "The Lighthouse by Alison Moore". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
  5. ^ Tonkin, Boyd (15 September 2012). "The Lighthouse, By Alison Moore". The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2012.