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Completed	15 February 2005
Title	The Sandcastle
Author	Iris Murdoch
Published	1957
Quote	"At the same instant they both turned to look at each other. Perched upon the ladder her face was level with Mor's. He leaned forward and very carefully enclosed her bare shoulders in his arms. Then he drew her towards him and kissed her gently but fully on the lips. The experience of touching her was so shattering to him that he had now to hide his face. He let it fall first upon her shoulder, and then, as he felt the roughness of his chin touching her flesh, he bent down and laid his head against her breast. He could smell the fresh smell of her cotton dress and feel the warmth of her breast and the violent beating of her heart. He own heart was beating as if it would break. All this happened in a moment. Then Rain was gently pushing him away, and getting down from the ladder. She stood before him now, very small, looking up at him. "No," she said in a very quiet pensive voice. 'No, no, please, dear, Mor, dear, no, no.' It was like the moaning of a dove."
Review	Wow, what a bad book. This is the only Iris Murdoch book that I've ever read. And unless someone can confidently suggest another title, then I won't be reading any more Murdoch. This book was dreadful. The novel takes place in a sleepy little English town, and mostly on the school campus. Mor, a married (male) teacher at the school, falls for Rain, a young (female) painter who has come to the campus to paint the portrait of the head honcho, an old guy who's about to kick the bucket. This book is actually very, very funny, without intentionally being so. The descriptions of the "love affair" between Rain and Mor are hilarious. Could it be any more melodramatic? The language is so very old fashioned, and in that regard, it's interesting. But oh gosh, the plot? It's really too much. I just can't take this book seriously.

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