I'll link my August 2010 review below, but what struck me (although I didn't note it directly in my review) is how much of a debt The Drowning World owes to Conrad's Heart of Darkness. There's a reason why the black characters are portrayed in such terms and it has nothing to do with Ballard's views on them; it's all related to what is happening around them.
I've never read any Conrad, so I didn't make that connection. I guess I might give some of Ballard's other stuff a shot, seeing as it was just his first novel and there were impressive parts to it. I might have a read of Crash sometime as that seems to be his big notable (in)famous book.
"I mean, if everyone had a soul, there would be no contrast by which we could appreciate it. For giving us this perspective, we thank you." - Nate
The Drowned World by JG Ballard
- 21/03/2011 12:37:16 AM
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I had a very different reaction to Ballard's book
- 21/03/2011 12:52:49 AM
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I did read that review of your's earlier.
- 21/03/2011 12:59:05 AM
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