This was recommended to me whilst I was a teenager, but only now years later did I bother to read it... and its a minor regret I didn't take the suggestion! This is a very good book, very well crafted; the tone is kept consistent…
Apr 19, 2017AlteredStaite rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
It kept me entertained. I've order the next one in the trilogy. That's saying a lot because I have to admit I've been pretty disappointed by a lot I've read lately.
Feb 19, 2017DorisWaggoner rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
This is my second reading of the Deptford Trilogy, with decades between. I'd remembered the opening scene clearly, but most of the rest of "Fifth Business" had faded. An interesting Canadian version of magical realism, I thought, before…
Apr 30, 2016rheal4 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book. The characters are interesting and Dunstan Ramsay lead an interesting life and I enjoyed how different aspects of his life intersected multiple times and all come together in the end.
Aug 03, 2015wyenotgo rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
This book, the first of the Deptford Trilogy, was my introduction to Robertson Davies and I've liked his work ever since. To begin with, his account of his character's early life in a small Ontario village certainly rang true. And then he…
A great book that compromises on plot development, but focuses heavily on characters and story-telling, and delivers in those regards. Ignore the trilogy if you didn't like this one, but go ahead and read the next two for more in-depth…
Jan 09, 2013lisahiggs rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Sweet and slightly magical prose about small towns and wars and growing older. But how is this a trilogy about how Boy Staunton died? Didn’t we get the answer at the end of this book? I’m satisfied enough with what I already know that I…
Apr 25, 2012LovelyPride rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I re-read this book every year or two, and everytime I read it I discover something new in it.
It's a fantastic study of the role a single, careless action and the resulting guilt (real or imagined) can play in our lives. If you enjoy…
Sep 26, 2011zaire189 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
If you are looking for a thrilling mystery book, this is not the book for you. I admit Fifth Business is a good read and can definitely improve your vocabulary :D but something was missing. It seems like there wasn't really anything that…
Dec 04, 2009vmacneil rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I recently re-read this, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It was required reading in high school, and I didn't like it at all. Reading it under my own power was much better.
Oct 01, 2009literatefun rated this title 1 out of 5 stars
This novel is a complex work that was written by an obviously smart man and mature writer; however actually reading the book is about as entertaining as watching people have root canals done on them. The main character (Dunstan Ramsay) is…
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Fifth Business