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Iris Murdoch: A severed head. (Paperback, 1961, Penguin Books in association with Chatto & Windus) 4 stars

Martin Lynch-Gibbon believes he can possess both a beautiful wife and a delightful lover. But …

Review of 'A severed head.' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This was a strange, dark read. Sometimes humorous, and at times simply weird...I won't summarize the plot, because the best part of this is the "wait-for-it" feeling I had at the end of each chapter: what will these strange people do next?

This was a novel I picked up without knowing anything about it. It's a 1960's satire, with characters who fancy themselves very educated, sophisticated, and evolved. There's alcohol, mind games, mythology stories, and so much more! And not to worry, no one gets beheaded. There's violence, but not to that extent... I have a feeling that I might have found this funnier if I'd read it closer to the time it came out.

In the mood for something different? This is well-written and strangely engaging.