Within the first few pages of this book, Nina Hardy is murdered by her childhood friend, George. The method and circumstances of her death are given in detail. The story goes on to explore Nina's life from childhood on and to examine the nature of her relationship with George, his sister Janie, and her own half-brother. The reveal of George's motive for murdering the woman he had loved throughout his life provides the denouement of the story.

Jordan's use of the language is compellilng, poetic and sometimes almost entrancing. The tone of the story is so languid and detached, however, that it is very hard to care about the characters, even as their lives take extraordinary twists and turns and are subject to tragedies which, in another context, would be very affecting. This is one of those books that seems to cry out to be a film, and I realized after I had finished it that much of Jordan's work is in that media. ( )

Na haar dood blikt een Ierse vrouw samen met haar vriendin en haar halfbroer terug op haar leven ( )

I found the premise of this book very intriguing. However, as I started to read the book I was a little disappointed. The dialogue throughout most of the book is unbelievable, most adults don't talk like that let alone children. I found it hard to identify with the characters, and throughout most of the book just wished the story would end already. About three quarters of the way through the book I found it enjoyable again. Though the story didn't live up to my expectations Jordan's prose t...moreI found the premise of this book very intriguing. However, as I started to read the book I was a little disappointed. The dialogue throughout most of the book is unbelievable, most adults don't talk like that let alone children. I found it hard to identify with the characters, and throughout most of the book just wished the story would end already. About three quarters of the way through the book I found it enjoyable again. Though the story didn't live up to my expectations Jordan's prose though the whole book is beautiful ( )

The story itself is in many ways lacking. It's hard to enjoy at the beginning, hard to get a grasp for who is speaking. Hard to differentiate between Nina before and Nina after. The writing is lovely. The descriptions are at times heart breaking. It's the outside view of a life, told by the ones who lived it, both during and removed from, and that which will destroy it. It's a doomed path from the beginning and you almost ache to want to change things, even a little. But very true to reality in that one cannot change the past, change the choices that lead them to where they end up. You can only let it happen and hope for the best. ( )

4149 Shade A Novel, by Neil Jordan (read 7 Apr 2006) This is a 2004 novel by an author who lives in Dublin, Ireland. It tells the story of Nina Hardy, who in the opening pages is murdered by her childhood companion, George. Nina is the daughter of rich Irish people, living in a big house near the Boyne, while George and his sister Janie are poor neighbors. George is in love with Nina but the difference in class makes marriage unimaginable. The story seems rather pretentious--much high-flown dramatic woefulness, and not really very meaningful that I can see, though it holds itself out as very portentous. The flashbacks often alternate between the characters, with at times it being an effort to know who "she" and "he" refer to. The male characters go to the Dardanelles in 1915, and of course only evil befalls them there. A well-written book, but I could not feel it told a momentous story. ( )