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All the Days and Nights
From the author of ‘Black Bread White Beer’
The East Coast of America, 1980.
Anna Brown, a dying artist, works on her final portrait. Obsessive and secretive, it is a righting of her past failures; her final statement.
John Brown, her husband and life-long muse, has left; walked out of their home one morning to travel cross-country in search of the paintings he has sat for.
As their stories unfold – independently, for the first time in many years – a passionate unconventional relationship is revealed, between two people living through the most tumultuous decades of modern history.
All the Days and Nights is the story of an art hunt during a twilight period of painting. It lays bare two relationships that are ever changing and incomparable: of the artist and the muse, and of lovers. It is an exploration of what it means to create, what it means to inspire, what it means to live.
The East Coast of America, 1980.
Anna Brown, a dying artist, works on her final portrait. Obsessive and secretive, it is a righting of her past failures; her final statement.
John Brown, her husband and life-long muse, has left; walked out of their home one morning to travel cross-country in search of the paintings he has sat for.
As their stories unfold – independently, for the first time in many years – a passionate unconventional relationship is revealed, between two people living through the most tumultuous decades of modern history.
All the Days and Nights is the story of an art hunt during a twilight period of painting. It lays bare two relationships that are ever changing and incomparable: of the artist and the muse, and of lovers. It is an exploration of what it means to create, what it means to inspire, what it means to live.
- GenresFiction
176 pages, Hardcover
First published September 25, 2014
2 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
March 7, 2022
The problem with writing stunning prose is that if its not done right, the storyline gets lost and the reader might end up really confused as to what the hell is going on. This is exactly how I would describe my experience reading All the Days and Nights by Niven Govinden. I bought this book on a whim and the synopsis on the back of the book gives you very very little. If I hadn't read the full description here on goodreads, I wouldn't know what the hell was going on half way through the book.
I finished this book last night and I still have no idea what this book is truly about. However, I will give you a summary of what I think it is about. The story follows Anna and her husband who has gone to get groceries (I guess) but has not returned since. The chapters are short and narrated by Anna who refers to her husband as "You" throughout the book such as talking directly to her husband through the reader. Anna is a painter but due to her illness, she has been struggling to get any work done and in the meantime, her husband is out somewhere finding a painting done by Anna of him.
I suppose the author wanted this to be about love and loss, finding peace and beauty in the fickle nature of life as we know it. This theme is the exact reason I bought this book but I couldn't feel any of those feelings, I found myself irritated because I wasn't sure who was being talked about and why no one was worried sick that Anna's husband hadn't returned in so long? There is no story to read, only thoughts and conversations that give away very little, if at all.
Maybe I am not the right audience for this book.
I finished this book last night and I still have no idea what this book is truly about. However, I will give you a summary of what I think it is about. The story follows Anna and her husband who has gone to get groceries (I guess) but has not returned since. The chapters are short and narrated by Anna who refers to her husband as "You" throughout the book such as talking directly to her husband through the reader. Anna is a painter but due to her illness, she has been struggling to get any work done and in the meantime, her husband is out somewhere finding a painting done by Anna of him.
I suppose the author wanted this to be about love and loss, finding peace and beauty in the fickle nature of life as we know it. This theme is the exact reason I bought this book but I couldn't feel any of those feelings, I found myself irritated because I wasn't sure who was being talked about and why no one was worried sick that Anna's husband hadn't returned in so long? There is no story to read, only thoughts and conversations that give away very little, if at all.
Maybe I am not the right audience for this book.
December 7, 2014
Hmmm ... I think there is often a fine line between beautiful writing and pretentious writing. And I know that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" so I appreciate that opinions will differ. For me, this was pretentious and I didn't really enjoy it. What really put me off was that it is written in the second person present tense - I don't know why, but that really didn't work for me. Not a lot happens in this book, really and it seems to hinge on a traumatic event that isn't mentioned until towards the end: I think it is more about the writing than it is about the story - if you like the writing style, you will love the book - if, like me, you don't, you won't. Simple!
December 27, 2014
All the Days and Nights is about Anna, a dying artist, who is determined to complete her final portrait. Obsessive and secretive, she it detached from the world around her, and longs to feel that her life-long work has been worthwhile.
And as the novel opens up, we learn that Anna's husband, John - who is also her life-long muse - has fled from their home, determined in himself, to track down the painting he has sat for. And too, discover if his work, has been of any worth.
And the first thing I'll say about All the Days And Nights is: what a gem of a book this turned out to be!
From the first page I was drawn in and absorbed, which was mostly because of the unique and beautiful writing style Govinden brings to this novel.
Anna, throughout the narrative, is addressing John directly, which in turn, makes it feel as though she's addressing straight to us, as the reader. It gave me a real sense of involvement in the story from the start.
We do also hear what John is doing throughout the novel, but it's through Anna's voice we delve there. And in many ways, I feel as though this entire narrative is an embodiment of Anna herself. It's a melancholy, dry, uncompromising story, exactly how she is. True, as well, with the writing: it's artistic and visual.
Also what I appreciated, was that the story didn't give up its secrets. It lets us as the reader do the work, join the dots, decipher and interpret the text. It made me alert while I was reading. I didn't want to miss anything. And at times, it did become quite hard to keep up with what was happening and who was saying what, but ultimately I liked it didn't make things easy. It didn't allow me to become complacent.
As for the plot, it was a simple one. It was consistent and one-toned, and I by know means say that at a criticism. Again, it embodies Anna, and adds to the melancholy, reminiscent atmosphere. This definitely isn't a book that's going to have you on the edge of your seat, dying to know what's going to happen, but it is in no way attempting to do that. For with the beautiful writing and subtle atmospheric mystery, it really didn't need a raging packed plot. It was constructed well and did exactly what it wanted to do.
So in conclusion, I thought this book was fantastic. It had mystery and intrigue and a melancholy story to tell. Therefore, if you're looking for a character driven tale, with beautifully artistic writing, I would definitely check out All the Days And Nights.
And as the novel opens up, we learn that Anna's husband, John - who is also her life-long muse - has fled from their home, determined in himself, to track down the painting he has sat for. And too, discover if his work, has been of any worth.
And the first thing I'll say about All the Days And Nights is: what a gem of a book this turned out to be!
From the first page I was drawn in and absorbed, which was mostly because of the unique and beautiful writing style Govinden brings to this novel.
Anna, throughout the narrative, is addressing John directly, which in turn, makes it feel as though she's addressing straight to us, as the reader. It gave me a real sense of involvement in the story from the start.
We do also hear what John is doing throughout the novel, but it's through Anna's voice we delve there. And in many ways, I feel as though this entire narrative is an embodiment of Anna herself. It's a melancholy, dry, uncompromising story, exactly how she is. True, as well, with the writing: it's artistic and visual.
Also what I appreciated, was that the story didn't give up its secrets. It lets us as the reader do the work, join the dots, decipher and interpret the text. It made me alert while I was reading. I didn't want to miss anything. And at times, it did become quite hard to keep up with what was happening and who was saying what, but ultimately I liked it didn't make things easy. It didn't allow me to become complacent.
As for the plot, it was a simple one. It was consistent and one-toned, and I by know means say that at a criticism. Again, it embodies Anna, and adds to the melancholy, reminiscent atmosphere. This definitely isn't a book that's going to have you on the edge of your seat, dying to know what's going to happen, but it is in no way attempting to do that. For with the beautiful writing and subtle atmospheric mystery, it really didn't need a raging packed plot. It was constructed well and did exactly what it wanted to do.
So in conclusion, I thought this book was fantastic. It had mystery and intrigue and a melancholy story to tell. Therefore, if you're looking for a character driven tale, with beautifully artistic writing, I would definitely check out All the Days And Nights.
March 28, 2018
This is the kind of book that needs to be read out loud. It's also the kind of book that only lets you see its charm if you read it when you need it. I started reading it months ago, and put it down because it just wasn't right for me at that point. When I started it again, I was ready for it, and it was what I needed. The writing is poetic and wonderful, and there's all the usual arguments that 'people don't really talk like that' but I don't think that matters. It's a book, a story, it doesn't need to be 100% like you'd expect. I loved it. Anna and John's relationship is unconventional and unusual, but that only made me like it more, there was such a profound understanding between them that I didn't need them to explain it to me.
The book is relatively short, and in terms of a plot, not much happens. It's the strength of the characters that sees it through, and it does so extremely well. John's need to hunt down all his old paintings is understandable but I also wanted him to turn around and go home, where Anna needed him. As well as that, I was angry at Anna for not explaining herself better, for being so stubborn. I had a love-hate relationship with the both of them. Ben and Vishni were fantastic secondary characters, I loved the both of them. I loved this whole book, and I know I've already said it, but it really is as simple as that.
The book is relatively short, and in terms of a plot, not much happens. It's the strength of the characters that sees it through, and it does so extremely well. John's need to hunt down all his old paintings is understandable but I also wanted him to turn around and go home, where Anna needed him. As well as that, I was angry at Anna for not explaining herself better, for being so stubborn. I had a love-hate relationship with the both of them. Ben and Vishni were fantastic secondary characters, I loved the both of them. I loved this whole book, and I know I've already said it, but it really is as simple as that.
December 16, 2014
It took me a while to read this short novel, I read slowly, in general, and I wanted to properly absorb it. I also re-read certain passages just to anchor myself, as the narrative loops and nests into itself, there are layers of memory being explored and you don’t always know quite where you are until you re-read, but the writing is so beautiful, it is a joy to read the sentences over again. There is also a lot of detail, but not in a cluttered, over-descriptive way, and the writer has achieved something special with tone and point of view. It’s written in second person: a dying American artist, Anna Brown, is addressing her (much) younger husband, John, who has gone off without explanation (I'm not sure if/when they ever formally marry, though they wear rings to appear married). It is through Anna, who is dying, that John comes alive, and in her narrative/mind John has gone off on a journey to seek out all the paintings she has ever done of him (she has painted him every day they have been together). The clarity and purity of the language is hypnotic, and there are images that stay with me. In one scene, John stands with a dead dog he’s found, its ‘mottled paws’ sticking out of a hedge. He is too upset to sit down and just stands there, holding the dog while Anna is asking him to sit: ‘The dog’s crown and eyes were wet with blood, caked to his fur like a thick creme shampoo that was yet to be washed away’. The novel is full of images like this, which simply arrest you. The American narrative voice is also impressive, pitch perfect (though there’s a tiny false note, when British ‘jumper’ is used instead of sweater). I also loved the character of Vishni the housekeeper, she is more or less silent in the background, but we know she is important. And she has posed for Anna too. I found myself wanting to know her point of view. Without hesitation, I give All the Days and Nights 5 stars. I read the Kindle version, but this is one I'd like to re-read on paper.
December 17, 2015
This is one that will stay with me, not so much for the plot or characters, but for the sheer quality of the writing. Why it hasn’t been nominated for a Booker Prize or similar is beyond me.
The two main characters are a world-class artist, and her muse, who happens to be her husband, who has spent his life being her model, sitting for hours in stillness while she paints. The story opens out with the fact that he has left the house, without saying goodbye, yet the artist intuitively knows that he will not return.
The narrative voice is arresting and unusual, and I would compare it to somewhere between Virginia Woolf, Julian Barnes’ The Sense of an Ending, and John Williams’ Stoner. I found the ending a bit mysterious, but other than that, it is the kind of book that you read when you want some real literature, when you want to immerse yourself in beauty. It is a fascinating exploration of the life of the artist and the relationship to one’s muse, and as a backdrop, the changing landscape of America in the 1930s, Hypnotic, exquisitely, memorably written – one to indulge in when you crave writing as a work of art.
The two main characters are a world-class artist, and her muse, who happens to be her husband, who has spent his life being her model, sitting for hours in stillness while she paints. The story opens out with the fact that he has left the house, without saying goodbye, yet the artist intuitively knows that he will not return.
The narrative voice is arresting and unusual, and I would compare it to somewhere between Virginia Woolf, Julian Barnes’ The Sense of an Ending, and John Williams’ Stoner. I found the ending a bit mysterious, but other than that, it is the kind of book that you read when you want some real literature, when you want to immerse yourself in beauty. It is a fascinating exploration of the life of the artist and the relationship to one’s muse, and as a backdrop, the changing landscape of America in the 1930s, Hypnotic, exquisitely, memorably written – one to indulge in when you crave writing as a work of art.
November 24, 2015
Lofty.. artistic.. the narrative of this book is determined to be just as eloquent, indulgent and make you suffer as much as the pursuit of the perfect painting. Not to say that I did not enjoy it for the most part, although there were no intricate plot twists nor scattered characters with differing agendas. Well worth the read if only to experience the kaleidoscopic word-massage that dances through the brain as one visually consumes the eloquent pen of Govinden. Unusual, I liked it. But then... I paint!
Thank you to Goodreads for making this experience possible.
Thank you to Goodreads for making this experience possible.
March 15, 2015
Claustrophobic little book --more novella than novel-- about the artistic life, "Art," impending death, and the symbiotic relationship between an artist and her muse(s). The writing veers into the precious (including the use of second-person narration), but it is evocative and does linger. Literary fiction at its most literary, for good or ill.
July 23, 2014
Beautifully written.
May 7, 2019
Beautifully written.
May 16, 2021
Poetically written, this book is form of art.
Anna, a dying artist, is working on her final portrait. Her journey is an emotional one, but also distanced in the way she speaks. Told from her perspective, directly addressing her husband who has walked out of their home one morning, I found her to be a very complex person to read about. She is so engaged and taken in by her work that she thinks of nothing else most of the time. She eats, sleeps and paints in her studio, always crafting, always recording, always trying to capture the perfect painting in all its naturalistic detail.
Her husband, John, is also quite the character as the book flicks between what he gets up to after he walks out. He is trying to find the paintings Anna has made of him in an attempt to understand.
This is a book about the pursuit of knowledge, secrecy, tensions in a marriage, love, longing, art, and the search for beauty. It is also an exploration of life so close to death, how losing a loved one affects the people they will leave behind, and how people have different ways of coping with it. Some decide not to notice with the fears of making it real, and others walk out and search for meaning; removing themselves from the situation.
This book really was a feast for the literary soul because there were so many gorgeously constructed sentences, it was as though it was told through a collection of detailed and poignant paintings. This story could be retold on the walls of a museum, each painting a new chapter or realisation about a character, or a secret they hold or a moment they want to capture. A lot of Anna’s work is about capturing life as she sees it, as it happens, and sometimes after a horrific event.
I definitely recommend this book if you want to read something a bit different, a bit beautiful. I picked it up because it’s first line hooked me, and I’m very glad I stuck with it.
Anna, a dying artist, is working on her final portrait. Her journey is an emotional one, but also distanced in the way she speaks. Told from her perspective, directly addressing her husband who has walked out of their home one morning, I found her to be a very complex person to read about. She is so engaged and taken in by her work that she thinks of nothing else most of the time. She eats, sleeps and paints in her studio, always crafting, always recording, always trying to capture the perfect painting in all its naturalistic detail.
Her husband, John, is also quite the character as the book flicks between what he gets up to after he walks out. He is trying to find the paintings Anna has made of him in an attempt to understand.
This is a book about the pursuit of knowledge, secrecy, tensions in a marriage, love, longing, art, and the search for beauty. It is also an exploration of life so close to death, how losing a loved one affects the people they will leave behind, and how people have different ways of coping with it. Some decide not to notice with the fears of making it real, and others walk out and search for meaning; removing themselves from the situation.
This book really was a feast for the literary soul because there were so many gorgeously constructed sentences, it was as though it was told through a collection of detailed and poignant paintings. This story could be retold on the walls of a museum, each painting a new chapter or realisation about a character, or a secret they hold or a moment they want to capture. A lot of Anna’s work is about capturing life as she sees it, as it happens, and sometimes after a horrific event.
I definitely recommend this book if you want to read something a bit different, a bit beautiful. I picked it up because it’s first line hooked me, and I’m very glad I stuck with it.
October 30, 2020
It’s bleak and melancholic yet it speaks of art and love and the rich history of a couple brought together despite their different natures. It talks about rot and death and people fighting against it in their own way. Yet it remains light and beautiful and poetic in language.
It didn't need an elaborate story, the choice of narrative let us see the world through Anna's eyes and see the artistry in little moments. The beauty in the typical and bleak. It let us see wonder where usually only dirt and distaste would be. Most importantly, it made the story intimate- like we were witnessing the true meaning of Anna's paintings. To show John how she saw him- her desperate attempt to atone for all she put him through as he sat for the paintings. The human need for others to understand us.
The characters are not perfect. They are realistic.
This book certainly needs a type of mindset to be understood, but even stripped of any sort of plot it is beautifully written and has a unique style.
It didn't need an elaborate story, the choice of narrative let us see the world through Anna's eyes and see the artistry in little moments. The beauty in the typical and bleak. It let us see wonder where usually only dirt and distaste would be. Most importantly, it made the story intimate- like we were witnessing the true meaning of Anna's paintings. To show John how she saw him- her desperate attempt to atone for all she put him through as he sat for the paintings. The human need for others to understand us.
The characters are not perfect. They are realistic.
This book certainly needs a type of mindset to be understood, but even stripped of any sort of plot it is beautifully written and has a unique style.
December 22, 2019
Not sure what was going on...I mean I knew by the end, but it was challenging to get into. At this point, I know his style isn’t for me. It’s meant to be read out loud really. Although I’m in awe of his ability to create vivid characters and interesting situations.
August 4, 2016
In the opening pages of All the Days and Nights, the latest novel by British writer Niven Govinden, we hear from Anna Brown, a renowned artist living on the East Coast of America. The year is 1980 and Anna realises that John, her partner and muse for the last fifty years, has left their home (as he has previously threatened to do). It soon becomes clear that John has embarked on a quest to view Anna’s portraits of him, pictures which now hang in museums and private collections across America.
Govinden adopts a very interesting approach in conveying Anna and John’s story by moving between passages written as first- and second-person narratives. The use of the second-person narrative – in which Anna addresses John through the use of ‘you’ – gives a feeling of closeness and immediacy, almost as if she is speaking directly to the reader. As she relays John’s journey across the US, everything we see and hear feels as if it is being refracted through Anna’s lens. It’s as if Anna is imagining what is happening to John, seeing these events in her mind’s eye.
As the novel progresses, we also hear Anna’s perspective on her life with John: how he arrived on spec in search of manual work and ended up staying for fifty years; how comfortable and open he is with everyone in the local community, while Anna prefers isolation as she needs her own space in which to breathe.
One of the key themes of this novel centres on the search for meaning. Anna is dying, and being a stubborn individual she is struggling to face up to her own mortality. John’s quest to view Anna’s paintings is driven by the need to define his relationship with this woman, and by viewing these images he hopes to understand the essence of his life with Anna. What exactly did Anna capture in these portraits and will John recognise himself? What emotions and facets of their relationship has she drawn upon, exploited even, in the name of art? Does John’s life contain any meaning at all beyond that of his role as a subject for Anna’s paintings?
All the Days and Nights also offers an exploration of the creative process and the relationship between artist and muse. We see Anna’s determination and dedication to her craft, the intense physical and mental demands she makes of her subjects as they strive to maintain a position for several hours.
To read the rest of my review, please click here:
https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2014...
Govinden adopts a very interesting approach in conveying Anna and John’s story by moving between passages written as first- and second-person narratives. The use of the second-person narrative – in which Anna addresses John through the use of ‘you’ – gives a feeling of closeness and immediacy, almost as if she is speaking directly to the reader. As she relays John’s journey across the US, everything we see and hear feels as if it is being refracted through Anna’s lens. It’s as if Anna is imagining what is happening to John, seeing these events in her mind’s eye.
As the novel progresses, we also hear Anna’s perspective on her life with John: how he arrived on spec in search of manual work and ended up staying for fifty years; how comfortable and open he is with everyone in the local community, while Anna prefers isolation as she needs her own space in which to breathe.
One of the key themes of this novel centres on the search for meaning. Anna is dying, and being a stubborn individual she is struggling to face up to her own mortality. John’s quest to view Anna’s paintings is driven by the need to define his relationship with this woman, and by viewing these images he hopes to understand the essence of his life with Anna. What exactly did Anna capture in these portraits and will John recognise himself? What emotions and facets of their relationship has she drawn upon, exploited even, in the name of art? Does John’s life contain any meaning at all beyond that of his role as a subject for Anna’s paintings?
All the Days and Nights also offers an exploration of the creative process and the relationship between artist and muse. We see Anna’s determination and dedication to her craft, the intense physical and mental demands she makes of her subjects as they strive to maintain a position for several hours.
To read the rest of my review, please click here:
https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2014...
March 15, 2015
I am sure that this is a very beautiful and meaningful book (so the review quote pulls on the back cover tell me), and I do agree that there are certain sentences peppered throughout these 169 pages that stopped the text and spun me. And I did really enjoy the moment I realized that even in this book that is supposed to tell both of their stories we never hear John's voice; Anne is still painting the sole portrait. But honestly, I just was never really interested in the story. I have no problem reading literary fiction, but in this case the "beautiful" prose kept me out of the story. I felt like my eyes kept skittering over the pages, never quite penetrating the gallery glass.
*In compliance with FTC guidelines, I disclose that I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.*
*In compliance with FTC guidelines, I disclose that I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.*
January 1, 2019
I didn't mind the writing or the story but the perspective choices were not always working.
It could be very confusing if I wasn't paying very close attention because there were times characters were describing things they weren't a part of and it wasn't clear if they were guessing or if they somehow knew (and how they knew if they did), and there were conversations that didn't fit in.
I wavered between 2 and 3 stars but rounded down because the issues I had with book were deliberate choices and part of the writing style. I would read this author again though.
Find all my reviews at: https://readingatrandom.blogspot.com
It could be very confusing if I wasn't paying very close attention because there were times characters were describing things they weren't a part of and it wasn't clear if they were guessing or if they somehow knew (and how they knew if they did), and there were conversations that didn't fit in.
I wavered between 2 and 3 stars but rounded down because the issues I had with book were deliberate choices and part of the writing style. I would read this author again though.
Find all my reviews at: https://readingatrandom.blogspot.com
November 8, 2016
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through the First-reads program.
I tried. I really did. But I can't finish this book. I should have been able to read this in a day. But it took me weeks to get to page 50. I will continue to try, but at this point it's a DNF from me. Others may very well like it.
I tried. I really did. But I can't finish this book. I should have been able to read this in a day. But it took me weeks to get to page 50. I will continue to try, but at this point it's a DNF from me. Others may very well like it.
March 26, 2015
I received this book through GoodReads First Reads.
I began this book thinking it was beautifully written, but had a difficult time finishing.
The style of writing, along with the verbosity of the book, made it difficult to follow, and the plethora of words just overran the story-line.
I began this book thinking it was beautifully written, but had a difficult time finishing.
The style of writing, along with the verbosity of the book, made it difficult to follow, and the plethora of words just overran the story-line.
August 18, 2016
I'm afraid this was not for me. I didn't like the use of first and second person for the narrative, and found it a bit too 'literary' and self-conscious, if that makes any sense.
A preview copy was provided by the publisher in exhange for a review.
A preview copy was provided by the publisher in exhange for a review.
February 1, 2015
Even though this is a short story, it felt long because of the writing style. Very cool book. Makes you think about how artists suffer for their life work.
March 26, 2015
Interesting. Well written. I received this book through Good Reads.
April 29, 2015
won this book in the first reads giveaway. a short interesting read. never read anything like it before!
June 21, 2016
Found this a very difficult book to get into, sadly, as I am sure it is a poetic and elegant novel, not my cup of tea though.
Want to read
March 4, 2015This looks as though it is going to be a great read. I can't wait to get started!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews