The MasterThe Master
Score Modern
What it's about
In 1895, the novelist Henry James suffers a humiliating failure when the audience boos his play off the London stage. Over the next five years, Colm Tóibín follows him as he retreats to a house in the English countryside, writes some of his greatest work, and is haunted by memories of the people he loved and kept at a distance, including a cousin who died young and a friend who killed herself.
Why it's worth reading
It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. It's a quiet, beautiful portrait of a writer's inner life and loneliness.
You'll love it if you liked
The Wings of the Dove
Brooklyn
The HoursGood to know
It's slow and introspective. Knowing some of James's novels helps.
By the numbers
- Readers15 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller2 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #1487 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #2700 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
More by Colm Tóibín
If you like this, read next
Americanah
The Help
Pachinko
Shuggie Bain
Half of a Yellow Sun
Infinite JestExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Master worth reading?
Yes. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. It ranks #2,700 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 55.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Master about?
In 1895, the novelist Henry James suffers a humiliating failure when the audience boos his play off the London stage. Over the next five years, Colm Tóibín follows him as he retreats to a house in the English countryside, writes some of his greatest work, and is haunted by memories of the people he loved and kept at a distance, including a cousin who died young and a friend who killed herself.
How long does it take to read The Master?
About 9 hours (359 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Master?
If you liked it, try The Wings of the Dove by Henry James, Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín or The Hours by Michael Cunningham.