Great comments Belle and I absolutely agree with everything you say. I could not find any evidence of epiphanies for the protagonists - there seemed to be no evidence of learning from experience, or any awareness of their shortcomings. And the lack any empathy in the subjects of the stories feels to me as if Joyce shares that lack. Grey and cold indeed!
I also didn't like the way that (for me) the stories just stopped - I kept feeling there should be another paragraph or so. But then every now and then I would be struck by a terrific phrase or sentence. My favourite (already nominated in my Goodreads review) came from "The Mother":
Quote:
|
She sat amid the chilly circle of her accomplishments, waiting for some suitor to brave it and offer her a brilliant life.
|
But there weren't enough of these to earn
Dubliners more than two stars from me.