illusionless

She had the illusionless eyes of middle age, experienced, lined, proof against most surprises, and yet in that one flash of glad astonishment they had a lustre and depth that shook him to the heart.

A River So Long 2010

"I have experienced it," said Philip, and drew a little aside, but did not go, and did not release him from the illusionless penetration of the black, aloof stare.

A River So Long 2010

One encounters here no aestheticized hypocrisy about a simple little everyday, a simple little home and a simple little happiness, one encounters an honest soul that looks with completely illusionless eyes on that which is, sees the inevitability of suffering and the vanity of happiness, but does not seek a port of refuge from it, rather instead prepares itself for - higher flight.

Karin Boye - a biographical profile - 5 David McDuff 2009

But in light of recent events, if we give ourselves up to what the Swedish Academy called his "incorruptible scrutiny," we hear a wise and illusionless voice whispering, "Welcome to the world."

Periscope 2007

Rereading Naipaul now, in light of recent events, giving ourselves up to what the Swedish Academy called his "incorruptible scrutiny," is to hear a dry, wise and illusionless voice whispering, "Welcome to the world."

Literature: A Voice For Dire Times 2007

It was an order, and Graves -- a tall thin Brit with an illusionless, razor-burned face -- had a voice seemingly engineered to give orders.

Excerpt: God Lives In St. Petersburg by Tom Bissell 2005

Behind him lies the wreckage of a great love, ahead of him the model of Christopher Isherwood, illusionless diarist of Berlin at the crossroads.

Absolute Friends Le Carre, John, 1931- 2003

She had the illusionless eyes of middle age, experienced, lined, proof against most surprises, and yet in that one flash of glad astonishment they had a lustre and depth that shook him to the heart.

Brother Cadfael's Penance Peters, Ellis, 1913- 1994

"I have experienced it," said Philip, and drew a little aside, but did not go, and did not release him from the illusionless penetration of the black, aloof stare.

Brother Cadfael's Penance Peters, Ellis, 1913- 1994

Thus eye to eye she showed as experienced and illusionless, not bruised but wary of bruises, and prepared to evade or return them at need; and yet even younger than he had taken her to be, surely no more than eighteen.

The Holy Thief Peters, Ellis, 1913-1995 1992