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tazzle_dazzle's review
The prose is bafflingly good but also gets hard to follow. No doubt a great book but I couldn’t push through the dream state it descends into.
willgrogan's review against another edition
3.0
Part 1: an interesting, literary novel. The prose is unique and there are flashes of brilliancy in White's structure, themes, and symbolism. I'm hooked at this point
Part 2: a slog, dull, too much french. As part of the literary structure and story clearly an important part of the novel, but far from an easy read. The static, boring characters live similar lives with a veneer of class, self-assuredness and glamour.
Part 3: both self actualisation for Theodora and complete destruction of the self (perhaps).
Almost a great book, and certainly unique amongst a landscape of dull Australian literature. Though a re-read when I am older might have me enjoying this book much more.
Part 2: a slog, dull, too much french. As part of the literary structure and story clearly an important part of the novel, but far from an easy read. The static, boring characters live similar lives with a veneer of class, self-assuredness and glamour.
Part 3: both self actualisation for Theodora and complete destruction of the self (perhaps).
Almost a great book, and certainly unique amongst a landscape of dull Australian literature. Though a re-read when I am older might have me enjoying this book much more.
svetlanasterlin's review against another edition
4.0
Wow - what a ride.
While I think that Patrick White is an incredibly skilled and innovative writer, I think that perhaps his style is a little too ambiguous. This is a novel rich with metaphor, symbolism, and other such techniques, but to the point where I was lost as a reader. The language is beautiful, and some of the themes covered are intriguing because I've never read about these topics from such a nuanced perspective. However, for me the perspective is too nuanced. The fragmentation of character, plot, story, and setting from Part 2 onwards is too confusing for me. I admire White for thinking of such a unique way to tell a story, and respect the time and effort that he must have invested to write it.
Theodora is a very complex character of many sides - enough for readers to find some aspect of her to empathise with.
While Part 2 is confusing, this is all part of the author's careful setting up of theme and meaning. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy literary works, and who are reasonably familiar with either White's works, or are accustomed to (modern) classics.
I rate this book 7/10.
While I think that Patrick White is an incredibly skilled and innovative writer, I think that perhaps his style is a little too ambiguous. This is a novel rich with metaphor, symbolism, and other such techniques, but to the point where I was lost as a reader. The language is beautiful, and some of the themes covered are intriguing because I've never read about these topics from such a nuanced perspective. However, for me the perspective is too nuanced. The fragmentation of character, plot, story, and setting from Part 2 onwards is too confusing for me. I admire White for thinking of such a unique way to tell a story, and respect the time and effort that he must have invested to write it.
Theodora is a very complex character of many sides - enough for readers to find some aspect of her to empathise with.
While Part 2 is confusing, this is all part of the author's careful setting up of theme and meaning. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy literary works, and who are reasonably familiar with either White's works, or are accustomed to (modern) classics.
I rate this book 7/10.
mytileneve's review against another edition
I simply could not get engrossed in this story. I gave up with less than 100 pages left
nicehotcupoftea's review against another edition
1.0
Pretentious. Boring. I'll never get that time back.
mimosaeyes's review against another edition
4.0
I must confess to falling slightly in love with this intricate, weird and wonderful prose. Of course the entire middle section, Jardin Exotique, is a big interpretive question. Does Theodora Goodman achieve some transcendental understanding of the world around her, or does she succumb to schizophrenia after travelling around alone? The thing is, it doesn't really matter. It is the kind of novel that one reads slowly, in a kind of suspension, and only afterward letting out a held breath.
I read this novel for a research project I'm doing on Patrick White; I will read two others this semester. It's a good start.
I read this novel for a research project I'm doing on Patrick White; I will read two others this semester. It's a good start.
alice_12's review
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
captainfez's review against another edition
4.0
Patrick White's third novel meditates on age and sanity. The story of a spinster's descent into dementia, it's at times - well, not so much challenging, but just tedious - but the ending is well worth the journey.
More experimental in some passages than other of White's works, but ultimately quite fulfilling. Theodora Goodman is a fairly sympathetically-drawn character, and it's with mixed emotions she is farewelled.
More experimental in some passages than other of White's works, but ultimately quite fulfilling. Theodora Goodman is a fairly sympathetically-drawn character, and it's with mixed emotions she is farewelled.
garbo2garbo's review against another edition
4.0
I'm going to be honest - this was a difficult read for me, in many ways. Firstly, I found the blurb on the back of the book very misleading, and so the storyline wasn't what I imagined it might be. Secondly, it took a while to get into the writing style in the first section, and the second section was really confusing. Finally, when revealed in the third section, the subject matter was something very close my heart and experiences, as my Nana suffered from dementia.
However, once I got into the reading style, I LOVED Theodora! I loved it all, fell in love with her attitude and behaviour and the world she had created for herself. Whilst the second section was bloody confusing, upon reflection I loved the symbolism and connections to both Theo's decline into poor health, and how characters resembled parts of her personality, as well as reflections on society, war and blurring the lines of reality. Theodora edits herself out of the real world, and into those lives she chooses, allowing herself to imprint her characteristics, and reflect her own struggles, as well as the cultural struggles of the day.
Ultimately, I'm glad I read this book. It was hard work, but I hope when rereading it, I will be able to delve deeper and see detail that I have not seen or appreicated on the first read, whilst trying to grasp White's genius style and imagery.
However, once I got into the reading style, I LOVED Theodora! I loved it all, fell in love with her attitude and behaviour and the world she had created for herself. Whilst the second section was bloody confusing, upon reflection I loved the symbolism and connections to both Theo's decline into poor health, and how characters resembled parts of her personality, as well as reflections on society, war and blurring the lines of reality. Theodora edits herself out of the real world, and into those lives she chooses, allowing herself to imprint her characteristics, and reflect her own struggles, as well as the cultural struggles of the day.
Ultimately, I'm glad I read this book. It was hard work, but I hope when rereading it, I will be able to delve deeper and see detail that I have not seen or appreicated on the first read, whilst trying to grasp White's genius style and imagery.