Reviews

The Honorary Consul by Graham Greene, Nicholas Shakespeare

8797999's review

4.0

A great book and the ending was very touching. Its not news but Graham Greene is an excellent writer, I don't think I have disliked any of his books I have read so far. I don't think he gets the popularity he deserves today.

The location, characters and dialogue all come together beautifully and this is truly a very enjoyable read. Somewhat dated perhaps but these books are for their time not ours.

abandonedmegastructure's review against another edition

dark funny reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

A fascinating study into the entangled lives of three men as a botched hostage-taking slowly collapses into ruin. Themes of fatherhood, masculinity, love, and liberation theology provide a backdrop to the uncomfortable human drama between the protagonists and their supporting cast. The story is fundamentally a tragedy, possessed of a painful humor driven by the characters' selfishness and inability to understand and move beyond their flaws. When insight and self-acceptance come at last, they are shortly followed by death.

The book presented a very interesting window into the south america of the 70s: a continent torn between American interference, entrenched local interests, and revolutionary fervor. None of the main characters are true Argentinians, but all nevertheless feel connected to the country - similarly, all three characters are haunted by distant father figures (though in quite different ways).

Though unquestionably literary in tone and topic, and a bit long-winded in places, the prose never felt dry to me. I remained engaged and eager to see more of the character's interactions. Still, a few subplots could probably have been trimmed or cut, and the whole book's actual plot can be described in a paragraph or two. Though much of the conclusion is unashamedly foreshadowed, a few details are kept unclear, and throughout my read I remained eager to find out how this was all going to end exactly. 

While the book is not without flaws, it boasts complex contrasting characters, an interesting and little-seen setting, and some profound philosophical musings.

livmirrorball's review

lighthearted tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

raquelssilva's review against another edition

4.0

Greene já me conquistara com 'O Fim da Aventura' - e foi, aliás, pelo que esta obra me ofereceu que uma edição novinha em folha, antiga e muito bonita d'O Cônsul Honorário' não me escapou nos alfarrabistas da Feira do Livro. Nem sei porque demorei tanto tempo a reflectir e a querer escrever sobre ele, depois de o ter lido quase de uma assentada. Mas tinha de de escrever, de uma forma ou de outra, pela experiência que é conhecer as histórias e as personagens de Greene.

texto completo em
http://leiturasmarginais.blogspot.pt/2015/09/o-consul-honorario-graham-greene.html

charliek_1970's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny sad medium-paced

3.5

jakewritesbooks's review

4.0

(4.5) I've given Graham Greene two tries, one I somewhat appreciated (The Power and the Glory), one I did not (The Quiet American). This was the best of the three by far. Listed as a "thriller", it's more accurately what CrimeReads.com dubbed "diplomatic noir." The lead character is a cynic like many of Greene's characters but unlike previous works, he's not serving in a purely symbolic role so there's a depth here that give the circumstances true stakes, as well as make Greene's typical rumination on religion and morality work.

jessby's review

2.0

Based in Argentina near the Paraguayan border, it's a story of kidnappers who intended to abduct the American Ambassador as a political hostage have instead accidentally abducted Fortnum who is the British Honorary Consul and a hopeless alcoholic. Dr Plarr who has a semi-English background gets involved when Fortnum requires medical assistance. Fortnum knows Plarr but does not know that Plarr is sleeping with, and has impregnated his ex-prostitute wife. Themes include politics (obviously), sex, religion and machismo.
I wasn't really engaged by the plot or the characters in this book by Graham Greene. Well-written, but not my cup of tea.

chairmanbernanke's review against another edition

3.0

Another alcoholic becomes embroiled in matters beyond his ken.

whippycleric's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

The writing on this book feels natural, easy to read, and is really well done. Personally I found the theme to be the protagonists desire to feel love, driven by the loss of his father at a young age. The search for both, the feeling of love, and his father, develops well throughout the book and reaches solid conclusions. Though quite fast paced, it has a smooth journey towards the conclusion without any jarring switches in plot. I was surprised the ending but definitely satisfied. To justify giving it 3.5 stars instead of higher I can only say why when comparing to other books. I didn't fully connect with any character in particular, and I was never on the edge of my seat waiting for the next chapter. Definitely a fun, easy to read, book and we'll worth the time. 

blakeisgreene's review against another edition

funny reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25