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hanhantap's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Finishing this beautiful novel as my 100th book of the year while listening to boygenius on shuffle...my mental health may never recover from this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Lesbophobia and Homophobia
Moderate: Alcohol and Emotional abuse
Minor: Stalking
katndrsn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Abandonment
Moderate: Stalking
Minor: Gun violence
priceofsalt's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Stalking
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Therese is 19, an aspiring set designer working as a sales assistant in the toy department of a New York store in the lead up to Christmas, and is in a relationship with Richard, although she does not love him the way he seems to love her. Carol is in her thirties, and in the throes of a divorce and a custody battle. When they meet Therese is instantly smitten. I often struggle with instalove and this was no exception. It definitely took me a while to settle into the book since I struggled to see what each woman saw in the other. I was being told, rather than shown it and it took me a long time to feel and believe. I think some of this may have been down to the writing style of the time, since this novel was first published in 1952. Additionally both women were at crossroads in their lives, not entirely sure what they wanted. As a result they seemed to run hot and cold - and in opposite patterns. They couldn’t settle and neither could I as a reader. I love a good road trip so that aspect of the book appealed. It seemed to be when, removed from the pressures of their everyday lives, their relationship came alive and felt believable. The eye opening lengths Carol’s estranged husband was willing and able to go irked the heck out of me, as did his ability to use her sexuality to deny her access to their daughter. Obviously this is an accurate portrayal of the period this was written. I appreciated the way Highsmith gave Therese and Carol a mostly happy ending. Apparently this was one of the first novels to offer that for a lesbian couple, with most authors opting to have their lesbian characters go mad or suffer in some ways for their sexuality. While the writing style wasn’t always to my taste I can fully appreciate this novel and the role it played in the evolution of lesbian literature.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Lesbophobia and Stalking
yrlaevelyn's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Stalking, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Outing, and Misogyny
mondovertigo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking and Lesbophobia
pencilspeaker's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Stalking
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
imogenoakes's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Stalking, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia
frantically's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lesbian yearning this, lesbian yearning that, where is the PLOT
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, and Sexism
mysimas's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Carol, a sister book to Forster’s Maurice.
Maybe it was me, maybe it was the book, but the prose, although beautiful, sometimes confused me. A lot of the first half was also kind of a blur for me, most scenes didn’t really stand out or apart, though I felt quite charmed by the overall feel.
Therese’s growth was beautiful to witness and reminiscent of aforementioned Maurice or even Pride and Prejudice. Carol did some growing of her own, too, and she was one of the more convincing love interests I’ve encountered in fiction.
Definitely a book I would like to reread, this time carefully looking for the paralels as well as the uncanny synchronicity of thought that Carol and Therese seemed to display at times.
Last but not least, shoutout to the worst line ever and the pretty great one that followed right after:
Maybe it was me, maybe it was the book, but the prose, although beautiful, sometimes confused me. A lot of the first half was also kind of a blur for me, most scenes didn’t really stand out or apart, though I felt quite charmed by the overall feel.
Therese’s growth was beautiful to witness and reminiscent of aforementioned Maurice or even Pride and Prejudice. Carol did some growing of her own, too, and she was one of the more convincing love interests I’ve encountered in fiction.
Definitely a book I would like to reread, this time carefully looking for the paralels as well as the uncanny synchronicity of thought that Carol and Therese seemed to display at times.
Last but not least, shoutout to the worst line ever and the pretty great one that followed right after:
The milk seemed to taste of bone and blood, of warm flesh, or hair, saltless as chalk yet alive as a growing embryo.
It was hot through and through to the bottom of the cup, and Therese drank it down, as people in fairy tales drink the potion that will transform, or the unsuspecting warrior the cup that will kill.
(Seriously, I almost wept at the contrast.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Abandonment
Moderate: Stalking and Fatphobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
To explain my warnings a little: Abandonment — relates to Therese’s childhood history which later resonates with the events of the book. Homophobia — a characteristic of the society at the time, some of the characters display hate. Carol and Therese do not suffer from prominent internalized homophobia. Fatphobia — occurs mostly in the first half of the book. Could be argued for as a characteristic of Therese’s, from which she eventually starts to grow. Stalking — does not happen between Carol and Therese, or in a romantic context, and is not portrayed as a good thing. Suicidal thoughts — a very brief reflection of Therese’s that spans all of two lines.