Reviews

Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey

Only show reviews with written explanations

oxnard_montalvo's review

I ruined this book for myself just before I finished it by reading spoilers, and yet I read on, desperate for things to resolve themselves in the way I hoped. To say I was gripped would be an understatement. It's been a long time since I was totally emotionally invested in characters to the extent I was here. I needed to give myself a restorative evening once I was finished.

The way Carey realises the internal feeling of his characters, and they way he explores missed connections, broadens seemingly inconsequential happenstance into something with profound reach was by turns subtle, absurd, blatant and ingenious and absolutely my bag, baby.

This isn't a book without flaws by any means; at times it was a touch improbable; other times it segued into other minor characters POV when I felt it needed to stay the course on the main ones. Small quibbles that might put another reader off, understandably. But not so much of an issue for me to justify demoting it to 4 fours.

(Australia)

peonierose's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Remains the perfection of characterisation in any English language novel.

whimsicalmeerkat's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

A beautiful book. It was given to me by someone who said it reminded him of me when he first read it, and after reAading it, I understood why. I think this will have a particular resonance to anyone raised in a fundamentalist home. It will lose no power if that is not the case. Peter Carey understands how to write people.

actualresultsmayvary's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging slow-paced

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

2.25

God, it has taken me so long to read Oscar and Lucinda I feel as if I have been drowning in it.
Whilst it wasn't necessarily bad at all points, it was mostly boring with a slow meandering plot which in the end went no where and ended pointlessly. The side characters weren't given enough time for us to get to know or care about them but also weirdly frequently included in the plot. The narration by Oscar's great grandson also doesn't really make any sense and how would he know all that, and it adds nothing to the story.
The philosophical musings about religion and morality and human nature were mostly giving nothing. Though, I do think it well portrayed the ways in which we misunderstand each other's emotions and motivations and all tell ourselves very different stories about the same events.
The racism and homophobia was sort of criticised by Carey but not enough for the extent it was included.
On the whole reading this was probably an error and I feel like I have literally been journeying miserably across Australia with them.

katykelly's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Readable / listenable 'modern classic' that didn't spark for me

I do try to sample Booker winners when they interest me, and the subject matter and time period sounded approachable. I was offered an Audible copy, so accessed this as an audiobook, a 20-hour listen.

From the beginning I found the narration very friendly, enthusiastic and easy to listen to, and there was humour in the early lives of preacher's son Oscar and future-heiress Lucinda, who both through their adolescent journeys, become gamblers.

It took nearly half the book for them to meet, and at that point my interest actually started waning a little. I was expecting the slightly lighter tone of the first half to continue.

The religion that early on had amused me and piqued my interest started to annoy me later on, and I was having trouble keeping up with the secondary characters' names and roles (a feat in itself in a long audiobook).

I don't think I connected with adult Oscar or Lucinda particularly. Though I'm glad to say I'm now familiar with the story and author, it's not one I'm going to recall, recommend or reread. I have come across many sagas I've been enraptured by, but this one just meandered to a finish without me feeling desperate to know the conclusion.

With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy, for an honest review.

melolivia17's review against another edition

Go to review page

medium-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? Yes

3.5

larabavery's review against another edition

Go to review page

The writing was beautiful but there were too many useless side characters, unnecessary description, and detail. Not every book needs a thrilling plot but the indulgent pace of this one wore my patience thin.