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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
I shouldn’t quite speak, at least not yet so quickly, after reading a book like this, but I yield so I may remember my first impressions - the ending comes to me as a sort of Catholic Great Gatsby… only strangely able to end with silent cheer, in spite of everything. A Comedy, then, instead of a Fitzgensian Tragedy, with a small flame at the alter proving to outlast the green light that’s been extinguished at the other end of the bay. So we beat on, somehow, stumbling, hopefully into the future.
For what it is worth, I hate blanket "__" star reviews because it's difficult to sum up my thoughts on some books with a single rating.
For the writing itself and some of the wickedly funny scenes and observations, 5 stars.
For the loathsome bore that is the protagonist, 2 stars. For Pete's sake...he's had two children and has not been home to even meet the second, yet we're supposed to sympathize with his "situation." His wife is no peach either - yet this doesn't excuse his behavior.
For the yawning bore of the English aristocracy of the 1920s-40s, 2 stars. It's not my thing. If it's yours, you will adore this book.
For the heavy-handed religious themes, 2 stars. It's in your face and while it does play a role in the book's conflict as it does in life, the acceptance of one's fate (particularly when one is well-monied, well-employed, and young) is maddening. The protagonist is an agnostic up until the end when someone's deathbed decision essentially robs him of his future happiness, and he accepts it as God's will? Maddening. If such a decision was to be made, then I needed to see some type of progression towards this conclusion.
For the writing itself and some of the wickedly funny scenes and observations, 5 stars.
For the loathsome bore that is the protagonist, 2 stars. For Pete's sake...he's had two children and has not been home to even meet the second, yet we're supposed to sympathize with his "situation." His wife is no peach either - yet this doesn't excuse his behavior.
For the yawning bore of the English aristocracy of the 1920s-40s, 2 stars. It's not my thing. If it's yours, you will adore this book.
For the heavy-handed religious themes, 2 stars. It's in your face and while it does play a role in the book's conflict as it does in life, the acceptance of one's fate (particularly when one is well-monied, well-employed, and young) is maddening. The protagonist is an agnostic up until the end when someone's deathbed decision essentially robs him of his future happiness, and he accepts it as God's will? Maddening. If such a decision was to be made, then I needed to see some type of progression towards this conclusion.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i always end up finding dramatisation audiobooks from the library but not the actual story… nonetheless it was interesting to listen to, though i would prefer getting into the nitty gritty of charles’ thoughts throughout his life with the flytes.
One of the gayest things I've read, loved every minute of it
Probably the most English book I've ever read, sometimes comically so. I thought it was lovely. The ending comes on I think a bit too suddenly and with less pathos than I'd like, but there's some endearing characters and a lot to digest.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
“I should like to bury something precious in every place where I've been happy and then, when I'm old and ugly and miserable, I could come back and dig it up and remember.”
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed this book but simultaneously hated it at the same time. The boat section was SUCH a struggle— and I wanted more Sebastian and less Julia… like we get it they could t be outwardly gay so we have to write a similar looking female sibling to fall in love with— great, but underwhelming.