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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
Well written and fun while it lasts, yet utterly forgettable, unlike its author Will read the installments of his (auto)biography but unless reliably recommended, will not bother with Fry's novels anymore; life's too short, booklist too long :)
Yeesh. 2.5 stars, I guess rounded to 3 because the ending was pretty satisfying. This was my first Stephen Fry novel and I have no idea whether I'll pick up another. At least if I do I will be better prepared for what I may find there.
This book has a definite Oscar Wilde vibe; Stephen was right when he said Wilde was a (film) role he was born to play. The dissipated, drunkard poet protagonist is fairly unsympathetic at first, but he did grow on me as the novel went on.
Honestly, though, there is so much straight-up vulgar sexual stuff in this novel that I almost pitched it during the first chapter. The only thing that kept me going was the lure of the mystery of what was going on at Swafford Hall. The mystery side of the book is captivating and interesting, between Wallace's long epistolary pontifications on sex, morality, poetry, religion, etc etc. There is some interesting family history created for some of the characters and I wondered if Fry pulled elements of it from his own family history. BUT STILL. I read things in this book I could have lived a very happy lifetime without putting into my brain, and it was made worse that most of them involved a 15-year-old boy. And a cousin. Or an old family friend. Or a horse. I MEAN, REALLY.
Then I find out they made this into a movie! How?! What did they leave out? I don't think I shall watch to find out.
The end really earned some points back. It wraps up nicely, tying up all the previous elements as a good mystery should. If I read another Fry novel, it will be on the strength of the mystery and a bit of the characterization.
This book has a definite Oscar Wilde vibe; Stephen was right when he said Wilde was a (film) role he was born to play. The dissipated, drunkard poet protagonist is fairly unsympathetic at first, but he did grow on me as the novel went on.
Honestly, though, there is so much straight-up vulgar sexual stuff in this novel that I almost pitched it during the first chapter. The only thing that kept me going was the lure of the mystery of what was going on at Swafford Hall. The mystery side of the book is captivating and interesting, between Wallace's long epistolary pontifications on sex, morality, poetry, religion, etc etc. There is some interesting family history created for some of the characters and I wondered if Fry pulled elements of it from his own family history. BUT STILL. I read things in this book I could have lived a very happy lifetime without putting into my brain, and it was made worse that most of them involved a 15-year-old boy. And a cousin. Or an old family friend. Or a horse. I MEAN, REALLY.
Then I find out they made this into a movie! How?! What did they leave out? I don't think I shall watch to find out.
The end really earned some points back. It wraps up nicely, tying up all the previous elements as a good mystery should. If I read another Fry novel, it will be on the strength of the mystery and a bit of the characterization.
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this and now am questioning my taste.
I got a bit lost with the characters at times but that's probably down to lack of concentration on my part. Overall quite gripping and well written. Would recommended!
È vero, lo ammetto, io sono una grande fan di Stephen Fry... ogni volta che lo vedo spuntare in qualche video mi fa aprire il cuore e strillo come una bimbetta isterica per questo omone con il naso storto e gli occhioni all'ingiù!
Non mi aspettavo niente in particolare da questo libro, solo che fosse magnifico. E in effetti, con il suo stile così personale per ogni personaggio, la contaminazione racconto-epistola, la storia inverosimile, poi credibile, poi... ma non sveliamo il finale!
Sorprendente, intrigante, appassionante... che dire di più?
Non mi aspettavo niente in particolare da questo libro, solo che fosse magnifico. E in effetti, con il suo stile così personale per ogni personaggio, la contaminazione racconto-epistola, la storia inverosimile, poi credibile, poi... ma non sveliamo il finale!
Sorprendente, intrigante, appassionante... che dire di più?
Well. A book by Stephen Fry, whom I adore, and I only rate it 2.5 stars. It's not terrible, it's not boring, it's not badly written, it has an unlikeable but at times surprisingly arresting protagonist, and the final 30 pages are a treat for anyone who prefers logical thinking to religious superstition.
But as a whole, the book just seems like a poor excuse to revel in tastefully described tastelessness. It's not particularly witty, it's not excessively funny, it's just an uneven, slightly meandering diversion that fails to leave a lasting impression (save for uncomfortable memories of a character's naughty midnight ramble to the stables and a yearning to pay Norfolk a visit).
But as a whole, the book just seems like a poor excuse to revel in tastefully described tastelessness. It's not particularly witty, it's not excessively funny, it's just an uneven, slightly meandering diversion that fails to leave a lasting impression (save for uncomfortable memories of a character's naughty midnight ramble to the stables and a yearning to pay Norfolk a visit).
Excellentissime !
Stephen Fry nous donne ici un délicieux mélange d’humour décapant et de suspens à l’anglaise.
Le narrateur, personnage cynique au verbe fleuri, nous mène à un dénouement à la Hercule Poirot, et l’histoire nous balade entre plusieurs genres : policier, étude de mœurs, roman épistolaire, fantastique…Original et truculent !
Stephen Fry nous donne ici un délicieux mélange d’humour décapant et de suspens à l’anglaise.
Le narrateur, personnage cynique au verbe fleuri, nous mène à un dénouement à la Hercule Poirot, et l’histoire nous balade entre plusieurs genres : policier, étude de mœurs, roman épistolaire, fantastique…Original et truculent !
Un ex-poète ex-journaliste alcoolique anti-héros-s'il-en-est est embringué dans une histoire familiale un peu mystérieuse...
Une bien sympathique histoire, avec ce qu'il faut d'humour, de mystère, de personnages tous plus tordus les uns que les autres.
Étrangetés:
- C'est très cynique au début, j'ai eu peur de m'en lasser, mais en fait, l'air de rien, ça s'adoucit au fur et à mesure, pour tomber dans un humour constant mais moins méchant;
- Le coeur du mystère n'apparaît qu'après la moitié du livre, et pourtant, ce n'est pas gênant du tout, on va jusqu'au mystère sans s'en rendre compte, ça se lit comme un charme, et pourtant, c'est plein de digressions, de détails inutiles, mais c'est drôle et plutôt intelligent, alors ça passe;
- Le héros, anti-héros, plutôt, qui détient le pire des cynismes (cf. ci-dessus), reste sympathique, ou disons le devient peu à peu, parce qu'il n'est pas aussi balourd qu'on peut le croire au début, parce qu'il n'est pas aussi bêtement cynique qu'il veut bien le laisser croire, parce qu'on fait pire, comme anti-héros!
Y a juste la fin, que je trouve un peu trop facile, mais on lui pardonnera.
Une bien sympathique histoire, avec ce qu'il faut d'humour, de mystère, de personnages tous plus tordus les uns que les autres.
Étrangetés:
- C'est très cynique au début, j'ai eu peur de m'en lasser, mais en fait, l'air de rien, ça s'adoucit au fur et à mesure, pour tomber dans un humour constant mais moins méchant;
- Le coeur du mystère n'apparaît qu'après la moitié du livre, et pourtant, ce n'est pas gênant du tout, on va jusqu'au mystère sans s'en rendre compte, ça se lit comme un charme, et pourtant, c'est plein de digressions, de détails inutiles, mais c'est drôle et plutôt intelligent, alors ça passe;
- Le héros, anti-héros, plutôt, qui détient le pire des cynismes (cf. ci-dessus), reste sympathique, ou disons le devient peu à peu, parce qu'il n'est pas aussi balourd qu'on peut le croire au début, parce qu'il n'est pas aussi bêtement cynique qu'il veut bien le laisser croire, parce qu'on fait pire, comme anti-héros!
Y a juste la fin, que je trouve un peu trop facile, mais on lui pardonnera.
Geestig verhaal over cynische zak/schrijver Ted Wallace die met scherven van gesneuvelde whisky flessen andermans idealistische waanbeeld-bubbels kapot doet spatten.
Vermoedelijk beter in het Engels, gezien Britse humor matig vertaalt naar de Nederlandsche taal.
Vermoedelijk beter in het Engels, gezien Britse humor matig vertaalt naar de Nederlandsche taal.