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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
This is beautifully written prose, clear, thoughtful. Messages from a lost world.
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Suicide
Minor: War
I so wanted to like this book, to finish this book--maybe if I had finished it I would've liked it? Well, we'll never know for sure because 44 pages was enough for me. What made me stop was the narrator's annoying habit of saying the same thing three "different" ways for three sentences in a row. And the fact that the big event or tragedy or whatever it is, is alluded to on every page (almost!) but I could tell the build-up was going to kill me and probably not reward me in the afterlife for sticking with it. Plus I've read "Any Human Heart" semi-recently and it had a protag who was just more interesting and whose life was more eventful and attention-worthy (and I had the Matthew MacFadyen PBS Masterpiece adaptation to keep me going when I might've otherwise not). Now if PBS gets their brilliant hands on this, I will definitely WATCH it.
Tragic story about ill-fated lovers in a posh country manor, and it's narrated by a kid some 50 years later - it must be the boring inspiration to Ian McEwan's Atonement. At least, Atonement had so much else going on. This feels just a bit of a drag, it's pages after pages filled with the ruminating thoughts of a young boy that would be endearing if it was for just a few pages, and a really really long build up to a somewhat disappointing climax. My edition also sports a ludicrous amount of footnotes!
A dreamlike, melancholic suckerpunch of a read about how the other half live during a summer on the cusp of adulthood. A complete masterpiece and one of the best books I've ever read.
relaxing
medium-paced
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved the contrast between the carefree, lively and warm summer setting and the tense and anticipatory plot. Really good read. Again I felt like I’ve read this story before, a bit predictable but that doesn’t take away from
the story.
the story.
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
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:
Complicated
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Suppers, piano, and cricket. Very much not for me.