Scan barcode
mistymoon24's review against another edition
emotional
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Beautifully written and produced, with the music really enhancing the text. That being said I found the book quite slow and it made me sleepy
kavyajanani's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/5
I think I wouldn't be able to review this book properly. I loved the flowery prose so much that I could read stories like these forever. However, I also skipped a lot of pages, especially after I crossed 350 pages. The plot dragged unnecessarily. I loved the troubled characterizations, though. Michael and Julia are flawed people that you'd come across in everyday life. At times, I felt Julia irritating. She looked like someone who was intensely confused. Michael and his relationship with his violin were one of the most beautiful aspects of the novel.
What made the novel work for me was the music. The entire story was a piece of music in itself. So many references to classical musicians like Mozart, Bach, Schumann, Beethoven, Chopin, and Schubert. Being a music enthusiast, keyboard player, and singer, I could relate to these musical references.
The ending was abrupt. After all those pages, it would make you wonder 'What was the author's point of writing this story? What did he try to convey?' I felt that the story didn't get a proper closure. Perhaps, that's how literary fiction is.
I think I wouldn't be able to review this book properly. I loved the flowery prose so much that I could read stories like these forever. However, I also skipped a lot of pages, especially after I crossed 350 pages. The plot dragged unnecessarily. I loved the troubled characterizations, though. Michael and Julia are flawed people that you'd come across in everyday life. At times, I felt Julia irritating. She looked like someone who was intensely confused. Michael and his relationship with his violin were one of the most beautiful aspects of the novel.
What made the novel work for me was the music. The entire story was a piece of music in itself. So many references to classical musicians like Mozart, Bach, Schumann, Beethoven, Chopin, and Schubert. Being a music enthusiast, keyboard player, and singer, I could relate to these musical references.
The ending was abrupt. After all those pages, it would make you wonder 'What was the author's point of writing this story? What did he try to convey?' I felt that the story didn't get a proper closure. Perhaps, that's how literary fiction is.
yongen22's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
michael sucks ass
pja_gsh's review against another edition
2.0
I was elated to pick up this book from a second hand bookstore since I'd left if off on the second page back in high school. I loved 'all you also sleep tonight' because it was all soul through and through and by the time this book was written, there wasn't any of that left in the writer. I read a little above 100 pages and it was tedious. The story seems to go nowhere-nothing ever happens. There's a lot of dialogue but most of it meanders. I feel I'm watching someone's life pass by-the narrator is rather dull. I couldn't stay rooted to it.
ianmcnamara's review against another edition
5.0
I really liked this book. The musical element was really special in this story. If i were not reading this book for a book club i probably would never have done so and would have missed out on a lovely story.
res81278's review against another edition
4.0
This book was pretty good. I liked the characters although was really sad about the end. The music references were good. And I really liked Seth's writing style.
fionab_16's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
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? Yes
3.5
admatthews's review against another edition
4.0
This was tricky. A Suitable Boy is one of my top three novels in history, so expectations were always going to be slightly disappointed. For a while I thought it was going horribly wrong - I ended up taking against the narrator. But in the end it came together, and Seth's ability to craft an exhilarating climax without anything flash or obvious happening won through.
gitanita's review against another edition
3.0
Michael Holmes is a violin player living in London and playing in a Quartet made of his friends, but not quite. He is in a sort of, but not quite (again!) relationship with his 16 years younger violin student from France. He is a profoundly unhappy person, who can't get over the one woman that got away (or that he let go). Since the day they said goodbye due to his depression, he unsuccessfully tried to find her, but she didn't want to be found. Then one day she reappears in his life and both will try desperately to have what they had in the past, but will find out that sometimes you just can't go back, no matter how much you try.
I seem to instinctively choose books that are too depressing and end up not enjoying them, because they are too depressing. The story had some interesting parts, but did not wow me. I happen to love music (both classic and modern), but the love the characters felt for music did not get to me. I also wasn't in love with the protagonists, Michael and Julia, or at least I wasn't cheering them on in their second attempt at love. There was too much hurt and resentment between them and also new people who did not deserve to be hurt in the process.
I seem to instinctively choose books that are too depressing and end up not enjoying them, because they are too depressing. The story had some interesting parts, but did not wow me. I happen to love music (both classic and modern), but the love the characters felt for music did not get to me. I also wasn't in love with the protagonists, Michael and Julia, or at least I wasn't cheering them on in their second attempt at love. There was too much hurt and resentment between them and also new people who did not deserve to be hurt in the process.