11 reviews for:

This Real Night

Rebecca West

3.91 AVERAGE

rjleamon11's review against another edition

3.0

This Real Night is the sequel to The Fountain Overflows, taking the Aubrey family through about 5 years after their dad disappears from the picture and the family begins to find its way along. It's an uneven book: the first part d---r----a----g----g----e----d---- along, with huge paragraphs of description and monologues by Richard Quin on all kinds of issues. The ending was devastatingly sad but suddenly intensely powerful, giving a vivid picture into what it was like to be the ones who stayed at home during the start of WWI, and also providing an intense, detailed, and weirdly involving look into a death in a close-knit family (those two events are unrelated. I'm not giving anything away) when such things always occurred at home, not in a hospital. So the mid-range evaluation is an average of "didn't like it" at the start to "it was amazing" (but not cheerful) at the end. . . . Now I"m torn about reading the third one, but I bet I will, just to tie up the loose ends.

krobart's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Complicated

4.25

 The family story continues relating fairly mundane events, but they are made interesting by the vibrant narration and the perceptions of this highly intelligent and gifted family. See my complete review here: https://whatmeread.com/2025/02/21/review-2545-this-real-night/

rachaele51's review against another edition

3.0

Just read The Fountain Overflows. No need for this one.

tatee's review against another edition

4.0

Il problema è che anche dormire è bello. Le cose belle del mondo sono troppe. Anche quando si gode di una cosa ce n’è qualcun’altra che ci sta sfuggendo. Ma dormire è davvero bello.

sarathoustra's review against another edition

5.0

Glad I loved it since I spent SO MUCH FREAKING TIME translating this book.

Read the whole saga. It’s a treasure of English literature.

Disponible en français chez Robert Laffont, Pavillons poche.

kristinana's review against another edition

3.0

As others have pointed out, the ending saves this novel. Although many (not all) of the earlier scenes are very well-written and vividly-rendered, they were almost like fragments or writing exercises--I didn't know why I was reading about these characters. Rose was not enough of a character overall until close to the end; it was like she was just describing what other people did. And one of my favorite things about The Fountain Overflows--the random appearance of the supernatural--was barely there. But once WWI arrives, the children find out what it really means to become adults. The ending is heartbreaking and describes certain things I thought were personal (to me) experiences or thoughts, which I think is the mark of an amazing writer. Luckily I was aware of the ending enough to read through to it; otherwise, short as the novel is, I probably would have abandoned it (as it is, I skimmed a lot).

salalander's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

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

4.0

Het voelt alsof je onderdeel bent van het gezin. Je deelt de vreugde, de boosheid en het verdriet. weliswaar traag geschreven, maar wat vind ik het fijn onderdeel van de familie te zijn!

alexsbooksandsocks's review against another edition

3.0

Het tweede deel van de familie Aubrey en waar ik best wat moeite had om door het eerste deel te komen, bleek dat ook nu niet vlotter te gaan. Misschien is het niet zozeer de schrijfstijl, maar het verhaal (geschreven in een heel andere tijd, waar schrijven ook gewoon anders was als nu) dat de auteur brengt dat maakt dat ik het niet als heel vlot ervaar.

Het duurde dus best lang voor ik weer in het verhaal zat. Daar tegenover staat wel dat ik deze personages maar moeilijk kan loslaten. Voel je dus mijn ‘frustratie’? Waar in bij het eerste boek zei dat ik hoopte meer diepgang en voeling met de personages te vinden is deel twee en minder aan de thee te zitten, kreeg ik dit keer dus wel waar voor mijn geld. 

Al blijft deze Britse klassieker teveel woorden hebben en laat het weer te weinig los. Dat, in combinatie met het verhaal, daar hou je van of niet. Toch, ik snap waarom het een klassieker is. Veel ben je dus niet met deze review omdat deze serie mij ook gewoon met een heel dubbel gevoel laat zitten. Wat ik wel weet, is dat is het volgende deel ook weer zal willen lezen. Dus maakt het toch veel bij me los. Volgen wie volgen kan. 

sabrimi's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

marcela1016's review

4.0

Beautiful novel!