Reviews

Charlotte Gray by Sebastian Faulks

mazza57's review against another edition

2.0

I know this was written a long time ago -1998 - and maybe at that time it was out there with the best of historical literature about WW II. However for me it has nothing new and in some ways I find it more disappointing than just the general glut of such fiction. I felt that the boundaries of what could have happened and what did happen were sometimes stretched beyond credulity. A girl sent on a short trip by government is just allowed to stay to try and find a boyfriend. This is a girl who supposedly wants to do more for her country but spends an inordinate amount of time being a housekeeper. I am simply not convinced by it. For me it also has elements of the things i find most difficult about Faulk's writing, the sheer wordiness made me think of Tolstoy - lots of words, little action. Everything happens in the last 100 pages of the book.

rachelp's review against another edition

5.0

This was a wonderful book. Perhaps better than Birdsong, but that may be because I prefer the World War II era to World War I.

ellsoquent's review against another edition

adventurous challenging sad tense medium-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

4.0

hotbiscuits's review against another edition

2.0

I had mixed feelings about this book. It shares many similarities with Birdsong, lovers, war, etc etc. The language is gorgeous, Faulks writes in a way that really engages the you. You feel as though you really know Charlotte, you almost feel what she feels. For me it felt as if all that was missing from this novel was a good story. For huge sections of the novel nothing happens at all. Faulks has seemed to have just focused on the travelling between places and writing out many conversations in which Charlotte describes, and in my view, exaggerates her love for Gregory. She seems to view love as one person exploiting another through a wound. Read into that what you will. And I guess one could agree with her. Charlotte is a strange character, at points in the book she seems very wise and strong willed, and at others almost infantile. I think beneath it all she is still a child and seeks from Gregory the love that was never/rarely bestowed on her as a child. That's another thing I dislike about this book, it's transparency. The ending is obvious from the moment you open the book. All the other components(everything but the story) however, were perfect. If you read this expecting another Birdsong, you will probably, like me, be disappointed.

mamasquirrel's review against another edition

4.0

I expected a war-romance kind of book (perhaps because I haven't read Sebastian Faulks before?) and got so much more. It feels like Faulks takes his readers very seriously, and gives us something to really chew on and think about.

Yes, there's romance, but it's complicated. In addition, there is beautiful descriptions of the scenery of France, a delve into how people handle the psychological damage of war, and a historical narrative on life in France during the Second World War.

One of my favourite things about Faulks' writing: his thorough descriptions of food and clothing. It really helps build a mental picture of the world of 1940s era France and England.

bhumi_19's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

moon_flower's review against another edition

The writing is so bad, I was surprised this got published. 

culturenator's review against another edition

3.0

Not really sure what I think about this one. Definitely not as gripping as the other two books in this series, I think there was maybe too many characters I just didn't care enough for to keep me going, it felt like a struggle to finish this book and for me that's a bad sign.

yilulikestoread's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.25

Very disappointed overall. The most interesting plot points of the novel and the characters aims were hollow. I found it very hard to relate to them or agree with them. It was very well written but just a poor plot planning and lacking characters.
Very well written though - in the sense that the vocabulary was broad and the style was elaborate.

briasbooks's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

1.0