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2.96 AVERAGE
2.96 AVERAGE
I SO wanted to love this book. Santa Montefiore seems like such a wonderful person in all of the articles and interviews, and she is married to the brilliant historian Simon Sebag Montefiore who writes such great books. I also wanted her to take the place of Joanna Trollope whose tens of books I have read, devoured and adored for the most part. I wanted her to be clever and funny and moving like Marian Keyes.
I am so sorry to report that The Affair just wasn’t that good.
Ritual lighting of Diptyque candles and having a friend who owns more than one Birkin does not a central protagonist make.
I mean we get it, the shorthand for lavish lifestyles, but I don’t read novels for shorthand, I read them because I want to FEEL it. Like Tom Wolfe’s A MAN IN FULL, when he describes the sound of the clippers of the gardener, and the lace on the pillows in the stroller - he gives you the pleasures of affluence in three dimensions. I read that book decades ago and I still remember those descriptions.
This is sort of a marathon of alcoholic lunches and lusty daydreams - both of which I heartily endorse. But here, it seems thin to me, flat. Somehow bloodless.
I am disappointed.
I am so sorry to report that The Affair just wasn’t that good.
Ritual lighting of Diptyque candles and having a friend who owns more than one Birkin does not a central protagonist make.
I mean we get it, the shorthand for lavish lifestyles, but I don’t read novels for shorthand, I read them because I want to FEEL it. Like Tom Wolfe’s A MAN IN FULL, when he describes the sound of the clippers of the gardener, and the lace on the pillows in the stroller - he gives you the pleasures of affluence in three dimensions. I read that book decades ago and I still remember those descriptions.
This is sort of a marathon of alcoholic lunches and lusty daydreams - both of which I heartily endorse. But here, it seems thin to me, flat. Somehow bloodless.
I am disappointed.
Een aardig verhaal over een affaire (goh). Dat was wel prima leesvoer maar ik vond de constante verwijzing naar merken van kleding die de dames uit het boek aantrekken veel te veel van het goede.
Echt irritant af en toe.
Echt irritant af en toe.
4/5 ⭐
“Lo que tenía era precioso, y debía cuidarlo, como se cuida de una débil llama para que no se apague.”
“Lo que tenía era precioso, y debía cuidarlo, como se cuida de una débil llama para que no se apague.”
lighthearted
slow-paced
This book was a leisure read, and while it did allow me to mentally check out for a while, it wasn't my favorite. I got it when Hastings went out of business for like ten cents, so worth the read for that but def would not repeat.
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
A very nice read about an English author who has an emotional affair with a South African man. Usual chick lit with a good bunch of friends and some fun side stories. My only complaint was that I didn't know all the 'english' phrases and actually needed to resort to Wikipedia to determine what the English game Solataire is. I think I'm also getting tired of reading about the very wealthy who jet-set all over Europe, have multiple homes, exotic vacations, maids, nannies, etc and then think they live a normal life ;)
I really like this book. It's a touchy subject, but written in a way that I was sympathetic to all parties involved. Didn't always like "the girfriends", but the main characters were well develpoed...and the writing was beautiful.
Foi o primeiro livro que li desta autora... Gostei do livro mas esperava mais...
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
slow-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