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partypete's review against another edition
4.0
did not quite understand the lectures on fantasy and prophecy, but interesting nonetheless. the conclusion is of particular interest on the future of the novel
booksvoices's review against another edition
3.0
What are the most important aspects of a novel? The answer to this question is very personal and may vary, but for Edmund Morgan Forster, author of A Room with a View and A Passage to India, the most important aspects of a novel can be narrowed down to seven:
• The Story - what happens
• The People - to whom the story happens
• The Plot - why the story happens
• Fantasy - element of surprise
• Prophecy - connection to a human experience
• Pattern - atmosphere/theme
• Rhythm - expansion of the theme
This book is based on a series of lectures delivered by Forster in 1927, Ulysses had already been written, but the most unconventional narratives of the post-war, not to mention post-modern, had not, and those narratives challenge some of the rigid notions about plot, story, and pattern of the time. However, it is very interesting to see what the author considered to be indispensable to a well-written book. The notions of flat (comic and caricature) characters versus round (developed and tragic) characters are still relevant to the analysis of fictional characters. I would recommend this to fiction writers and readers alike.
"And to the end of time, good literature will be made around the notion of a wish."
• The Story - what happens
• The People - to whom the story happens
• The Plot - why the story happens
• Fantasy - element of surprise
• Prophecy - connection to a human experience
• Pattern - atmosphere/theme
• Rhythm - expansion of the theme
This book is based on a series of lectures delivered by Forster in 1927, Ulysses had already been written, but the most unconventional narratives of the post-war, not to mention post-modern, had not, and those narratives challenge some of the rigid notions about plot, story, and pattern of the time. However, it is very interesting to see what the author considered to be indispensable to a well-written book. The notions of flat (comic and caricature) characters versus round (developed and tragic) characters are still relevant to the analysis of fictional characters. I would recommend this to fiction writers and readers alike.
"And to the end of time, good literature will be made around the notion of a wish."
ameliaminamikoji's review against another edition
3.0
'When my brain decays entirely I shall not bother anymore over great literature. I shall go back to the romantic shore'
ania_s's review against another edition
3.0
half of the time I was thinking "why are we talking about this?"
bookeboy's review
3.0
I first read this over thirty years ago. I was in love with E.M. Forster's novels (still am) and went on to read his short stories and non-fiction. I have no clear memory of Aspects of the Novel from that time. I doubt I would have had a clue what he was talking about. Reading it now, having read so many of the examples he cites, I was left disappointed. It was as though Cecil, from Room with a View, had written the thing, not his creator, the writer of the impossibly sublime, Howards End. But then, I suppose E.M. Forster thought of himself as a bit of a Cecil, which was easier than admitting he was at heart a Lucy Honeychurch all along.
bichito_feo's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best books on literature and writing that I've ever read. I loved this.
djrmelvin's review against another edition
4.0
A collection fo lectures Forster gave in the late 20's on what makes a novel. Although I found some of his examples a little unreachable, and definitely disagreed with some of his opinions on certain authors, Forster's explanations on what a novel is at its foundation are incredibly clear and simple. This small book could replace a lot of "the novel as literature" theory courses.
sarrie's review
4.0
This was a fascinating breakdown on what Forster thought a novel should be/have. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and ended up highlighting large sections. There were things I didn't completely agree with but on the whole I liked what he had to say.
ania_s's review against another edition
3.0
half of the time I was thinking "why are we talking about this?"