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sirchatalot's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
sofipitch's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Lyrical prose, very atmospheric with two very different characters who manage to intersect and how they respond to love and passion I'm their lives. Some of the metaphors are a little two on the nose, gambling or Villanelle stealing her heart from her old lover's house, but overall delightful. This was recommended to me by storygraph's algorithm so kudos to that
Content Warnings
Moderate: War and Death
Minor: Antisemitism
fabulousdave's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
ariadnamonkeys's review against another edition
3.0
Em fa la impressió que l'autora tenia alguna idea molt bona escrita i va decidir escriure el llibre per colarhi les quatre pàgines que ja tenia més estudiades. No sé, hi ha parts bones (les descripcions de Venècia, el final) però així en general m'ha semblat un poco del monton, exceptuant algunes frases. Intentaré llegir més sobre l'autora.
2.5/5
2.5/5
lattelibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
"I'm telling you stories. Trust me."
And thus we're thrust into a dual narrative following Henri, a soldier, and Villanelle, a web-footed daughter of a boatman as they meet in the midst of a war. Henri writes in his diary, a stead-fast way of making sure that even his emotions change over the course of his life based on his memories, he can at least remember the facts. Stories, really. And Villanelle? She hides behind masks and never takes off her boots, forever on the search for something she doesn't want, and for something she needs.
Henri must feed himself a purpose as he continues to follow Napoleon into war, must keep telling himself stories. And when he meets Villanelle, a story unto herself, he falls in love. She has beautiful red hair and is shrouded in what cannot possibly be true, or real. What is she making up, and what is reality? What is reality, if not madness? How can we contest someone's perception of what is real and what is not?
Everything I want to share would be spoilers of the most severe sort, and I want to do this book and review justice by hoping that it is intriguing enough to get your interest peaked. It's a book that's been on my radar for years, so when it fell into my hands at my library, I knew it was a sign: it was time.
Winterson melds fiction and magic, love and war, purpose and fantasy in a way that is truly masterful. Her words are poignant, and the world she creates is one unlike I've ever seen. With violence, gambling, and cities on rivers, she offers an escape--but not one you can travel to with your heart in place.
She's telling you stories. Trust her.
Review cross-listed here!
And thus we're thrust into a dual narrative following Henri, a soldier, and Villanelle, a web-footed daughter of a boatman as they meet in the midst of a war. Henri writes in his diary, a stead-fast way of making sure that even his emotions change over the course of his life based on his memories, he can at least remember the facts. Stories, really. And Villanelle? She hides behind masks and never takes off her boots, forever on the search for something she doesn't want, and for something she needs.
Henri must feed himself a purpose as he continues to follow Napoleon into war, must keep telling himself stories. And when he meets Villanelle, a story unto herself, he falls in love. She has beautiful red hair and is shrouded in what cannot possibly be true, or real. What is she making up, and what is reality? What is reality, if not madness? How can we contest someone's perception of what is real and what is not?
Everything I want to share would be spoilers of the most severe sort, and I want to do this book and review justice by hoping that it is intriguing enough to get your interest peaked. It's a book that's been on my radar for years, so when it fell into my hands at my library, I knew it was a sign: it was time.
Winterson melds fiction and magic, love and war, purpose and fantasy in a way that is truly masterful. Her words are poignant, and the world she creates is one unlike I've ever seen. With violence, gambling, and cities on rivers, she offers an escape--but not one you can travel to with your heart in place.
She's telling you stories. Trust her.
Review cross-listed here!
wanderingcl0ud's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0