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fr_eddie's review against another edition
4.0
Bello e tanto tanto amaro
“E volere una boccata d’aria! Non ce n’è, di aria. L’immondezzaio nel quale siamo immersi raggiunge la stratosfera.”
La vita di George, quarantacinquenne e con una dentiera, che si ritrova a vivere negli anni appena prima della guerra, senza nulla che ami e con una nostalgia per il passato, per il pescare, per uno stagno pieno di grandi carpe.
Un libro che scorre veloce, che ti fa leggere della storia di quest'uomo, dell'epoca in cui è nato e cresciuto che, pur essendo buia (suoi coetanei che muoiono affogati, o in guerra) è il periodo migliore della sua vita. E quando decide di tornare alla sua vecchia città, quando cerca di scappare dalla guerra imminente tornando a "casa", nessuno più lo riconosce e niente è più come prima. Anche lo stagno che tanto lo attirava è sparito: è stato prosciugato e trasformato in una discarica.
Un libro sicuramente deprimente, con la paura non tanto per la guerra che si avvicina ma per come cambierà il mondo alla fine di essa.
L'unica cosa che mi è piaciuta di meno è stato il finale: avrei adorato se il climax del libro fosse stato lo stagno distrutto, ma poi George torna da Hilda, che l'ha scoperto, e il finale è stato molto underwhelming ecco. Se fosse finito qualche pagina prima ok, come se fosse finito con qualche altra frase, ma per quella costruzione molto bella poteva anche trovare un'altra fase di chiusura.
"George Bowling, il figlio di Samuel Bowling, quel Samuel Bowling che per trent’anni si era concesso ogni sabato sera una mezza pinta in quella stessa birreria? Mai sentito nominare."
Il dolore a causa del cambiamento è forte, si può benissimo leggere nel libro, come un calcio nella pancia.
Lo consiglierei? Sì, è scorrevole ed è una bella storia, anche se deprimente.
“E volere una boccata d’aria! Non ce n’è, di aria. L’immondezzaio nel quale siamo immersi raggiunge la stratosfera.”
La vita di George, quarantacinquenne e con una dentiera, che si ritrova a vivere negli anni appena prima della guerra, senza nulla che ami e con una nostalgia per il passato, per il pescare, per uno stagno pieno di grandi carpe.
Un libro che scorre veloce, che ti fa leggere della storia di quest'uomo, dell'epoca in cui è nato e cresciuto che, pur essendo buia (suoi coetanei che muoiono affogati, o in guerra) è il periodo migliore della sua vita. E quando decide di tornare alla sua vecchia città, quando cerca di scappare dalla guerra imminente tornando a "casa", nessuno più lo riconosce e niente è più come prima. Anche lo stagno che tanto lo attirava è sparito: è stato prosciugato e trasformato in una discarica.
Un libro sicuramente deprimente, con la paura non tanto per la guerra che si avvicina ma per come cambierà il mondo alla fine di essa.
L'unica cosa che mi è piaciuta di meno è stato il finale: avrei adorato se il climax del libro fosse stato lo stagno distrutto, ma poi George torna da Hilda, che l'ha scoperto, e il finale è stato molto underwhelming ecco. Se fosse finito qualche pagina prima ok, come se fosse finito con qualche altra frase, ma per quella costruzione molto bella poteva anche trovare un'altra fase di chiusura.
"George Bowling, il figlio di Samuel Bowling, quel Samuel Bowling che per trent’anni si era concesso ogni sabato sera una mezza pinta in quella stessa birreria? Mai sentito nominare."
Il dolore a causa del cambiamento è forte, si può benissimo leggere nel libro, come un calcio nella pancia.
Lo consiglierei? Sì, è scorrevole ed è una bella storia, anche se deprimente.
joanna1905's review against another edition
3.0
As an avid Orwell fan, I must say this book is not as good as many of his others. Ignoring the iconic 1984 and Animal Farm, many of his other works such as Down and Out in Paris and London are much better.
The best thing about Orwell's work is his writing style, he manages to make the most menial things seem lively and exciting. The way he describes everyday life, managing to make it seem so vibrant and lively and it gives an interesting perspective on what life was like in the early 1900s.
One of the worst thing about this book is the flippant way violence against animals, infidelity and casual racism is pretty hard to stomach. I totally understand that it was written in a different time when these things were more common and socially acceptable, but it's still gross and hard to stomach.
The best thing about Orwell's work is his writing style, he manages to make the most menial things seem lively and exciting. The way he describes everyday life, managing to make it seem so vibrant and lively and it gives an interesting perspective on what life was like in the early 1900s.
One of the worst thing about this book is the flippant way violence against animals, infidelity and casual racism is pretty hard to stomach. I totally understand that it was written in a different time when these things were more common and socially acceptable, but it's still gross and hard to stomach.
emmaisnotavampire's review
reflective
tense
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? Yes
3.25
I might be influenced in saying this by the fact that I have read this book right after To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, but I genuinely believe that it is Orwell’s equivalent to Mrs Dalloway. Although nothing will ever parallel the absolute mastery required to tell a whole life story in a rather eventless day like that, Coming Up For Air achieves a similar effect by focusing on a week or so in the protagonist’s for the most part ordinary life. The difference, however, is quite evident: Woolf’s novel is a lot more about emotions, introspection, personal experiences, whereas Orwell’s has
much more sociopolitical commentary, more talk of status, war, alienation, more dissatisfaction, and the usual reality-based dystopian feeling that characterises his work… more Orwell, in a nutshell.
Unfortunately, I am not completely sure that it always fully worked; most of the time it did, don’t get me wrong, but it did occasionally get a little slow and static. Now, I do love me some good slow and static introspective literature, but I surely was not expecting something of the sort from Orwell; I was anticipating another of his shocking, unpredictable, intense plots with lots of twists and surprises, and I still think that is what he does best. Still a very enjoyable read, I’m just a little disappointed it didn’t leave me as much as his other stuff did.
much more sociopolitical commentary, more talk of status, war, alienation, more dissatisfaction, and the usual reality-based dystopian feeling that characterises his work… more Orwell, in a nutshell.
Unfortunately, I am not completely sure that it always fully worked; most of the time it did, don’t get me wrong, but it did occasionally get a little slow and static. Now, I do love me some good slow and static introspective literature, but I surely was not expecting something of the sort from Orwell; I was anticipating another of his shocking, unpredictable, intense plots with lots of twists and surprises, and I still think that is what he does best. Still a very enjoyable read, I’m just a little disappointed it didn’t leave me as much as his other stuff did.
molly0909's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
al_davies_jones's review
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
davidcrow's review
5.0
"Coming Up for Air" by George Orwell was unexpectedly engaging. Though a book centered around fishing isn’t usually my cup of tea, the character-driven narrative and keen observations on life made it a captivating read. Highly recommended
charmainesbooks's review
2.0
Super pessimistic. I finished it because I started. I had hoped it would get better. It didn't.
booksnpunks's review
3.0
Really liked this. Quite different from Orwell's books I've previously read but it still has that satirical, political flare to it. This was overall a nostalgic criticism on the contemporary way of life, funny in parts and freshly written.
laurenjpegler's review
1.0
I only know that if there's anything you care a curse about, better say good-bye to it now because everything you've ever known is going down, down, into the muck, with the machine-guns rattling all the time.
George Orwell's Coming Up for Air was published in 1939, just before the outbreak of World War Two. Our protagonist, George Bowling, fears modernity, "foreseeing food queues, soldiers, secret police and tyranny". He escapes to his idyllic hometown where childhood memories are still ripe and vivid - before War brought about tension, unease and modernity. However, the effects of War unfortunately haunt this place, emphasising how war changes everything.
I did not like this novel one bit. Initially, I thought it was a narrative which explored the effects that War and bombing had on such a small, quintessential and provincial English village. Instead, our protagonist spoke for half of the book about being a fat, forty-five year old man who hates his wife with a living passion and instead channels his love into fishing and drinking. I hated him. He is the worst character I've ever come across (probably an overstatement, but I've just finished it so it's fresh in my mind). He was just so dull and boring.
Also, I felt like War took a backseat in this, but it should have been discussed more. It would have made the narrative so much more interesting - I didn't care for George's moaning about irrelevant subjects.
Unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend this one.
George Orwell's Coming Up for Air was published in 1939, just before the outbreak of World War Two. Our protagonist, George Bowling, fears modernity, "foreseeing food queues, soldiers, secret police and tyranny". He escapes to his idyllic hometown where childhood memories are still ripe and vivid - before War brought about tension, unease and modernity. However, the effects of War unfortunately haunt this place, emphasising how war changes everything.
I did not like this novel one bit. Initially, I thought it was a narrative which explored the effects that War and bombing had on such a small, quintessential and provincial English village. Instead, our protagonist spoke for half of the book about being a fat, forty-five year old man who hates his wife with a living passion and instead channels his love into fishing and drinking. I hated him. He is the worst character I've ever come across (probably an overstatement, but I've just finished it so it's fresh in my mind). He was just so dull and boring.
Also, I felt like War took a backseat in this, but it should have been discussed more. It would have made the narrative so much more interesting - I didn't care for George's moaning about irrelevant subjects.
Unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend this one.
pinarnia's review against another edition
Kitaplara başlayıp da bitiremediğim, sonunda bitirsem de çok uzun süre oradan oraya sürüklediğim bir dönemin ardından kendimden çok George Orwell'a güvenerek okumaya başladım ve pişman olmadım. Geçmişe özlem duyduğumuzda özlediğimiz şey ne, savaş ve modernleşme hayatımızda neleri değiştirdi?.. Bu konularda içten ve benim adıma biraz da aydınlatıcı bir romandı. Ayrıca ilerde 1984 ve Hayvan Çiftliği'ne malzeme olacak bazı fikir kıvılcımlarına tanık olmak da beni heyecanlandırdı. Olumsuz olarak sadece hayvana eziyet içeren kısımlardan çok rahatsızlık duyduğumu ve başlarda bir süre biraz sıkıldığımı söyleyebilirim. Onun dışında beklenen bir savaşla gelen belirsizliğinin havada asılı kaldığı bir dönemde yaşamasam da (?) bağ kurabildiğim, dilindeki ustalıktan etkilendiğim bir okuma oldu. Orwell'a olan hayranlığım da arttı.