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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
OVERALL RATING: 9/10 -> 4.5 stars on StoryGraph.
Characters: 10
I think Isherwood did a great job of letting the reader grasp George's character with only a small sample of his backstory. George is by no means a completely reliable narrator, but his unique and complex perspective makes exploring the world through his eyes both intriguing and thought-provoking.
Setting/Theme: 9
Isherwood’s approach of presenting grief is definitely a unique take, adding layers to George’s emotions. In addition, Isherwood also explored various themes like life and belonging through the book. While there are still parts I struggled to fully grasp, most of the themes explored make sense within the context of the story.
Writing Style: 10
This book is a testament to Isherwood's mastery in crafting exquisite literary prose. There’s so much thing I savor in his writing: the meticulous selection of words, the abstract yet deeply relatable narrative voice, and the occasional shift to third-person narration.
Plot: 7
In general, I think the plot is well-developed, with enough events unfolding to keep things from feeling stagnant. My main issue with the book, though it might just be a personal thing, is that I didn’t feel a strong, consistent connection maintained through each part of the story. Because of that, reading it sometimes felt like drifting aimlessly on a boat in the vast ocean with no end goal.
Logic: 9
I understand his intention to explore grief without focusing on the loss of a loved one, but the emotion could have been stronger if we had glimpses of the past, of what Jim meant to George beyond the fact that George becomes lonely without him.
Intrigue/Enjoyment: 9
While there are still parts that haven’t fully sunk in for me, it’s still a fantastic read that offers a fascinating perspective on grief and life.
An honest, inventive, funny, and in many ways troubling book. Our narrator, a late-middle-aged gay man, has just suffered the death of his partner.
We follow a day in his life as an English professor in Southern California as he tries to make sense of his new life and cobble together a meaningful existence.
As poignant as it is brilliantly observed. A standout from Isherwood in the history of gay fiction. Hard to believe it was written only 8 years after Baldwin's Giovanni's Room.
We follow a day in his life as an English professor in Southern California as he tries to make sense of his new life and cobble together a meaningful existence.
As poignant as it is brilliantly observed. A standout from Isherwood in the history of gay fiction. Hard to believe it was written only 8 years after Baldwin's Giovanni's Room.
An emotional read for me. It is such a shame that some individuals have to live their whole lives hiding their truth. I loved the character of George and truly wish this story were longer so I could spend more time with him.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Surprisingly, I enjoyed this. A lot more than I expected. The first few pages lost me and I wasn't really sure where we were going or if this character was worth paying attention to. But he became entirely human and there was so much beauty in the mundanity of his life.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A bit slow at points, but I'm a sucker for pretty writing.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Holy fucking shit.
Reminds me a lot of Less by Andrew Sean Greer. Though Isherwood is a better writer.
This book was a nice little nibble - it's short and easy to read and I was expecting something dark and poignant but it was instead contemplative and fascinating. It started off soaked in sadness and humanity - I really liked how honest the descriptions of the main character's daily life were. The description of his leading the class was fantastic, also, and of his feelings towards his friends. I personally couldn't relate too well to George: I can't imagine acting like that when someone I love has died. But that's not a fault with the book, it's a fault with my perception of it.
I was expecting a shorter and sweeter Revolutionary Road, and indeed, a lot of the prose reminded me of that in style and internal monologue. But what I got was something less gloomy and introspective and was instead calmer and brighter. The character's acceptance of circumstances and refusal to give up - and the fact that that was also shared by those closest to him - was refreshing. I'm giving this four stars not because I enjoyed it four stars but because it is written with four stars of quality. I'd love to read more of this author. I think a bigger bite on a similar subject would reveal something I would treasure.
"But George knows he can't do that. Because, absurdly, inadequately, in spite of himself almost, he is a representative of the hope. And the hope is not false. No. It's just that George is like a man trying to sell a real diamond for a nickel, on the street. The diamond is protected from all but the tiniest few, because the great hurrying majority can never stop to dare to believe that it could conceivably be real."
"Alexander Mong smiles enigmatically, too; though his beautiful head almost certainly contains nothing but clotted oil paint."
"Gottlieb probably knows every bit as much about Quarles as the don does. But Oxford, towering up in all its majesty behind this don, its child, utterly overawes poor little Gottlieb, who was born in one of the wrong parts of Chicago. ... Gottlieb obviously wishes, above all else in life, that he could turn himself into that miserable don and learn to write his spiteful-playful tight-assed vinegar prose."
"As if there weren't far too much understanding in the world already; above all, that understanding between lovers, celebrated in song and story, which is actually such torture that no two of them can bear it without frequent separations or fights."
I was expecting a shorter and sweeter Revolutionary Road, and indeed, a lot of the prose reminded me of that in style and internal monologue. But what I got was something less gloomy and introspective and was instead calmer and brighter. The character's acceptance of circumstances and refusal to give up - and the fact that that was also shared by those closest to him - was refreshing. I'm giving this four stars not because I enjoyed it four stars but because it is written with four stars of quality. I'd love to read more of this author. I think a bigger bite on a similar subject would reveal something I would treasure.
"But George knows he can't do that. Because, absurdly, inadequately, in spite of himself almost, he is a representative of the hope. And the hope is not false. No. It's just that George is like a man trying to sell a real diamond for a nickel, on the street. The diamond is protected from all but the tiniest few, because the great hurrying majority can never stop to dare to believe that it could conceivably be real."
"Alexander Mong smiles enigmatically, too; though his beautiful head almost certainly contains nothing but clotted oil paint."
"Gottlieb probably knows every bit as much about Quarles as the don does. But Oxford, towering up in all its majesty behind this don, its child, utterly overawes poor little Gottlieb, who was born in one of the wrong parts of Chicago. ... Gottlieb obviously wishes, above all else in life, that he could turn himself into that miserable don and learn to write his spiteful-playful tight-assed vinegar prose."
"As if there weren't far too much understanding in the world already; above all, that understanding between lovers, celebrated in song and story, which is actually such torture that no two of them can bear it without frequent separations or fights."