Reviews

The Clothes They Stood Up In by Alan Bennett

fazzi_giulia's review against another edition

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funny mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

marybelle's review against another edition

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fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

giuly_julia's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

marinacka17's review against another edition

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2.0

Funny, but I guess funny books are not really my cup of tea.

anika_bush's review against another edition

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5.0

Mr and Mrs Ransom have been burgled and the first thing they talk about is whether the correct term would be "burgled" or "robbed."
Everything was taken and I mean EVERYTHING. Not the everything one would normally mean: cash, electronics, jewelry and furs. Everything. The chairs and sofas, the rugs, the bed and all the linens, the half-used bottle of hair dye, the toilet paper, the oven and the casserole that had been cooking inside it. Everything. They don't own cell phones, and all of their wired telephones have been removed--with the wire cut down to the wall. Mr Ransome must venture out in his opera clothes (which is where they were when the burglary occurred, Cosi fan tutte, or rather, Cosi, as Mrs Ransome has learned is "the way" to refer to the opera) but not until he has used the restroom--and the program from Cosi as toilet paper since, yes, EVERYTHING was taken.
This story is about so much: what makes a home a home? how do our possessions define us? what are we missing when we continue to go about our daily routine without actually *seeing* what else is around us? what could we be missing out on by staying in our ruts? what makes a marriage?
I quite enjoyed this short book and was somewhat shocked/heartbroken by its ending...but also somewhat hopeful about it as well.
It's a quick read (I couldn't sleep last night and read it in hopes of falling asleep and before I knew it, I'd finished it!) and the writing is marvelous.

aneyh_'s review against another edition

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funny reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A

3.5

katemess's review against another edition

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4.0

A funny short story, bordering on the ridiculous, but still presenting some deep insight on few life aspects.

cvrlybcck's review against another edition

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funny reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

lola425's review against another edition

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4.0

Read on the strength of the cover and loved the premise. The Ransome's come home from the opera to find their apartment burgled, and not just burgled but emptied of every single item, even the roast in the oven. The whys and wherefores are interesting, but even more interesting is what the event does to the Ransome's staid marriage.

thenorthernlibrarian's review against another edition

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mysterious sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5