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the_dave_harmon's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
2.75
tori_storydelver's review against another edition
4.0
I always very much enjoy reading Henry James prose and this short story does not dissapoint. The story is a little strange, but I wanted to see what was going to happen next. It did not go the direction I thought it would.
heideblume's review against another edition
2.0
Cosa pensare di una prosa piacevole il cui contenuto, tutto sommato, mi risulta insapore? Troppa santità per i miei gusti. Sento fin qui la puzza di incensi e crisantemi. La prima parte è molto raffinata, delicata, solenne, ma quando George Stransom esce dalla “bolla di santità” il libro prende una piega noiosa riassumibile con “E quindi?”. Bella idea di fondo, questo lo ammetto, ma gli esiti a non mi convincono.
La novella narra la vita spirituale di un uomo che patisce visceralmente tutti i suoi lutti, in particolare quello della promessa sposa Mary, disdegnando chi, a differenza sua, prova (e riesce) a rifarsi una vita. Mentre tutti vanno avanti, lui vive in un eterno passato. Si isola. Costruisce un culto dei morti personalizzato, estraneo a qualunque religione ma ispirato a molte. Nella sua mente accende un cero per ogni lutto che lo ha colpito e ogni giorno rivive i momenti passati con quella persona. Questo è il modo in cui si costringe a vivere tutti i giorni. Per decenni. Quando trova una chiesa con un altare trascurato, chiede al sagrestano di potersene occupare. Non gli sembra vero. Finalmente può concretizzare i rituali mentali che lo hanno accompagnato per anni. In questo altare onora solo i defunti particolarmente intimi e taglia fuori il suo ex-migliore amico, ignaro che la donna a cui poi si lega (BOOM! You've been friendzoned!) sia la vedova di quest'uomo, e quindi, neanche a farlo apposta, in questo altare trova posto anche lui. Di prepotenza!
Possiamo chiamarla novella gotica? L'atmosfera è fredda, funebre, claustrofobica. Lo stile è solenne. Molti lo hanno definito “ghost story without ghost” perché queste presenze, seppur mai manifestantisi, sono presenti in forma di ricordo. Un ricordo talmente ingombrante che impedisce di vivere ed essere felice. Alcuni la chiamano storia d'amore eterno, di vita oltre la morte, ma di fatto qui hanno vissuto tutti TRANNE il nostro protagonista. Mi pare più un uomo agli arresti domiciliari.
La novella narra la vita spirituale di un uomo che patisce visceralmente tutti i suoi lutti, in particolare quello della promessa sposa Mary, disdegnando chi, a differenza sua, prova (e riesce) a rifarsi una vita. Mentre tutti vanno avanti, lui vive in un eterno passato. Si isola. Costruisce un culto dei morti personalizzato, estraneo a qualunque religione ma ispirato a molte. Nella sua mente accende un cero per ogni lutto che lo ha colpito e ogni giorno rivive i momenti passati con quella persona. Questo è il modo in cui si costringe a vivere tutti i giorni. Per decenni. Quando trova una chiesa con un altare trascurato, chiede al sagrestano di potersene occupare. Non gli sembra vero. Finalmente può concretizzare i rituali mentali che lo hanno accompagnato per anni. In questo altare onora solo i defunti particolarmente intimi e taglia fuori il suo ex-migliore amico, ignaro che la donna a cui poi si lega (BOOM! You've been friendzoned!) sia la vedova di quest'uomo, e quindi, neanche a farlo apposta, in questo altare trova posto anche lui. Di prepotenza!
Possiamo chiamarla novella gotica? L'atmosfera è fredda, funebre, claustrofobica. Lo stile è solenne. Molti lo hanno definito “ghost story without ghost” perché queste presenze, seppur mai manifestantisi, sono presenti in forma di ricordo. Un ricordo talmente ingombrante che impedisce di vivere ed essere felice. Alcuni la chiamano storia d'amore eterno, di vita oltre la morte, ma di fatto qui hanno vissuto tutti TRANNE il nostro protagonista. Mi pare più un uomo agli arresti domiciliari.
lauann717's review against another edition
5.0
My favorite Henry James story (so far) in my Bly Manor read-a-thon. Easy to follow, thoughtful, and full of sharp emotion that can be felt through the first lines.
teresatumminello's review against another edition
3.0
I mostly read this long short-story because of its connection to [a:Constance Fenimore Woolson|182611|Constance Fenimore Woolson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1383608610p2/182611.jpg] (and her death). According to her biographer, [a:Anne Boyd Rioux|14035999|Anne Boyd Rioux|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1440973470p2/14035999.jpg], James conceived its idea while staying in Woolson’s rooms after her death, which had a heavy impact on him.
While it’s not even close in brilliancy to his later masterpiece [b:The Beast in the Jungle|517570|The Beast in the Jungle|Henry James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348051678l/517570._SX50_.jpg|1808874], also inspired by Woolson, I got what I wanted from this work. Especially in its beginning, a real sense of how the communing must’ve worked between the real-life counterparts of the two characters and what made their friendship special shines through.
Thank you to Warren for reminding me of this work in his comments at my [b:Horace Chase|2820274|Horace Chase|Constance Fenimore Woolson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1382944091l/2820274._SX50_.jpg|2846208] review.
While it’s not even close in brilliancy to his later masterpiece [b:The Beast in the Jungle|517570|The Beast in the Jungle|Henry James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348051678l/517570._SX50_.jpg|1808874], also inspired by Woolson, I got what I wanted from this work. Especially in its beginning, a real sense of how the communing must’ve worked between the real-life counterparts of the two characters and what made their friendship special shines through.
Thank you to Warren for reminding me of this work in his comments at my [b:Horace Chase|2820274|Horace Chase|Constance Fenimore Woolson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1382944091l/2820274._SX50_.jpg|2846208] review.
longtimewish's review against another edition
3.0
"There was a strange sanctification in death, but some characters were more sanctified by being forgotten than by being remembered."
En general me gustó, pero también lo sentí demasiado largo para una historia sin trama, y eso me aburrió por momentos. Siento que fácilmente James podría haber contado lo mismo en diez páginas.
En general me gustó, pero también lo sentí demasiado largo para una historia sin trama, y eso me aburrió por momentos. Siento que fácilmente James podría haber contado lo mismo en diez páginas.
shaunwaldie's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
karinlib's review against another edition
3.0
It's been years since I have read Henry James, and I probably should re-read those three works (but Portrait of a Lady is huge). I want to read "Washington Square", "The Ambassadors", "What Maisie Knew", etc. So I thought I would start with The Altar of the Dead, a short story. This story was a bit verbose, it could have all been said in half the pages. I found the middle part of the book repetitive and confusing. Having said that, I thought the ending is what made story.
margot_meanders's review against another edition
5.0
"He had done many things in the world—he had done almost all but one: he had never, never forgotten".
Haven't read much of James but this particular story is spiritual and emotional. It's a story of a man who doesn't forget the dead, does everything he can to preserve their memory from being lost in the rush of everyday life.In doing so, he befriends a woman who turns out to be related to a friend that betrayed him and who remains devoted to this one memory, the memory the protagonist doesn't face. They drift apart and he sees more of his friends depart this world, with that one unlit candle kind of haunting him.
In the end, the story is more than about honouring the dead: it's about unselfish love and how forgiveness and love can overcome past wrongs. A beautiful, heartfelt, touching read.
Haven't read much of James but this particular story is spiritual and emotional. It's a story of a man who doesn't forget the dead, does everything he can to preserve their memory from being lost in the rush of everyday life.In doing so, he befriends a woman who turns out to be related to a friend that betrayed him and who remains devoted to this one memory, the memory the protagonist doesn't face. They drift apart and he sees more of his friends depart this world, with that one unlit candle kind of haunting him.
In the end, the story is more than about honouring the dead: it's about unselfish love and how forgiveness and love can overcome past wrongs. A beautiful, heartfelt, touching read.