Reviews

The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham

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bellaceri's review

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medium-paced

Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

historyofjess's review against another edition

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reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

I...don't totally understand this book. I'm confused as to why this story was told from the perspective of a distant and removed third party that was thrust into the world of a callous and man who leaves his family to become an artist, proceeding to leave all manner of human wreckage in his path until he dies blind in Tahiti. I can't say I really cared about the douche artist guy. I definitely didn't care about the guy that was just following him around, first because the guy's wife asked him to, then because he was just kind of fascinated. I don't know that there's a version of this story that I would care to read, but this is definitely not it.

jordandegroot's review against another edition

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reflective 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

2.5

junyan's review

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1.0

时隔多年又翻了翻，血压又上来了。毛姆的作品还真就没有例外地厌女仇女。若读者还是能对男主投注正向情感的话，我粗浅分析是因为势不可挡的himpathy战胜了毫无防备的脑子。对于这书以正面形象反复出现被追捧甚至被奉为经典的现象，我只能怀疑是不是自己疯了。

notasilkycat's review against another edition

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5.0

was cautious about re-reading this one. Though I read it quite a few times in my twenties I was not sure if it would do for me in age I am now. And how surprised I was to love it! I don’t know if Maugham is simply my writer or it was he who formed me as a reader but every thing in his books speaks to me.
In this book he answered my question about separation an artist from his art.

stanro's review against another edition

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reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Maugham writes with the effortlessness of someone with a a well-practiced and acute talent with language.

Maugham uses the device of having an (initially) young author relate the tale of his entanglement with Charles Strickland, who, at the time the tale is told to us, is renowned for his art. But at the time in which the tale commences, our narrator is to encounter Strickland over a period of about 7-8 years, during which, Gauguin-like, Strickland abandons his comfortable middle class family life to pursue his dreams.

Our narrator, apparently Maugham himself, without actually naming himself within the tale, gets to know him quite well and concludes “Strickland was an odious man, but I still think a great one.”

The book is thus a study of this “odious man” and how his disregard for the opinion of others frees him to pursue his art. As such, questions about what is art and to some extent, what is the best artistic medium for its expression, are raised and examined.

There is more to this Strickland’s “odious” character than merely its exposition. A number of the others who appear personify some heart-warming and life-affirming traits - devotion, love and compassion chiefly among them, and also discipline, decency and fellowship - all largely absent in Strickland.

Published in 1919, the book occasionally creaks with the age of largely obsolete attitudes and practices. These range from the widespread smoking of tobacco to casual racism to, shockingly, a brief interlude of conversation between our narrator author and a woman he met, who talked approvingly of being on the receiving end of domestic violence, for such activity by her first husband demonstrated his passion. Her second husband had not acted that way and how could she trust such a man? And then, briefly, a similar statement is attributed to another woman.

A caution if reading this brings you to read the book. The publisher’s blurb contains too many spoilers for my liking. Beware!

The writing is good. Very good. The story, barely chronologically contextualised other than being well post-WW1, is certainly interesting. #areadersjourney