You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
This book flayed me. It peeled back all my skin and squeezed lemon juice into me and then sewed me back up
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Classic. I love therese and carol and also cate blanchett
How did I manage to miss this during my 1950s lesbian pulp phase? As far as classic lesbian fiction goes, this is one of the better reads. Not pretentious, not cynical, not doomed for a tragic ending.
And it reads like popcorn--once you start, you don't wanna stop. Made me curious about Highsmith's other works (Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley).
And it reads like popcorn--once you start, you don't wanna stop. Made me curious about Highsmith's other works (Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley).
I loved this book. I know the women can be very hard to like and relate to and the wording is old fashioned, but I love the story. I think the personality of the women and the socially awkward conversations that are had reflect the social shortcomings of the author. It is well documented that she was difficult to get along with and was, by most accounts, unfriendly. I appreciate the way that this story ending was different from most gay/lesbian literature. The book just made me happy.
J'ai beaucoup aimé le style de l'auteur, poétique, fluide, imagé. Le meilleur exemple, pour moi, se trouve dans cet extrait, faisant le lien avec un titre qui m'avait d'abord paru incompréhensible, et qui tout à coup, devient poétique et touchant :
"In the middle of the block, she opened the door of a coffee shop, but they were playing one of the songs she had heard with Carol everywhere, and she let the door close and walked on. The music lived, but the world was dead. And the song would die one day, she thought, but how would the world come back to life? How would its salt come back?
Je n'ai pas pu donner 5 étoiles, parce que je réserve la perfection aux livres que je relirais encore et encore, ou qui m'ont particulièrement marqué. J'aurais voulu donner 4-1/2.
"In the middle of the block, she opened the door of a coffee shop, but they were playing one of the songs she had heard with Carol everywhere, and she let the door close and walked on. The music lived, but the world was dead. And the song would die one day, she thought, but how would the world come back to life? How would its salt come back?
Je n'ai pas pu donner 5 étoiles, parce que je réserve la perfection aux livres que je relirais encore et encore, ou qui m'ont particulièrement marqué. J'aurais voulu donner 4-1/2.
Calling it quits after 81%. I was hoping The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith to be the Revolutionary Road of lesbian fiction — but, apparently, it isn't. I am not sure why Therese and Carol are attracted to each other in any way. Therese, especially, is a blank slate that comes across as a rebound lover for Carol. The ensuing road trip across the US is mostly a dull, monotonous journey, with pitstops at various hotels and restaurants to pick up telegrams and letters.
A "thriller" element is introduced at the 77% mark — I know, because I read this on my Kindle — but that is way too late in the game. By this point, I had already checked out of the story and the relationship between the two leads. It doesn't help that the two engage in the most mundane conversations throughout the trip. Therese is likely the worst conversationalist in the history of fiction.
I'd make do with the movie instead. Thank you very much.
A "thriller" element is introduced at the 77% mark — I know, because I read this on my Kindle — but that is way too late in the game. By this point, I had already checked out of the story and the relationship between the two leads. It doesn't help that the two engage in the most mundane conversations throughout the trip. Therese is likely the worst conversationalist in the history of fiction.
I'd make do with the movie instead. Thank you very much.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Oh God, how does one do a review on this book?
I hated the characters from the start.
Therese is this 19 years old set designer who has just now started to figure out herself and the world around her. Richard is her boyfriend, that starts off nice and one even gets to the point of feeling pity for Therese's cruelty towards him, but then he turns himself to this annoying and clingy person, to the point of obsession.
Then we have Carol, an older, rich, elegant and bored woman, just now getting a divorce and in the middle of a trial for her daughter's custody.
While reading the book, and while trying to have in account that this is set in the early 50's, I just couldn't empathize with the main characters or their relationship. Carol always sounds cold and distance, like she's the wiser person in the room. And Therese is her little puppy, running after her, letting go of everything for a person she had meet three weeks before.
They're both so immature it utterly pisses me off. Carol because, while being blindly in love with Carol, fucks up; and Carol because she knew what was at stake and decides impulsively to on a month-trip with Therese.
Have I mentioned they've met three weeks earlier?
Anyway, things happen meanwhile and all I have and will say about this is that the last 10 pages of the book make up for all the hate I felt for the characters while reading it.
I hated the characters from the start.
Therese is this 19 years old set designer who has just now started to figure out herself and the world around her. Richard is her boyfriend, that starts off nice and one even gets to the point of feeling pity for Therese's cruelty towards him, but then he turns himself to this annoying and clingy person, to the point of obsession.
Then we have Carol, an older, rich, elegant and bored woman, just now getting a divorce and in the middle of a trial for her daughter's custody.
While reading the book, and while trying to have in account that this is set in the early 50's, I just couldn't empathize with the main characters or their relationship. Carol always sounds cold and distance, like she's the wiser person in the room. And Therese is her little puppy, running after her, letting go of everything for a person she had meet three weeks before.
They're both so immature it utterly pisses me off. Carol because, while being blindly in love with Carol, fucks up; and Carol because she knew what was at stake and decides impulsively to on a month-trip with Therese.
Have I mentioned they've met three weeks earlier?
Anyway, things happen meanwhile and all I have and will say about this is that the last 10 pages of the book make up for all the hate I felt for the characters while reading it.