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carolyn0613's review against another edition
5.0
A wide ranging story from Bauhaus Germany to 80s London.
beefmaster's review against another edition
5.0
I wrote a long review on this novel, the scourge of realism and relatability, sociology, and a dash of Michael Warner over at my blog:
http://alayoftheland.blogspot.ca/2015/04/the-emperor-waltz.html
The review is too long to be posted here, alas.
http://alayoftheland.blogspot.ca/2015/04/the-emperor-waltz.html
The review is too long to be posted here, alas.
mikeyyttttt's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
joanna_m's review against another edition
5.0
I won a beautiful signed hardback of this book through the GoodReads First reads, and was not sure what to make of it at first, as Hensher was one of those authors I had never quite got round to reading. At first, I was a little unengaged, finding the opening passage in Weimar very interesting, but not gripping, and being very aware that the narrative was due to jump away very quickly. However, I stuck at it, and was absolutely hooked, carrying the 600+ pages around with me all week. In many ways, I felt it was the brother of David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas, both in its episodic nature, but also in the great care taken to link the different sections together inconspicuously, in a way that some literary fiction might not bother to do. No section was perfect, or especially unpredictable, but Hensher made a fascinating cast of characters, and engaging scenarios. One laughed and cried with them, and regretted their brief lives, and the short time they spent on our pages. There were missteps:the modern section, with the children talking 'street' was not the most realistic, and played in my head as Armstrong and Miller's WW2 pilots. Brief interludes on love, friendship, belief and death provided a pacing device, and add a profundity and thoughtfulness to the novel as a whole. By the time one gets half way through, when one spots the tiny connections between sections, one gets a sense of triumph, as if the reader his- or herself has dug through old letters and found the treasure.
On a final note, I was initially sceptical about the book as a whole, and the uniting musical theme in particular, but as the music began to play in each chapter, I went to my computer to find the Emperor Waltz. It was exactly the right sort of piece, instantly recognisable, but the title of which was always on the tip of my tongue. All n all, a beautiful, crafted novel.
On a final note, I was initially sceptical about the book as a whole, and the uniting musical theme in particular, but as the music began to play in each chapter, I went to my computer to find the Emperor Waltz. It was exactly the right sort of piece, instantly recognisable, but the title of which was always on the tip of my tongue. All n all, a beautiful, crafted novel.
slinkmalink's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I thought this was pretty well written and definitely told a lot of different kinds of stories/gave insight into different lives which I thought was interesting, and I loved the theme of the waltz going throughout.
I really enjoyed the St Perpetua story and the section in the hospital, and there were bits of the others that interested me like the history of the Weimar Germany chapters but there were definitely stories/characters I was less invested in.
Probably better for people who are more into kind of slice of life? than plot because there isn't one, but I still thought it was pretty good and am overall glad I read it even if it's not necessarily my thing
I really enjoyed the St Perpetua story and the section in the hospital, and there were bits of the others that interested me like the history of the Weimar Germany chapters but there were definitely stories/characters I was less invested in.
Probably better for people who are more into kind of slice of life? than plot because there isn't one, but I still thought it was pretty good and am overall glad I read it even if it's not necessarily my thing
sandraandthecity's review against another edition
3.0
This massive tome of a book was so-so for me. It had rave reviews and while I did like it, I wasn’t blown away by it. It really should be two separate books. I enjoy both of the main stories and the connections between the Weimar/Bauhaus and the Gay book shop stories but it just felt disjointed for me. It was too long and the tenuous connections weren’t enough in my opinion, to not break this book up into two separate books. Hensher is a great writer - the characters are well written and curious but some of the side stories get in the way and aren’t needed in the book. I love ancient history but the Perpetua AD 203 part could’ve been dropped and made zero difference to the story. Same with the story about the injured toe. No need for them and it was just a lot of extra reading with no point. Anyhow, it’s a good, but far from great book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
‘We exist in society and we make our own societies as we go.’
In 1889, Johann Strauss II composed the Emperor Waltz (originally called ‘Hand in Hand’) as a symbolic toast to friendship from the Austrian Emperor Franz Josef to the German Kaiser Willhelm II. The waltz was first performed in Berlin on 21 October 1889. It is a beautiful piece of music which, referred to twelve times in the novel, provides one of the leitmotifs in this sprawling novel.
There are a number of different people, settings and stories (divided into books) in this novel. They are, at least in my reading, loosely (but differently) connected. References to the Emperor Waltz link a number of the nine books within the novel, while references to red hair provide a different type of connection between some books, as does a reference to towels and bed linen to a couple of the stories.
The three main stories in the novel are set in Weimar in 1922, involving Christian; in London in the 1980s involving Duncan; and in a Roman city in Africa in 203 CE involving Perpetua, a merchant’s daughter who is put to death for converting to Christianity. There are other stories as well.
How are these very different stories linked? Is this a novel or a collection of loosely linked short stories or novellas? Does it matter?
For me, the novel is thematically connected, but the themes I identified each have a shadow. Belonging, freedom, friendship and joy are the positive themes, countered by alienation, betrayal, capture and sacrifice. Each of the main stories contains both elements, none of the major characters is without flaw, none of the stories satisfyingly complete.
I found it very difficult to put this book down once I started reading it. I kept looking for more substantial links between the different stories, and hoping for different resolutions. In general, I didn’t find what I was looking for, but what I did find was held my attention. And made me wonder about the various ways we identify and choose (or not) our own paths in the world.
Note: my thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Fourth Estate for providing me with a copy of this book.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
In 1889, Johann Strauss II composed the Emperor Waltz (originally called ‘Hand in Hand’) as a symbolic toast to friendship from the Austrian Emperor Franz Josef to the German Kaiser Willhelm II. The waltz was first performed in Berlin on 21 October 1889. It is a beautiful piece of music which, referred to twelve times in the novel, provides one of the leitmotifs in this sprawling novel.
There are a number of different people, settings and stories (divided into books) in this novel. They are, at least in my reading, loosely (but differently) connected. References to the Emperor Waltz link a number of the nine books within the novel, while references to red hair provide a different type of connection between some books, as does a reference to towels and bed linen to a couple of the stories.
The three main stories in the novel are set in Weimar in 1922, involving Christian; in London in the 1980s involving Duncan; and in a Roman city in Africa in 203 CE involving Perpetua, a merchant’s daughter who is put to death for converting to Christianity. There are other stories as well.
How are these very different stories linked? Is this a novel or a collection of loosely linked short stories or novellas? Does it matter?
For me, the novel is thematically connected, but the themes I identified each have a shadow. Belonging, freedom, friendship and joy are the positive themes, countered by alienation, betrayal, capture and sacrifice. Each of the main stories contains both elements, none of the major characters is without flaw, none of the stories satisfyingly complete.
I found it very difficult to put this book down once I started reading it. I kept looking for more substantial links between the different stories, and hoping for different resolutions. In general, I didn’t find what I was looking for, but what I did find was held my attention. And made me wonder about the various ways we identify and choose (or not) our own paths in the world.
Note: my thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Fourth Estate for providing me with a copy of this book.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
schoolofholly's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Frankly this is a work of art. It's hard to put into words in a review like this but I will be exploring the themes and grandeur of this masterpiece in a YouTube video soon!