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psheckie's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.25
indianajane's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
cathunit_5591's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A wonderfully, beautifully written novel. My favorite Stegner, and I've read several.
jenion728's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
renni's review against another edition
4.0
I liked the book. surprise incest twist at the end was unexpected.
arielamandah's review against another edition
4.0
So, with the exception of essays and short stories (which I think I will take at a more leisurely pace), I think this ends my summer 2021 Tour-de-Stegner. Out of the four novels I've read of his, Spectator Bird is probably lowest on my list. While it was great to go back to Joe and Ruth's story, I didn't feel as close to the characters as I did in Little Live Things. There was more distance there (perhaps because of the literary device/set-up with Joe's journal?). Joe lacked some of the humor and the energy had he had in the prior book, too. Some of the spark and crackle that I've come to associate with Stegner's best writing was missing here - instead, there was some sadness and reserve. Don't get me wrong - this book still runs circles around much of what I've read this year - it's just not quite under my skin in the same way as the others. Still, Stegner gets his own shelf.
Additional random thoughts:
The Denmark story felt odd; was it the guy reading the audiobook? He's terrible at reading women - they all felt like a joke. Or was it Stegner isn't as good when he's not writing America and the West? I wanted Joe back stateside - he felt "wrong" in with the old-world Danish nobility.
The appearance of actual famous authors and real-world personas felt strange. It was odd to find Karen Blixen as a character with dialogue or to imagine Joe being a literary agent for Joyce Carol Oates.
Additional random thoughts:
The Denmark story felt odd; was it the guy reading the audiobook? He's terrible at reading women - they all felt like a joke. Or was it Stegner isn't as good when he's not writing America and the West? I wanted Joe back stateside - he felt "wrong" in with the old-world Danish nobility.
The appearance of actual famous authors and real-world personas felt strange. It was odd to find Karen Blixen as a character with dialogue or to imagine Joe being a literary agent for Joyce Carol Oates.
lchamberlin97's review against another edition
4.0
This book was definitely not what I expected. Overall, it was well-written and thought provoking...partly because I will soon be in Copenhagen for four months! Granted, this was Copenhagen in 1950's, so I truly hope there are not still (as many)
But even beyond these parts, I thought Stegner did a great job of intriguing me with this guy who was struggling with aging - as I am neither male, a spectator, or seventy, this narrator was clearly not very relatable in circumstance, and yet I found myself sympathetic to his story. (Maybe that's my own fear of what it would be like to age like him?) It was a nice balance between complaint and humor and plot. And then, of course, you have that super interesting background of Astrid in Copenhagen - also a good balance, this time between stringing me along with the "what's really going on here" and keeping my attention with the other little plot points and interjections that he has. For example, I was weirdly entertained by his description of playing tennis.
Why? I couldn't really say - and that goes for the whole book, actually. Was it (any part of it) really thrilling? Definitely not. But I was along for the ride and content to be!
Spoiler
incest-ridden, near gothic estates hanging out just around the corner.<\spoiler> I'm also apparently part of the tech world, so it was interesting to hear the few little monologues on the growing Silicon Valley.But even beyond these parts, I thought Stegner did a great job of intriguing me with this guy who was struggling with aging - as I am neither male, a spectator, or seventy, this narrator was clearly not very relatable in circumstance, and yet I found myself sympathetic to his story. (Maybe that's my own fear of what it would be like to age like him?) It was a nice balance between complaint and humor and plot. And then, of course, you have that super interesting background of Astrid in Copenhagen - also a good balance, this time between stringing me along with the "what's really going on here" and keeping my attention with the other little plot points and interjections that he has. For example, I was weirdly entertained by his description of playing tennis.
Why? I couldn't really say - and that goes for the whole book, actually. Was it (any part of it) really thrilling? Definitely not. But I was along for the ride and content to be!
bianca89279's review against another edition
5.0
Am I allowed to declare my undying love for Stegner's writing after only reading two of his books? Is it presumptuous, hasty? I do not care. I love his writing!
The Spectator Bird is narrated by Joe Alston, a depressed, morose, seventy-year-old, retired literary agent. He lives with his devoted wife, Ruth, in Northern California. Their life is quiet and he seems to be happier with just staying home reading rather than socialising.
There's a more exciting, distracting episode relating to the couple's visit to Denmark twenty years prior when Joe attempted to track down his roots of his Danish-born mother, while recuperating from illness. They rent a room in the house of mysterious countess Astrid, a striking woman, down on her luck. While spending time with her, they find out about her family's strange history and a few other things.
The indignities of ageing, long marriage, grief, depression, making choices vs just falling into things are some of the prevalent themes of this relatively quiet novel.
This novel was published forty-two years ago. It aged really well because of its universal themes.
The Spectator Bird is literary fiction of the highest calibre, the type that makes me think "This is why I read".
I forgot to mention, this audiobook was narrated by the incredible Edward Herrmann, who gets a million stars.
The Spectator Bird is narrated by Joe Alston, a depressed, morose, seventy-year-old, retired literary agent. He lives with his devoted wife, Ruth, in Northern California. Their life is quiet and he seems to be happier with just staying home reading rather than socialising.
There's a more exciting, distracting episode relating to the couple's visit to Denmark twenty years prior when Joe attempted to track down his roots of his Danish-born mother, while recuperating from illness. They rent a room in the house of mysterious countess Astrid, a striking woman, down on her luck. While spending time with her, they find out about her family's strange history and a few other things.
The indignities of ageing, long marriage, grief, depression, making choices vs just falling into things are some of the prevalent themes of this relatively quiet novel.
This novel was published forty-two years ago. It aged really well because of its universal themes.
The Spectator Bird is literary fiction of the highest calibre, the type that makes me think "This is why I read".
I forgot to mention, this audiobook was narrated by the incredible Edward Herrmann, who gets a million stars.