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katykelly's review against another edition
3.0
Reading this has encouraged me to download my first Guy de Maupassant – I now have his short story ‘The Necklace’ to read, and the idea that this book is based on it led me to try it.
I always enjoy knowing that the source of a contemporary novel is a previous work from the distant past, though this is relentlessly contemporary.
Three ‘friends’ from university meet again at a mutual acquaintance’s wedding. One, Victor, recently fired from his job working at a barely-registering internet search engine, is still in love with another – Kezia. She works with jewellery and a rather eccentric and scary designer. The third member of the triangle is Nathaniel, a hopeful Hollywood scriptwriter never getting his career off the ground and venting his spleen on anyone else who does.
I found myself struggling to stay interested in the trio, to be honest. The story picked up in the second half when a necklace storyline (to tie in with the short story) begins and there’s a race across continents to find the valuable article, but I wasn’t convinced by the storyline, it felt tenuous and forced.
There are moments of comedy though, some funny characters and lines, and I smiled at some of the familiar-feeling reminiscences of university life.
Definitely picks up in the second half, but felt a little let down by the ending. Wasn’t at all interested in Nathaniel really, though I liked the other two, and I really enjoyed the scenes in France, could picture them quite clearly.
All-in-all just an ‘okay’ read, but very glad to have been encouraged to read an author I’ve never thought of before.
I always enjoy knowing that the source of a contemporary novel is a previous work from the distant past, though this is relentlessly contemporary.
Three ‘friends’ from university meet again at a mutual acquaintance’s wedding. One, Victor, recently fired from his job working at a barely-registering internet search engine, is still in love with another – Kezia. She works with jewellery and a rather eccentric and scary designer. The third member of the triangle is Nathaniel, a hopeful Hollywood scriptwriter never getting his career off the ground and venting his spleen on anyone else who does.
I found myself struggling to stay interested in the trio, to be honest. The story picked up in the second half when a necklace storyline (to tie in with the short story) begins and there’s a race across continents to find the valuable article, but I wasn’t convinced by the storyline, it felt tenuous and forced.
There are moments of comedy though, some funny characters and lines, and I smiled at some of the familiar-feeling reminiscences of university life.
Definitely picks up in the second half, but felt a little let down by the ending. Wasn’t at all interested in Nathaniel really, though I liked the other two, and I really enjoyed the scenes in France, could picture them quite clearly.
All-in-all just an ‘okay’ read, but very glad to have been encouraged to read an author I’ve never thought of before.
sararm's review against another edition
funny
4.0
A difficult one for me to review because, Crosley's writing is absolutely brilliant, but what's it deployed to do?
Like, on the one hand, this is a novel with sharp, funny, riveting writing. It touches on feeling lost in your late twenties, once-closeness of college friendships, and how insufferable everyone is (and Guy de Maupassant, I guess).
But also, it's mostly about how insufferable everyone is. And though it doesn't lack heart necessarily, it ends up seeming a bit... affected? It's just not a very earnest novel.
Satisfying, not as good as Cult Classic. Really funny though.
Like, on the one hand, this is a novel with sharp, funny, riveting writing. It touches on feeling lost in your late twenties, once-closeness of college friendships, and how insufferable everyone is (and Guy de Maupassant, I guess).
But also, it's mostly about how insufferable everyone is. And though it doesn't lack heart necessarily, it ends up seeming a bit... affected? It's just not a very earnest novel.
Satisfying, not as good as Cult Classic. Really funny though.
lavloveslit's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Needed a light read after a very dark book. This was perfect. Apparently this author is an essayist for the NYT which doesn't surprise me. Her wit, cleverness, and humor made this an interesting read. The characters weren't my favorite so I never felt super connected to them. Although being 28 almost 29 I could relate to some of the themes as most of the characters were ~30. Also if you haven't read The Necklace short story.... Go read that first.
amlibera's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book, I read it very quickly over about 2 days. At the same time, I feel as if I have read this book multiple times in various incarnations and this was not even a particularly fully realized example of the genre. I kept waiting to be surprised or for the narrative or characters to deepen or transform and they never quite did so.
janewhitehurst's review against another edition
5.0
I really liked this one. It drew me in and kept me gripped. The book is told from the perspective of several college friends, now in their late 20s. My favorite among the narrators was Victor, unemployed and lacking direction, who wanders in to a mystery while attending a friends wedding. I hope Sloan Crosley writes more fiction, as I really enjoy her writing style.
philippakmoore's review against another edition
4.0
The Clasp is, very cleverly, centred around one of my most favourite short stories of all time, "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant so I knew I was going to enjoy it from the outset.
Sloane Crosley is well known for her non-fiction and this is her first novel. The Clasp follows the fortunes of three old college friends - Nathaniel, Kezia and Victor - who find themselves reunited at another mutual friend's wedding at the beginning of the book. They're all about to turn 30 and are finding life hasn't quite worked out in the ways they thought it would. Victor has just lost his job and feels directionless, talented jeweller Kezia works for a psychopath and Nathaniel, a screenwriter, can't get anyone in L.A to pick up his television pilot. Throw in a bit of urequited love and a quest to find a family necklace stolen by the Nazis, all written with Crosley's trademark thigh-slapping wit and shrewd observations about life, and you've got a great read.
I like the title too. It's a lovely nod to "The Necklace" but also symbolic of both events in the story, an exploration of how you learn to spot what's fake and what's real, and the fact that, as a clasp holds a necklace together, all three of these main characters go on a journey to figure out how (or what) might hold them and their lives together.
With thanks to the publishers for providing me with a review copy via NetGalley.
Sloane Crosley is well known for her non-fiction and this is her first novel. The Clasp follows the fortunes of three old college friends - Nathaniel, Kezia and Victor - who find themselves reunited at another mutual friend's wedding at the beginning of the book. They're all about to turn 30 and are finding life hasn't quite worked out in the ways they thought it would. Victor has just lost his job and feels directionless, talented jeweller Kezia works for a psychopath and Nathaniel, a screenwriter, can't get anyone in L.A to pick up his television pilot. Throw in a bit of urequited love and a quest to find a family necklace stolen by the Nazis, all written with Crosley's trademark thigh-slapping wit and shrewd observations about life, and you've got a great read.
I like the title too. It's a lovely nod to "The Necklace" but also symbolic of both events in the story, an exploration of how you learn to spot what's fake and what's real, and the fact that, as a clasp holds a necklace together, all three of these main characters go on a journey to figure out how (or what) might hold them and their lives together.
With thanks to the publishers for providing me with a review copy via NetGalley.
courtneycarmona's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
libraryladys's review against another edition
1.0
Meh....characters I didn't care about....plot line that wasn't that mysterious.....disappointed because I read so many reviews promising a great read.
meganraison's review against another edition
1.0
The story and characters were not at all engaging. I got through 1.5 chapters and ditched it.