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karinlib's review against another edition
4.0
Alexander Fox is an American who decided that he wanted to start his life over in another country. He had read a book that described Andorra, and it became a dream of his. When he arrives in Andorra by train, he is convinced that he could live there. Then he finds that in this tiny country, everyone knows everyone and they take a great deal of interest in the foreigner.
As the story unfolds, you begin to understand why the main character wanted a new life.
As the story unfolds, you begin to understand why the main character wanted a new life.
adequate_squatch's review against another edition
3.0
(Fair warning, this review contains spoilers.)
I didn't get it.
I hate saying that about a book, because I sound stupid. Like there was something that I missed because I am lacking some crucial quality that fans of this novel possess. I have to say it for Andorra, though. I didn't get it.
I would like to start off saying that I did appreciate Cameron's style of writing. He had a way of describing scenery and people, and a natural flow that made finishing this book bearable. No, I'm being unkind. I did enjoy reading Andorra, even if certain aspects of it unnerved me.
Now, on to the list of things that bothered me about this book.
For one, basically all of the main characters seemed boring and lifeless to me. It was a sharp contrast to the beautifully-described world around them. For instance, the main character Alex claimed to love Mrs. Dent. However, there was nothing about the way he acted or about the way that they interacted that would imply love. There was no chain of events that would seem to lead to romantic attraction between the two characters. Their interactions with each other seemed mostly cold and proper, and there were scenes where I got the impression that they didn't even really like each other. Yet, oh my, there it is! That word "love" that should always be seen rather than heard. And it seemed as if everyone loved everyone else, didn't it? Alex loved Mrs. Dent. Mr. Dent loved Alex. Mr. Dent and Mrs. Dent loved each other. Alex loved Jean Quay. It seemed as if the word love was used rather loosely. Love as a plot device is much more effective if its effects are shown, rather than the word itself being thrown around haphazardly.
I think the only character in this book that I found interesting at all was Vere Fallowfield, and it was unfortunate that he had such a small role in the story.
Character weakness aside, what was with the dead bodies in the harbor? That never really went anywhere, did it? I kept expecting Alex to remember doing it in a fit of hysteric misery or rage (though he really didn't seem the hysteric type; he wasn't very enthusiastic about anything at all). But you never find out who did it. There are never any hints. It was a device simply to make trouble for the main character. It think it might have been better if Alex had had some inkling as to who had committed the murders, or if there had been some suspects besides him. Then maybe it would have fit more comfortably into the plot.
Then you find out that Alex killed his own wife and daughter. Well, that doesn't seem in-character, does it? The story presents him as a fairly logical, go-with-the-flow kind of guy. The kind of person who might, I don't know, come to a civil agreement with his wife and get a divorce rather than murdering her?
So in the end, Alex escapes to France with the help of Jean and Vere. Then suddenly: page break, and Alex is in jail? What. The fuck. Where did that come from? Did he get arrested for killing his wife and daughter? Was he detained for the murders in Andorra? Was it some other crime entirely? Did he get caught in France or somewhere else? You never find out. Oh, I bet you think you're clever, Peter Cameron. Leaving the ending all sad and ambiguous. Sorry, I don't buy it. It seems more like you had a deadline to reach, and so you scribbled out a concluding paragraph really fast.
I would like to read some of Cameron's other work, because Andorra just didn't live up to the potential that I believe he has.
I didn't get it.
I hate saying that about a book, because I sound stupid. Like there was something that I missed because I am lacking some crucial quality that fans of this novel possess. I have to say it for Andorra, though. I didn't get it.
I would like to start off saying that I did appreciate Cameron's style of writing. He had a way of describing scenery and people, and a natural flow that made finishing this book bearable. No, I'm being unkind. I did enjoy reading Andorra, even if certain aspects of it unnerved me.
Now, on to the list of things that bothered me about this book.
For one, basically all of the main characters seemed boring and lifeless to me. It was a sharp contrast to the beautifully-described world around them. For instance, the main character Alex claimed to love Mrs. Dent. However, there was nothing about the way he acted or about the way that they interacted that would imply love. There was no chain of events that would seem to lead to romantic attraction between the two characters. Their interactions with each other seemed mostly cold and proper, and there were scenes where I got the impression that they didn't even really like each other. Yet, oh my, there it is! That word "love" that should always be seen rather than heard. And it seemed as if everyone loved everyone else, didn't it? Alex loved Mrs. Dent. Mr. Dent loved Alex. Mr. Dent and Mrs. Dent loved each other. Alex loved Jean Quay. It seemed as if the word love was used rather loosely. Love as a plot device is much more effective if its effects are shown, rather than the word itself being thrown around haphazardly.
I think the only character in this book that I found interesting at all was Vere Fallowfield, and it was unfortunate that he had such a small role in the story.
Character weakness aside, what was with the dead bodies in the harbor? That never really went anywhere, did it? I kept expecting Alex to remember doing it in a fit of hysteric misery or rage (though he really didn't seem the hysteric type; he wasn't very enthusiastic about anything at all). But you never find out who did it. There are never any hints. It was a device simply to make trouble for the main character. It think it might have been better if Alex had had some inkling as to who had committed the murders, or if there had been some suspects besides him. Then maybe it would have fit more comfortably into the plot.
Then you find out that Alex killed his own wife and daughter. Well, that doesn't seem in-character, does it? The story presents him as a fairly logical, go-with-the-flow kind of guy. The kind of person who might, I don't know, come to a civil agreement with his wife and get a divorce rather than murdering her?
So in the end, Alex escapes to France with the help of Jean and Vere. Then suddenly: page break, and Alex is in jail? What. The fuck. Where did that come from? Did he get arrested for killing his wife and daughter? Was he detained for the murders in Andorra? Was it some other crime entirely? Did he get caught in France or somewhere else? You never find out. Oh, I bet you think you're clever, Peter Cameron. Leaving the ending all sad and ambiguous. Sorry, I don't buy it. It seems more like you had a deadline to reach, and so you scribbled out a concluding paragraph really fast.
I would like to read some of Cameron's other work, because Andorra just didn't live up to the potential that I believe he has.
ehastings17's review
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
There are a few geographical errors in the book that lead me to not give it closer to a 5, but I found Alex a hilariously confusing and whiplash-y main character. He is written very well.
pino_sabatelli's review against another edition
2.0
Confesso che ho grandi difficoltà a trovare argomenti per parlare di un libro che potrei definire con un solo aggettivo: anodino. Talmente anodino e irrilevante da non suscitarmi neanche quel minimo di interesse a criticarne i difetti: fatica sprecata.
Peccato perché a me “Quella sera dorata” era piaciuto parecchio.
La recensione completa su http://www.ifioridelpeggio.com/anticlimax-01-per-astra-ad-aspera/
Peccato perché a me “Quella sera dorata” era piaciuto parecchio.
La recensione completa su http://www.ifioridelpeggio.com/anticlimax-01-per-astra-ad-aspera/
dajna's review against another edition
3.0
Questo libro mi lascia indecisa. Da una parte sembra uno spot dell'ufficio del turismo di Andorra, con brevi ma affascinanti descrizioni del paese (o almeno della capitale) e delle abitudini dei cittadini.
Dall'altra gli abitanti sembrano i parenti più ricchi di quelli di Twin Peaks: non si capisce se lavorano, spesso parlano per accenni e sembrano nascondere torbidi segreti ma soprattutto, almeno all'inizio, appaiono così desiderosi di compagnia da buttarsi addosso al nuovo arrivato, che fa strage di cuori d'ogni età: le coetanee lo desiderano, le donne anziane lo trovano un bel figliolo educato e gentile, tutti lo invitano ad eventi sociali.
E lui va, anche lui col suo segreto sulle spalle, e da buon americano vive avventure piene d'azione, (pur in un tono contenuto che si adatta alla storia), che culminano in un educatissimo scontro con la polizia.
Alla fine mi resta un vaghissimo senso di irritazione. Non capisco se la storia voglia essere più realistica o più onirica, ma non mi pare conclusa.
Dall'altra gli abitanti sembrano i parenti più ricchi di quelli di Twin Peaks: non si capisce se lavorano, spesso parlano per accenni e sembrano nascondere torbidi segreti ma soprattutto, almeno all'inizio, appaiono così desiderosi di compagnia da buttarsi addosso al nuovo arrivato, che fa strage di cuori d'ogni età: le coetanee lo desiderano, le donne anziane lo trovano un bel figliolo educato e gentile, tutti lo invitano ad eventi sociali.
E lui va, anche lui col suo segreto sulle spalle, e da buon americano vive avventure piene d'azione, (pur in un tono contenuto che si adatta alla storia), che culminano in un educatissimo scontro con la polizia.
Alla fine mi resta un vaghissimo senso di irritazione. Non capisco se la storia voglia essere più realistica o più onirica, ma non mi pare conclusa.
sam_fielder_137's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A fantastic look into the mind of a sociopath who believes themselves to be perfectly normal, this book does an excellent job of exploring life in turmoil, the way we view ourselves as compared to the way others view us, and infatuation disguised as love. While I got through this book pretty quickly and enjoyably, I did find myself having to look up words fairly often despite having a fairly wide vocabulary (or so I thought), so if you're looking for a language challenge, but a simple read, this is it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder, Homophobia, and Biphobia
superdilettante's review against another edition
4.0
I was puzzled by the people who found this book puzzling, or confusing.
Peter Cameron writes beautifully, and this novel had a wonderful way of drawing me along, as though I were wandering the winding streets of an old city.
It doesn't matter to me that the Andorra Cameron uses for his story does not reflect the real Andorra.
It doesn't matter to me that the ending is abrupt, and strange. The way I understood it is that the protagonist's Andorra is invented because he is telling his story from prison, where he is serving time for killing his wife and child. The fact that he tries to re-write his own story to have a more favorable outcome is not all that hard to understand.
I loved this book.
Peter Cameron writes beautifully, and this novel had a wonderful way of drawing me along, as though I were wandering the winding streets of an old city.
It doesn't matter to me that the Andorra Cameron uses for his story does not reflect the real Andorra.
It doesn't matter to me that the ending is abrupt, and strange. The way I understood it is that the protagonist's Andorra is invented because he is telling his story from prison, where he is serving time for killing his wife and child. The fact that he tries to re-write his own story to have a more favorable outcome is not all that hard to understand.
I loved this book.
katymvt's review against another edition
3.0
I wasn't really sure how to rate this book. The beginning was promising. The surprise ending was good. The middle left a little something to be desired. I found it disorienting to be reading a book where the narrator was constantly lying. We know he lies because he makes up a different story every time. And, he seemed to be a total jerk and always felt the need to defend himself when called out about it.