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sergiodevesa's review against another edition
3.0
En esta novela acompañamos a Nick, un joven gay que por circunstancias termina viviendo con la familia de su amigo Toby (que conoció estudiando en Oxford) cuyo padre es un alto cargo del partido conservador británico. De esta forma, seguimos la vida del protagonista en sus años de juventud y sus romances, pero también parcialmente el viaje de esta familia.
Pese a lo bella que es su prosa, uno de mis problemas con la novela es, como el mismo Hollinghurst ha dicho, que Nick no cae bien: es pedante, es repetitivo, y le falta un objetivo en la vida más allá de follar y tomar cocaína. La obra hace un buen trabajo en presentar una visión de cómo uno se podría imaginar la sociedad tory: basada en conexiones y apariencias, ajena a las clases sociales más humildes, y derrochando libras por doquier. Mi otra pega es que el libro, desafortunadamente, va demasiado de cenas de MPs (Members of parliament) que, digo yo, si me vas a mostrar gente que vive a todo tren, ponme escenarios más allá de cenas y promiscuidad sexual.
Estando inmersa en esta alta sociedad, la novela pasa por alto los cambios y luchas sociales que el thatcherismo trajo a Reino Unido en los ochenta, tocando la crisis del sida apenas de refilón en ciertas partes de la historia.
Sin embargo, le he puesto tres estrellas sobre todo por la parte final donde esas apariencias se resquebrajan, pero sin llegar nunca a peligrar el estatus de una clase social muy por encima del más común de los mortales. Personas que, pese a toda controversia en la que puedan verse inmersas, siguen siendo altamente privilegiadas e invulnerables.
Pese a lo bella que es su prosa, uno de mis problemas con la novela es, como el mismo Hollinghurst ha dicho, que Nick no cae bien: es pedante, es repetitivo, y le falta un objetivo en la vida más allá de follar y tomar cocaína. La obra hace un buen trabajo en presentar una visión de cómo uno se podría imaginar la sociedad tory: basada en conexiones y apariencias, ajena a las clases sociales más humildes, y derrochando libras por doquier. Mi otra pega es que el libro, desafortunadamente, va demasiado de cenas de MPs (Members of parliament) que, digo yo, si me vas a mostrar gente que vive a todo tren, ponme escenarios más allá de cenas y promiscuidad sexual.
Estando inmersa en esta alta sociedad, la novela pasa por alto los cambios y luchas sociales que el thatcherismo trajo a Reino Unido en los ochenta, tocando la crisis del sida apenas de refilón en ciertas partes de la historia.
Sin embargo, le he puesto tres estrellas sobre todo por la parte final donde esas apariencias se resquebrajan, pero sin llegar nunca a peligrar el estatus de una clase social muy por encima del más común de los mortales. Personas que, pese a toda controversia en la que puedan verse inmersas, siguen siendo altamente privilegiadas e invulnerables.
larakennedy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mikewa14's review against another edition
3.0
I loved The Starnger's Child, but struggled to engage with this one - full review here
http://0651frombrighton.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/the-line-of-beauty-alan-hollinghurst.html
http://0651frombrighton.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/the-line-of-beauty-alan-hollinghurst.html
whatarebooks's review against another edition
2.0
My opinion of this book changed about 350 pages in. At first I was excited to read it and the summary and the precedent that was set seemed like it had all the devices to be a great novel. Then after about 300 pages of no plot I was intent on giving this book a 1 star review. The writing is beautiful and Hollinghurst really has a way with words but it was just so tedious getting through it all. I understand the importance of everything happening at the end and the spiral and devastation of the world that has been built for the reader. But could it not have been a bit shorter, and even if the crazy things were left to the end perhaps some sort of plot line could have been added to makes it not so top heavy and entice the reader to actually finish? I loved the message and morals of the book and the politics and society it explores, but can’t give it any more than 2 stars because of how dull I found the majority of the book.
sophielouu's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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
4.0
terrypaulpearce's review against another edition
5.0
Alan Hollinghurst is a wizard; he uses language like a card sharp, sometimes you can see exactly what he's done, other times you are just swept away by the effect, but either way, it's deeply magnificent. Moments are drawn out in unexpected ways, the atmosphere in a room, the emotion behind an expression or a sigh. It's quintessentially English genius, and very traditional storytelling.
I know he's won the Booker, but I'm not sure he's highly regarded enough. If he were writing sixty years earlier (and perhaps if he weren't writing so much about gay sex, which every third review on here seems to have an immense problem with), I think we'd be holding him up (at least as far as this book goes, I've read no others yet) with the absolute literary greats. I certainly can't think of a single person who writes the drama of an English household so well.
And the connection I felt to Nick, the flow of the story... I don't want to reveal too much here but it is so perfectly paced and managed, hurtling in its quiet way, carried languidly on the wings of the most sublime prose, to a devastating conclusion. And the insights, the insights into those little doubts and trains of thoughts and what lies behind a moment. And the times, it captures the times so well. And class, good old English class and our deep-seated dreads. I can't rapture on quite enough about this book, and I think I've ran out of adjectives that even get within touching distance, so I'll stop now.
I know he's won the Booker, but I'm not sure he's highly regarded enough. If he were writing sixty years earlier (and perhaps if he weren't writing so much about gay sex, which every third review on here seems to have an immense problem with), I think we'd be holding him up (at least as far as this book goes, I've read no others yet) with the absolute literary greats. I certainly can't think of a single person who writes the drama of an English household so well.
And the connection I felt to Nick, the flow of the story... I don't want to reveal too much here but it is so perfectly paced and managed, hurtling in its quiet way, carried languidly on the wings of the most sublime prose, to a devastating conclusion. And the insights, the insights into those little doubts and trains of thoughts and what lies behind a moment. And the times, it captures the times so well. And class, good old English class and our deep-seated dreads. I can't rapture on quite enough about this book, and I think I've ran out of adjectives that even get within touching distance, so I'll stop now.
pedalhoppy's review against another edition
5.0
I really really enjoyed this. I thought it ended perfectly.
thalias_library's review against another edition
4.0
This was a hard read to get through, only because the language is so intricate and beautiful that at times I had to reread several sentences or paragraphs. The story itself, centers around the main protagonist, Nick Guest who is an aesthete in the middle of political and social turmoil.
While Nick's story is not straight forward in terms of what will happen in his future, the shadow of AIDS that Hollinghurst paints in Nick's life give us a foreshadowing that this will not have a happy ending. Each character has so many facets and angles that you truly feel like your part of Nick's inner circle.
The writing combined with the themes and symbols found in The Line of Beauty makes this book beautiful but also tragic. Though at times hard to read I found myself engrossed in the story through and through.
While Nick's story is not straight forward in terms of what will happen in his future, the shadow of AIDS that Hollinghurst paints in Nick's life give us a foreshadowing that this will not have a happy ending. Each character has so many facets and angles that you truly feel like your part of Nick's inner circle.
The writing combined with the themes and symbols found in The Line of Beauty makes this book beautiful but also tragic. Though at times hard to read I found myself engrossed in the story through and through.
meyshka's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Self harm