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michelleh312's review against another edition
2.0
I'm honestly not sure what I've been reading the past few days. Perhaps I'm not smart enough to understand it, or perhaps I know too little of England and its history.
There were times I enjoyed it and I felt as if the story was about to get interesting, but then it would get lost in details again. The story only got started about 60% in, and then fell short of my expectations. I think there was so much more to tell about Old England and Martha and Paul's relationship. Besides this, there were just too many details that weren't necessary to the story, in my view, which made certain parts quite boring.
It is a shame, really, because I think the premise and the underlying themes are brilliant and so interesting. I just didn't like the execution of it.
There were times I enjoyed it and I felt as if the story was about to get interesting, but then it would get lost in details again. The story only got started about 60% in, and then fell short of my expectations. I think there was so much more to tell about Old England and Martha and Paul's relationship. Besides this, there were just too many details that weren't necessary to the story, in my view, which made certain parts quite boring.
It is a shame, really, because I think the premise and the underlying themes are brilliant and so interesting. I just didn't like the execution of it.
macati's review against another edition
3.0
I would give 4 stars to 1: England and 3: Anglia, first and third chapter of the book; and would give 1 or 2 stars to 2: England, England, second/middle chapter of the book. Knowing that chapter 2 is necessary to get to chapter 3, it shouldn't be more than half of the book as it is - there were parts I would dismiss as they didn't add anything to the story nor did they make me want to read more. After part 1 of the 2nd chapter, I was seriously thinking about stopping. It could perfectly be a short story, it would make me happy. I liked the main character of the book, she seemed a very real person to me. The idea of the story is very interesting (and now with the Brexit, so uptodate) with good thoughts and very nice descriptions allowing me to visualise everything. never read anything from this author and maybe I will read another work by him.
williamzzengg's review against another edition
3.0
aw geez whats real and whats fake who knows but the fake is real
fenny_42's review against another edition
1.0
The story is based on an intriguing tourist attraction. Sir Jack Pitman comes up with the idea to create a new England, where tourists can see all the sites and get the full English experience without having to actually go to England. He ends up turning the Isle of Wight into England, England–the most English place in the world.
Martha (and her boyfriend Paul) work for Sir Jack and help him come up with ideas and improve the island. Then some weird stuff happens, which is at least a little bit important to the plot, so I won’t spoil it.
The beginning of the novel (first 50 pages) were the best part. Martha was a small child who was snarky and fun to read about. After that, the book went downhill. I appreciated the satire, but did not enjoy it one bit. It was a struggle to read every page. Overall impression: England is not English enough for some tourists.
Martha (and her boyfriend Paul) work for Sir Jack and help him come up with ideas and improve the island. Then some weird stuff happens, which is at least a little bit important to the plot, so I won’t spoil it.
The beginning of the novel (first 50 pages) were the best part. Martha was a small child who was snarky and fun to read about. After that, the book went downhill. I appreciated the satire, but did not enjoy it one bit. It was a struggle to read every page. Overall impression: England is not English enough for some tourists.
thombeckett's review against another edition
4.0
Another great book by Barnes, which clearly owes a lot to Baudrillard's Simulacra and Simulation. That said, it doesn't get bogged down in the philosophy and is an entertaining read.
psalmcat's review against another edition
1.0
I read 70 pages of this 3 weeks ago & never went back to it. Boring. Supposed to be about the creation of a Disney-esque mini England theme park on the Isle of Wight. I think the "never went back" kinda sums it up: nothing happened...YAWN. Too bad, because I like Barnes as a writer.
kay_ampersand's review against another edition
3.0
Second half of the book was great, but the first was tedious to read.
roshnara's review against another edition
3.0
As an Anglophile from a former colony now living in England, I found this book to be quite the laugh. The concepts that Julian Barnes explores in the book are absolutely spot on - the preference for convenience, the theatricality of English history and the corporate greed running as an undercurrent through it all.
The story is told in three parts. Part 1 introduces us to Martha Cochrane, a little girl who loves her England and its counties whose names roll off her tongue. She has an idyllic childhood until her father leaves her and her mother to fend for themselves.
Forward a couple of decades or so, and we meet young Martha in part 2, now a sort of academic England expert hired onto eccentric rich man Jack Pitman's team as the in-house cynic. The project - to create, on a nearby island, a replica of England with only all its cash generating touristy bits - the Big Ben, Stonehenge and yes, the royal family. Tourists can see Robin Hood beat the Sheriff and then go have a pint at the stadium while watching Manchester United win football. The new island is all the best parts of England that can be consumed in a day.
The island becomes so successful that tourists stop visiting old England at all. After all, the country is a testament to its history and nothing else (according to Barnes). And so, the original languishes into near collapse while the new and abridged version becomes a country with its own politics and power plays and workers unions.
Part 3 sees Martha, having climbed the corporate ladder and been tipped off of it, retire back in Old England to live a quiet life, having seen it all and being done with it.
Barnes uses sarcasm and satire to poke fun at his country and its place in the world, and the farce couldn't be more timely than now, in the age of the prolonged Brexit, Scottish referendum and dying Commonwealth. What does England stand for anymore? And if an uppity old gentleman decided to make a shiny copy, would the original stand the test of time?
Interesting book, a bit stodgy at times, but definitely worth plodding through for the subtle laughs.
The story is told in three parts. Part 1 introduces us to Martha Cochrane, a little girl who loves her England and its counties whose names roll off her tongue. She has an idyllic childhood until her father leaves her and her mother to fend for themselves.
Forward a couple of decades or so, and we meet young Martha in part 2, now a sort of academic England expert hired onto eccentric rich man Jack Pitman's team as the in-house cynic. The project - to create, on a nearby island, a replica of England with only all its cash generating touristy bits - the Big Ben, Stonehenge and yes, the royal family. Tourists can see Robin Hood beat the Sheriff and then go have a pint at the stadium while watching Manchester United win football. The new island is all the best parts of England that can be consumed in a day.
The island becomes so successful that tourists stop visiting old England at all. After all, the country is a testament to its history and nothing else (according to Barnes). And so, the original languishes into near collapse while the new and abridged version becomes a country with its own politics and power plays and workers unions.
Part 3 sees Martha, having climbed the corporate ladder and been tipped off of it, retire back in Old England to live a quiet life, having seen it all and being done with it.
Barnes uses sarcasm and satire to poke fun at his country and its place in the world, and the farce couldn't be more timely than now, in the age of the prolonged Brexit, Scottish referendum and dying Commonwealth. What does England stand for anymore? And if an uppity old gentleman decided to make a shiny copy, would the original stand the test of time?
Interesting book, a bit stodgy at times, but definitely worth plodding through for the subtle laughs.
fletches's review against another edition
3.0
England, England is the 3 act story of the life and times of a cynical woman named Martha. Roughly. It is also the story of the greatest business triumph of the capitalist king, Sir Jack; occasionally the story of a variety of side cast, and arguably the story of pop culture, using a whole country as a rather scary look into the idea of how we value a genuine piece versus a recreation. Most importantly, this is the story of England, as seen through the eyes of one woman, satirized to the extreme.
England, England is funny, to be sure. As long as you know what you're headed into. There are brilliant bits to the writing, particularly in the first two acts. The characterization, especially of Martha, is masterfully done and the book will have you thinking on identity, memory and cynicism long after Martha leaves your immediate purview. Taken lightly, it's probably more humorous than I found it; taken as a piece of analysis on modern culture, parts of it were horribly, horribly depressing. Horribly.
As far as British tongue in cheek goes, it goes on quite well. It's a clever novel that Martha would probably tear apart in her way. It's probably not appropriate for some light beach reading but I found it a great conversation starter, opinion piece and thought provoking. Particularly if you travel, it's worth reading. And thinking about.
England, England is funny, to be sure. As long as you know what you're headed into. There are brilliant bits to the writing, particularly in the first two acts. The characterization, especially of Martha, is masterfully done and the book will have you thinking on identity, memory and cynicism long after Martha leaves your immediate purview. Taken lightly, it's probably more humorous than I found it; taken as a piece of analysis on modern culture, parts of it were horribly, horribly depressing. Horribly.
As far as British tongue in cheek goes, it goes on quite well. It's a clever novel that Martha would probably tear apart in her way. It's probably not appropriate for some light beach reading but I found it a great conversation starter, opinion piece and thought provoking. Particularly if you travel, it's worth reading. And thinking about.