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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Eleanor Catton may be one of the most clever authors I’ll ever have the privilege of reading. That’s the only word I can think of to describe this book- clever. I spent the entire time in awe of her mind. There’s so much going on, so much that overlaps and I just came to terms with the fact that I might not fully understand it all. I was the same with the luminaries but I truly don’t think it makes for any less of an enjoyable experience. This still has the depth and intelligence of the luminaries but is 1/3 of the size so much less daunting. Now I need to find a copy of birnam wood
My initial DNF at page 100 was all on me. Picked up where I left off a few weeks later and found myself in a 5 star book. Its sly tone and structure are so subtle and feel so effortless that I see no literary scaffolding holding up this oddly mundane world. And in a first novel, yet!
The novel starts with what’s become such an overdone subject it runs the risk of being banal - a sex scandal between a high school girl from a girls' school and her young jazz band teacher. And it is banal in this book - the teacher is fired but takes another job in town, and the girl is desultorily counseled and kept home from school for a while, but like the teacher, seems unaffected and even bemused by the whole thing. After a flurry of speculation, the town quickly grows bored with the story, and all that remains are the resentments of the girl's school friends that she didn’t give them any juicy details - if there are any - no one knows. Kind of an amusing fizzle.
The story then mainly moves to the Theatre Dept. of the local Art Institute, where prospective first year students are ‘auditioning’, not through standard, prepared monologues, but by being made uncomfortable and then watched by the instructors for some indefinable ‘thing’ that makes them an actor, rather than a liar. And that’s often how instruction continues in the program.
Life is all one big rehearsal in this book - whether it’s literal for the young actors and musicians, or re-living memories for the teachers. The ‘rehearsals’, large and small, private and public, often go sideways but there’s always much amusement and dismay along the way. Characters say the strangest things (Like Stanley’s dad, who attempts to bond with his son over dirty jokes. The bonding doesn’t work, but the guy is funny.) This book put me in a strange, fun and dreamy headspace.
The novel starts with what’s become such an overdone subject it runs the risk of being banal - a sex scandal between a high school girl from a girls' school and her young jazz band teacher. And it is banal in this book - the teacher is fired but takes another job in town, and the girl is desultorily counseled and kept home from school for a while, but like the teacher, seems unaffected and even bemused by the whole thing. After a flurry of speculation, the town quickly grows bored with the story, and all that remains are the resentments of the girl's school friends that she didn’t give them any juicy details - if there are any - no one knows. Kind of an amusing fizzle.
The story then mainly moves to the Theatre Dept. of the local Art Institute, where prospective first year students are ‘auditioning’, not through standard, prepared monologues, but by being made uncomfortable and then watched by the instructors for some indefinable ‘thing’ that makes them an actor, rather than a liar. And that’s often how instruction continues in the program.
"So", the Head of Acting said. "What happens at this Institute? How do we carve up the strange, convulsive epileptic rhythm of the days? What violence is inflicted here, and what can you do to minimize the damage?"One of the things I love about this novel is the way the acting tutors at the institute use ultra-dramatic language in such a blasé and nonchalant way - it's as much a way to entertain themselves as a teaching method.
Life is all one big rehearsal in this book - whether it’s literal for the young actors and musicians, or re-living memories for the teachers. The ‘rehearsals’, large and small, private and public, often go sideways but there’s always much amusement and dismay along the way. Characters say the strangest things (Like Stanley’s dad, who attempts to bond with his son over dirty jokes. The bonding doesn’t work, but the guy is funny.) This book put me in a strange, fun and dreamy headspace.
Updated Review
Quite frankly, this book is a five star read because of its language use, its structure, and the sheer brilliance of its storytelling. I haven't stopped thinking about this book since I've read it.
Original Review
There are several things I want to say about this book.
The one thing I have to say is why the low ratings? This book is an amazing read, and my only concern is that people will not read it because of the low ratings. Unlike so many underrated books this book does not deserve the low rating. It might not be the book for everyone, but it is still a wonderful book.
THIS BOOK IS NOT LINEAR. The construction is not the regular Freytag model (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, denouement). It's a collage, which adds to the whole story so much more than a linear model. It's a postmodern work, and probably one of my favorites I have ever read. The author wrote this as her master's thesis at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand and got it published by age 22.
Eleanor Catton how I envy a writer who is so young, so full of talent, and her mind brimming with intelligence. Please teach me your sorcery.
The First: this is an erudite teen story.
What I mean is that it's chop full of teenage angst written in such an intelligent and truthful manner. Things make sense in this book, and Eleanor Catton knows what it's like in high school. Especially, an all girl's school. Considering, I've been to an all girl's school I should know what it's like to go to one.
She understands underlying questions of sexuality, fitting in, and the feelings that go along with each. Be it from questioning sexuality, to understanding how young women are viewed in society. She understands to a stellar tee
That's not to say that this is a teen story. It's not, but there are teenage characters. The synopsis does not do this book justice at all. Yes, there is an illicit affair between a student and a teacher, but there is also questioning of the self, deception, philosophy, movements, and it's all so beautiful, heartbreaking, and wonderful to read.
The Second: this book is like a French auteur film.
French auteur filmmakers always invoke a feeling rather than an actual story. Most of them do have a story too, and a plot but you never get the sense of till days later when you think about that film. The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton is probably the closest to a written auteur film that I've read so far.
The Rehearsal is a collection of vignettes that at first have nothing to do with one another, and then slowly like an orchestra Eleanor Catton brings everything to a triumphing conclusion.
She did the very same thing in The Luminaries. However, in The Luminaries she went beyond with orchestrating planetary movements and symbolism. In this story the symbolism reflects the performing arts from saxophone recital to an acting institute's freshman production.
This work is still experimental, but not to the degree that her education at the Iowa Writer's Workshop and maturity shows in The Luminaries. Her writing relies heavily on similes at times, which she does not need to lean on at all. Her writing is strong, fresh, and somehow new already. So, she leans on similes when she does not need to. In the beginning it felt a bit forced with the sexual undertones of the saxophone teacher's thoughts.
It is a bit choppy, but it is still a very good read. It's not as well concocted as The Luminaries.
If a reader can get over the nonlinear structure, then they will have no problem with this novel. I do recommend it to anyone who wants to read a beautiful book. It's so good!
I might be biased though, since I'm a fan of Eleanor Catton's already. The young woman is filled with talent, and I can't wait to read her third novel or even a collection of short stories.
Quite frankly, this book is a five star read because of its language use, its structure, and the sheer brilliance of its storytelling. I haven't stopped thinking about this book since I've read it.
Original Review
There are several things I want to say about this book.
The one thing I have to say is why the low ratings? This book is an amazing read, and my only concern is that people will not read it because of the low ratings. Unlike so many underrated books this book does not deserve the low rating. It might not be the book for everyone, but it is still a wonderful book.
THIS BOOK IS NOT LINEAR. The construction is not the regular Freytag model (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, denouement). It's a collage, which adds to the whole story so much more than a linear model. It's a postmodern work, and probably one of my favorites I have ever read. The author wrote this as her master's thesis at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand and got it published by age 22.
Eleanor Catton how I envy a writer who is so young, so full of talent, and her mind brimming with intelligence. Please teach me your sorcery.
The First: this is an erudite teen story.
What I mean is that it's chop full of teenage angst written in such an intelligent and truthful manner. Things make sense in this book, and Eleanor Catton knows what it's like in high school. Especially, an all girl's school. Considering, I've been to an all girl's school I should know what it's like to go to one.
She understands underlying questions of sexuality, fitting in, and the feelings that go along with each. Be it from questioning sexuality, to understanding how young women are viewed in society. She understands to a stellar tee
That's not to say that this is a teen story. It's not, but there are teenage characters. The synopsis does not do this book justice at all. Yes, there is an illicit affair between a student and a teacher, but there is also questioning of the self, deception, philosophy, movements, and it's all so beautiful, heartbreaking, and wonderful to read.
The Second: this book is like a French auteur film.
French auteur filmmakers always invoke a feeling rather than an actual story. Most of them do have a story too, and a plot but you never get the sense of till days later when you think about that film. The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton is probably the closest to a written auteur film that I've read so far.
The Rehearsal is a collection of vignettes that at first have nothing to do with one another, and then slowly like an orchestra Eleanor Catton brings everything to a triumphing conclusion.
She did the very same thing in The Luminaries. However, in The Luminaries she went beyond with orchestrating planetary movements and symbolism. In this story the symbolism reflects the performing arts from saxophone recital to an acting institute's freshman production.
This work is still experimental, but not to the degree that her education at the Iowa Writer's Workshop and maturity shows in The Luminaries. Her writing relies heavily on similes at times, which she does not need to lean on at all. Her writing is strong, fresh, and somehow new already. So, she leans on similes when she does not need to. In the beginning it felt a bit forced with the sexual undertones of the saxophone teacher's thoughts.
It is a bit choppy, but it is still a very good read. It's not as well concocted as The Luminaries.
If a reader can get over the nonlinear structure, then they will have no problem with this novel. I do recommend it to anyone who wants to read a beautiful book. It's so good!
I might be biased though, since I'm a fan of Eleanor Catton's already. The young woman is filled with talent, and I can't wait to read her third novel or even a collection of short stories.
Weird narrative, challenging sense of reality, amorphous plot. Well described characters, compelling dialogue, interesting concept
The only thing this book has in common with The Luminaries is that they're both spectacularly good. This one was a cruel, insightful look at adolescent sexual development and its relationship to adult dysfunction. The character of the saxophone teacher who loathes her students is one of the most memorable I've ever read. Hoping Eleanor Catton writes 85 more books!
This book just doesn't work when you skim-read it, which I was doing because I've had it on my reading list for a long time and wanted to be able to cross it off read rather than deleted. I didn't like the saxophone teacher - found her unrealistic - and so skimmed to find someone I enjoyed. I didn't, so dipped into the book here and there. I found myself reading several paragraphs at a time, or even several pages, but then losing patience and skimming further on. It was probably the setting - teenagers at school - but this book didn't grab me unfortunately.
Total boo! I couldn't make it past the first 20 pages!
Nearly gave up on this but after about a quarter became more interesting. Strange but likeable writing style and ideas but slightly disappointing ending as it just seemed to me to peter out.
What a great read. Non linear and filled with unreliable narrators, it's almost impressionistic in its storytelling. But it's got fantastic, acid-filled asides about parents and teenagers, like a very nasty snarky YA coming-of-age story for adults. It ostensibly follows the fallout from an alleged sexual relationship between a music teacher and a student in a New Zealand town. The book almost requires it be read twice. Highly recommend.
This is an odd little book. Well written but difficult to slog through. Unrealistic dialogue, but that adds to the charm. I don’t know. My feelings on this book all over the place, I look like a confused dog right now.