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juliet331's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
shesnotthere's review against another edition
3.0
This was a book club selection, which is interesting because there aren't many talking points to this book. The whole novel seemed kind of pointless actually. In order to keep his grant money, Omar, the lead character, has to receive authorization from Gund's family in order to write biography about Gund's life. I went to grad school, so I totally understand the urgency & desperation of trying to complete a body of work that only five people are likely to ever read. But does this plot actually make an entire book? I don't think so. This could have been a more enjoyable short story. Most of the book was dialog between characters, which made it a fast read, but I think the author should have flushed out the side plots (why Pete felt compelled to leave, why Deidre & Omar's relationship was so passive/aggressive & the building tension between Omar & Arden) with more internal prose. The ending tied all the plots into a nice, neat happy ending for all, which seemed a little too unplausible. The ending was so abrupt that it appears that the author was just tried of writing the book. I wouldn't recommend this novel to a friend. It just didn't click with me. However, it did make me interested in Uruguay. I would definitely like to pick up another (better) book based in that country.
lizwisniewski's review against another edition
4.0
I really, really like Peter Cameron. If I was a writer I would want to be a writer like him. This was another winner and I greatly enjoyed it. Well written, compelling characters, interesting plot. I seem to be saving his books and reading them at intervals to make them stretch out over the next few years until he writes something new.
tableforone's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
heritage's review
4.0
Omar has received a grant from his university to write an authorized biography of a deceased South American writer. The problem is, he hasn't been granted authorization from the three executors of the estate: the brother, the wife, and the mistress. Hopping on a plane to Uruguay in a last-ditch effort to save the project, and his career, he enters their lives and upsets the balance they have achieved all living on the same property.
The title was the first thing that piqued my interest in this book, as well as it having been made into a Merchant-Ivory movie starring Anthony Hopkins, as they usually pick pretty good material for their collaborations. This isn't usually my typical fare, but I'm glad I picked it up.
The narrative is spare, and the prose very simple. That makes it a very short, quick, and light read. It's a gentle novel, and at its heart it's about love, how we live our lives, and finding where you belong. The dialogue, however, is the highlight of the writing. I have seldom read such interesting conversations, especially when the dead writer's brother is verbally sparring with the others. The characters are all mildly quirky, with the exception of the mistress, who is the only normal one in the story. They're not quirky in a Woody Allen or Wes Anderson sort of way; they're more subdued--more like light Dickensian. That's all fine, except the main character is annoyingly passive and inept, and his girlfriend is overbearing.
The main problem with the novel, however, is its simplicity. Yes, it's spare, but I don't think there's enough time--or perhaps enough conviction--for the changes these people go through. Either the story should've been longer or the writing more powerful. There just wasn't enough there to make the necessary impact. Add to that the negligent absence of anything in the way of setting--c'mon, man, this is South America!--and we have what amounts to a good premise not fully utilized. It ends well, even if it did look dicey starting around the two-thirds mark, but it could've been so much better.
Finally, though, let's just all take a moment to appreciate the title: The City of Your Final Destination. It's quite possibly the best title I've seen since Snow Falling on Cedars.
I'd say this one is 3.5 stars. I wasn't sure if I should bump it up to 4 or drop it down to 3, but I decided on 4 because it's an amusing and painless reading experience, even if the story is somewhat oversimplified.
The title was the first thing that piqued my interest in this book, as well as it having been made into a Merchant-Ivory movie starring Anthony Hopkins, as they usually pick pretty good material for their collaborations. This isn't usually my typical fare, but I'm glad I picked it up.
The narrative is spare, and the prose very simple. That makes it a very short, quick, and light read. It's a gentle novel, and at its heart it's about love, how we live our lives, and finding where you belong. The dialogue, however, is the highlight of the writing. I have seldom read such interesting conversations, especially when the dead writer's brother is verbally sparring with the others. The characters are all mildly quirky, with the exception of the mistress, who is the only normal one in the story. They're not quirky in a Woody Allen or Wes Anderson sort of way; they're more subdued--more like light Dickensian. That's all fine, except the main character is annoyingly passive and inept, and his girlfriend is overbearing.
The main problem with the novel, however, is its simplicity. Yes, it's spare, but I don't think there's enough time--or perhaps enough conviction--for the changes these people go through. Either the story should've been longer or the writing more powerful. There just wasn't enough there to make the necessary impact. Add to that the negligent absence of anything in the way of setting--c'mon, man, this is South America!--and we have what amounts to a good premise not fully utilized. It ends well, even if it did look dicey starting around the two-thirds mark, but it could've been so much better.
Finally, though, let's just all take a moment to appreciate the title: The City of Your Final Destination. It's quite possibly the best title I've seen since Snow Falling on Cedars.
I'd say this one is 3.5 stars. I wasn't sure if I should bump it up to 4 or drop it down to 3, but I decided on 4 because it's an amusing and painless reading experience, even if the story is somewhat oversimplified.
purplewaterbottle's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0