Reviews

This is my first Capote. Published posthumously, it was perhaps not deemed worthy of publication by the author, or, just maybe, too precious for the author to part with.* To me, this very short, very American novel from the 1940s or 50s initially very pleasantly reminds me of Wilde and Woolf. And then it turns into something altogether different.

*The afterword (by Alan U. Schwartz) tells me it’s the former.

blackwolf1489's review

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

johnbittles's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The beginning and end are a little muddled. You imagine the author would have changed this if they'd had the chance. Apart from this it's a very enjoyable love story about a young couple from very different social circumstances trying to make things work.

hugsnotdrogs's review

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slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

a_gillie's review against another edition

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funny reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

After loathing Breakfast at Tiffany’s, I was pleasantly surprised by this. The prose was beautiful (if sometimes over-written) and the story was engaging. Capote’s obvious love of his characters shines through. He was only 19 when he wrote this and there is a definite unpolished, youthful quality to the storytelling, but I found this charming rather than off-putting. A very quick read, it was only the unsatisfying and unclear ending that failed for me.

hcube3's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

krmm20's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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