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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
For about 250 pages, this is an energetic and funny novel centering an irredeemable protagonist. Though Barry is truly awful, we forgive him because most of his victims are also reprobates. The end takes a dark turn when Barry's wife becomes the target of his misbehavior.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
A rollicking tale of a not very nice chap, who does not very nice things, to not very nice people. I liked the first two thirds of the book, but hated the central character by the final third.
While this is perhaps true to the heart of the tale, it does not make it an easy read.
While this is perhaps true to the heart of the tale, it does not make it an easy read.
There ought to be a way to distinguish between your emotional and intellectual enjoyment of a book. This one was a slow-burner for me as my only knowledge of its subject matter was a hazy recollection of Stanley Kubricl's movie, which was highly mannered and not one of those I enjoyed the most. I began it understanding it as a straightforward autobiography of a fictional character and patiently waded through his rather unsatisfactory childhood and early adulthood. I appreciated his excuses for what might have seemed unprincipled behaviour, which seemed reasonable enough. It was only about half way through that I twigged that this is the autobiography of a rogue, and effectively The Rake's Progress, as told by The Rake. Once I got that I started to enjoy it more and more. He finally alludes to his present circumstances in almost the last sentence, when he refers to his mother who "is sitting by my side at the moment in the prison".
adventurous
challenging
funny
slow-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
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
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
My favourite unreliable narrator in all of English literature. What an absolute shitheel.
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In this 1844 classic, English author William Makepeace Thackeray, delights readers with the tale of Barry Lyndon, a classically "unreliable narrator." Lyndon is an Irish rogue who joins the British army after an ill-fated love affair and then goes on to fame and fortune as a fashionable gambler. As in his masterpiece, Vanity Fair, Thackeray presents his characters accurately and realistically. His portrayal of the dissolute, unscrupulous Barry, a degenerate who thinks he is royalty amongst men, is masterful. Barry Lyndon may be unlikable, but the beauty of the words and the depth of the story make for a fantastic read. British voice artist, Jonathon Keeble, also helps brings this amusing tale to life with his rich and wonderfully faceted voice. Recommended for all fans of classic English literature.
