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lizawall's review against another edition
4.0
Like a genius phoning it in.
Spoiler
Loved the ending!bibliolinde's review against another edition
3.0
(3.5 stars)
Bowen's world is lyrical, amusing, and rich with character. I read A World of Love last year and for some reason didn't connect to it, but reading it again a few days ago it appears I rather like it.
Set in the rundown Big House Montefort in County Cork, Ireland, post WWII, there is a real sense of past and future being at odds with each other. Jane detests the past and yet simultaneously finds herself digging up old secrets for entertainment (letters from her dead uncle and dresses of a bygone fashion), her little sister Maud takes the future by storm (obsessively listening to the Big Ben on the radio chime away time), their mother Lilia would rather be living a different life with her true love, and her cousin Antonia wants to bury the past and with it her grief. Each is unique, and their interactions make for comical miscommunications and heartfelt revelations.
With an air of the gothic, and reality-bending scenes caused by overactive imaginations, Bowen beautifully puts into words an Ireland processing significant historical change. If you like estate novels or post-war novels, Bowen is for you.
Bowen's world is lyrical, amusing, and rich with character. I read A World of Love last year and for some reason didn't connect to it, but reading it again a few days ago it appears I rather like it.
Set in the rundown Big House Montefort in County Cork, Ireland, post WWII, there is a real sense of past and future being at odds with each other. Jane detests the past and yet simultaneously finds herself digging up old secrets for entertainment (letters from her dead uncle and dresses of a bygone fashion), her little sister Maud takes the future by storm (obsessively listening to the Big Ben on the radio chime away time), their mother Lilia would rather be living a different life with her true love, and her cousin Antonia wants to bury the past and with it her grief. Each is unique, and their interactions make for comical miscommunications and heartfelt revelations.
With an air of the gothic, and reality-bending scenes caused by overactive imaginations, Bowen beautifully puts into words an Ireland processing significant historical change. If you like estate novels or post-war novels, Bowen is for you.
evenstarwen's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
emilyadelaidde's review against another edition
3.0
I love the concept of the story, but I find that the intricacy of the prose comes at a cost: the depth of the story. I found it hard to get too attached to any characters or very invested in the plot, mainly because of the stylistic choices (beautiful as they may be).
kairhone's review against another edition
Antiquated language; long paragraphs; slow plot
charbear's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
woolfy_vita's review
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
kcmag1's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
slow-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
3.25
This novella by Elizabeth Bowen is rather slow-paced and reflective, and the characters (flawed, but interesting and grounded) are not often sympathetic. Yet Bowen paints a vivid description of Montefort and the other settings, and the humor and witty lines (especially from Maud & Antonia) made for a more enjoyable read. I found the conflict in the overarching themes of the lost opportunity of the past and youthful desire for romance to be compelling and reflected well in the cast of characters, especially in the different meanings of Guy's lingering presence for each character ( Jane - romance, Lilia - grief of what could have been, Fred - his own competence or worthiness, and Antonia - a combination of all these things). I sometimes didn't understand the feelings or motivations of the characters; it took me until the end of the story to feel like I knew them. However, for a novel full of bitter characters, the last line served as a delightful and hopeful plot twist.
kateeliz's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars more accurate. Started off really liking this, but I found it quickly ran out of steam. I will re-read though, like many of Bowen's novels the plot is quite evasive and it's easy to miss significant details and developments.