Reviews

Jack Holmes and His Friend by Edmund White

moogen's review against another edition

3.0

Edmund White's physical descriptions of his characters are some of the best I've ever read. But the plot just didn't do it for me.

dangermoves's review against another edition

4.0

I really loved the characters and everything about this book but the ending just didn't do it justice.

fairybookmother's review against another edition

3.0

I had to think about this book for a while. It's a really well-written, a decently good character study, but the book's narrative ends too quickly... almost as if the author didn't realize how much he'd written and needed to wrap it up by a certain page length. And I kept wishing there was just a little bit more tension. I like White's style, though, so I'll keep my eyes peeled for more of his work.

samlutang's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

2.0

thingslucyreads's review against another edition

3.0

Rating: 3.5/5

Don't let my low star rating fool you, this book is very good. Let me explain. White's writing is the kind of delicious prose that makes you feel that you're eating the book rather than reading it. His characters are well-rounded and seem very, very accurate to the time in which they live and the society they are a part of. The only reason I gave it three and a half stars and not higher is just that I personally didn't love it. Don't get me wrong, I did very much enjoy it, but it's just not going to make any of my "favourite books" lists.

But, that said, it is definitely a book that should be read, and it has made me interested to read more of White's novels.

nemra's review against another edition

3.0

This is the first book i read by Edmund White, with some good characters,and enjoyed reading it.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2012/jan/06/edmund-white-life-in-writing

ladydewinter's review against another edition

3.0

This is the first book by White I’ve read. I bought it together with “A Boy’s own story” when I was in London - I found the title intriguing, and I really liked the first passage of the book. And while I can’t honestly say I liked the book, there were great bits every now and then.
“Jack Holmes and his friend” is set in New York in the 60s and 70s, and at the center are Jack and Will. Jack is gay and in love with his straight best friend Will. I liked the way the books explores the different dynamics of each of Jack’s and Will’s relationships, but especially Will’s behavior kept pissing me off. It wasn’t a bad book (I mean, I have read far worse), but I didn’t particularly enjoy reading it and don’t feel like I gained much from having read it. I also found the way the sex was written odd - or rather a bit pretentious, I guess. “Penis” is a horribly unsexy word.

emel's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.0

andheaventoo's review against another edition

2.0

A banal book full of rare bits of good writing, dipshit characters and absolutely no point whatsoever. It's chock-full of uncomfortable and demeaning racialized metaphors. A creep-fest in that way only a book by an old white man can be.
What a inordinate piece of shit.

natalierobinld's review against another edition

5.0

I really liked this. It was sexy and honest and not what I expected and I didn't really like the people but I weirdly cared about them.