You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Terrific. It's got a great plot; lots of good, gossipy glimpses into the rarified worlds of art & wealth; love stories of various sorts & virtues; interesting, sympathetic, and complex characters; amazing descriptions of food and cooking - there's something for everyone.
This book is times funny, sad, moving, ridiculous, hopeful, a thriller, a romance, a heist... it's not a master piece but it's a solid, enjoyable book. And sometimes that's just what you need! It has a bit of a week point around the 3/4 mark but then it gets better again. Very nice, just that, nice.
If The Art Forger and The DaVinci Code had a baby, it would be this book. The chapters narrated by the revered art piece itself were creative and helped advance the plot. A well told tale, all in all.
Rich in detail and plot, with lush writing throughout. Similar to THE GOLDFINCH, if not quite as captivating.
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I keep rating books immediately after I finish them, and then once I give them time I (usually) lower my rating. Maybe I should give it some more time so that the initial high (or anger, disgust, etc.) doesn't completely color my overall impression.
I had to stay up late last night to finish this book because the last 50-75 pages are really suspenseful. It was a fun read, and I loved the description of art in this book. It's something I don't know much about, and this was a perfect example of why reading can be so much fun; you get to enter unfamiliar worlds and sometimes learn a lot.
However... the initial chapters nearly put me completely off for a reason that continued to be an issue throughout the book: money/class! The first section is a parade of glamorous and incredibly wealthy people, and I don't think I've ever read a book with so many descriptions of how much things cost. There was only one moment in which this was consciously critiqued: when Beachendon enters the house of someone whose art he wants to auction, he takes stock of how much everything (the carpet, the house, the furniture, etc.) costs, and realizes that that is the lens with which he sees the world. He seems to be saddened by this, but only because he, for the moment, is in dire straits and stealing rolls from dinners so that he has something to eat for the next week. Much more could have been made of this self-reflection. Perhaps this was Rothschild's intention (to critique the values of this milieu), but my impression was that largely, it was glamorized and glorified.
Rothschild at one point describes art as transcending the value of other goods because it is something that can touch and affect everyone (greatly paraphrasing here). However, based on her description of art in this book, hers seems to be a myopic view of how art affects the super-rich, for better or worse. There was no transcendence of class because the only people who can afford to appreciate the art and participate in that world are the kind who receive $25 million paintings for their 12th birthdays.
Of course our main character Annie wasn't rich, it's not as if Rothschild doesn't realize that not everyone buys these things on a whim, but it was a bit difficult to jump on board with her premise that someone like Annie can appreciate and be captivated by a painting, while being bombarded with how much it all costs.
There were also several characters who, while interesting and sympathetic, ultimately didn't serve a purpose. They were mainly the people who were going to bid on the painting in the first section. Few of them had anything to do with the story other than wanting to buy The Improbability of Love, and so spending time on them seemed... pointless.
This all probably sounds like I didn't like the book, but I did. There were so many lovely descriptions of art that made me feel like I might as well be looking at it, and I liked the characters and it was exciting. I really enjoyed the chapters coming from the perspective of the painting itself. There were just some problems I had with the book which, in retrospect, made it feel a bit limited.
I had to stay up late last night to finish this book because the last 50-75 pages are really suspenseful. It was a fun read, and I loved the description of art in this book. It's something I don't know much about, and this was a perfect example of why reading can be so much fun; you get to enter unfamiliar worlds and sometimes learn a lot.
However... the initial chapters nearly put me completely off for a reason that continued to be an issue throughout the book: money/class! The first section is a parade of glamorous and incredibly wealthy people, and I don't think I've ever read a book with so many descriptions of how much things cost. There was only one moment in which this was consciously critiqued: when Beachendon enters the house of someone whose art he wants to auction, he takes stock of how much everything (the carpet, the house, the furniture, etc.) costs, and realizes that that is the lens with which he sees the world. He seems to be saddened by this, but only because he, for the moment, is in dire straits and stealing rolls from dinners so that he has something to eat for the next week. Much more could have been made of this self-reflection. Perhaps this was Rothschild's intention (to critique the values of this milieu), but my impression was that largely, it was glamorized and glorified.
Rothschild at one point describes art as transcending the value of other goods because it is something that can touch and affect everyone (greatly paraphrasing here). However, based on her description of art in this book, hers seems to be a myopic view of how art affects the super-rich, for better or worse. There was no transcendence of class because the only people who can afford to appreciate the art and participate in that world are the kind who receive $25 million paintings for their 12th birthdays.
Of course our main character Annie wasn't rich, it's not as if Rothschild doesn't realize that not everyone buys these things on a whim, but it was a bit difficult to jump on board with her premise that someone like Annie can appreciate and be captivated by a painting, while being bombarded with how much it all costs.
There were also several characters who, while interesting and sympathetic, ultimately didn't serve a purpose. They were mainly the people who were going to bid on the painting in the first section. Few of them had anything to do with the story other than wanting to buy The Improbability of Love, and so spending time on them seemed... pointless.
This all probably sounds like I didn't like the book, but I did. There were so many lovely descriptions of art that made me feel like I might as well be looking at it, and I liked the characters and it was exciting. I really enjoyed the chapters coming from the perspective of the painting itself. There were just some problems I had with the book which, in retrospect, made it feel a bit limited.
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
If you aren't convinced by the first half of the book, the second half sped up and I found it much more engaging!
The Improbability of Love is a perfect read for hot weather and sunshine. Fun, witty and quick to go through.