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essjay1's review against another edition
4.0
An enjoyable read. Freya is a great character, in fact, lots of really good female characters here.
jmatkinson1's review against another edition
5.0
Summer 1967 and German director Reiner Werner Kloss is in London to shoot an updated version of a Henry James story. The production is financed by alleged gangster Harry Pulver, the lead actress is discovered after she tries to steal a wallet and screenwriter Nat has an interesting sexual peccadillo. This is the summer of Sergeant Pepper and amidst a whirl of sex and drugs and charges to society the film was never going to be a straightforward costume drama but as art and real-life collide the characters all change in one way or another.
Anthony Quinn is fast establishing himself as a stellar novelist. Yet again this book manages to be literary, emotive and entertaining and the twists of the plot echo those in the original Henry James novella. This is a supremely engaging book which offers much social commentary on society in the 1960s, and in that as well it echoes the writing of James. It would be too easy to think of this book as a story about a film being made in Swinging London, it is so much more.
Anthony Quinn is fast establishing himself as a stellar novelist. Yet again this book manages to be literary, emotive and entertaining and the twists of the plot echo those in the original Henry James novella. This is a supremely engaging book which offers much social commentary on society in the 1960s, and in that as well it echoes the writing of James. It would be too easy to think of this book as a story about a film being made in Swinging London, it is so much more.
laurenelise00's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
timemm's review
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
fiendfull's review
4.0
Eureka investigates an elusiveness about art whilst also being a Sixties caper. It follows the making of a new film by German director Reiner Werther Kloss: a very loose adaptation of a Henry James story being written by man-about-town screenwriter Nat Fane, a man who likes an exciting life more than getting work done. The film features fledgling actress Billie Cantrip, whose introduction to the world of cinema is not quite as she expected, with mystery, acid trips, fire, and many, many secrets featuring as the film ‘Eureka’ is slowly made. The bustle of art, music, and gangsters in London in 1967 forms the backdrop for the book, which somehow balances the fun and danger of the period with meditations about obsession, artistic creation, and the hunt for real meaning.
Quinn gives all of the main characters extensive backgrounds and moves between focuses on them to weave together a long story, though the narrative doesn’t take place over more than a summer. Intercut between the chapters are snippets of the screenplay for the film that Fane is writing within the narrative, revealing the secrets of the film as the tension in the story rises. This technique gives good freedom for Quinn to counterpoint ideas about art and love in one story with another, and also to break up one narrative with another. This means that the book doesn’t feel as long as it might, and it stays gripping throughout with enjoyable characters and some surprisingly intriguing strands of plot.
As is discovered in the film being made, art should not give all the answers, and Quinn does not, giving his ending enough ambiguity to follow through with this message about the questioning of meaning. Eureka is a literary caper that delves into obsession with art and refuses to give definite answers to many of its major questions.
Quinn gives all of the main characters extensive backgrounds and moves between focuses on them to weave together a long story, though the narrative doesn’t take place over more than a summer. Intercut between the chapters are snippets of the screenplay for the film that Fane is writing within the narrative, revealing the secrets of the film as the tension in the story rises. This technique gives good freedom for Quinn to counterpoint ideas about art and love in one story with another, and also to break up one narrative with another. This means that the book doesn’t feel as long as it might, and it stays gripping throughout with enjoyable characters and some surprisingly intriguing strands of plot.
As is discovered in the film being made, art should not give all the answers, and Quinn does not, giving his ending enough ambiguity to follow through with this message about the questioning of meaning. Eureka is a literary caper that delves into obsession with art and refuses to give definite answers to many of its major questions.
timothypomeroy's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
justmasha's review
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
6 months ago i dnf’d this book. upon return to it i found myself intrigued and excited. i really wanted to like the story because it was set in london in 1967 (i mean come on) and was full of (what i imagine to be) experiences of the time. i loved the music, the art, films, restaurants and drug trips. the storylines matched up nicely and i connected with the characters. the writing is witty and economical(??); fun with just the right amount of self importance and references to the beatles.
eureka is a great light summer read of drugs, danger, debauchery”
eureka is a great light summer read of drugs, danger, debauchery”
jennamorrison's review
3.0
I received a copy of this via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Eureka is an interesting book, especially for those who enjoy the 60's era. There are many pop culture references throughout the book.
The characters are definitely the highlight of the story. They are unique, interesting and developed well.
It took me a little while to get into the story but I did enjoy it overall.
Eureka is an interesting book, especially for those who enjoy the 60's era. There are many pop culture references throughout the book.
The characters are definitely the highlight of the story. They are unique, interesting and developed well.
It took me a little while to get into the story but I did enjoy it overall.
amalia1985's review
4.0
‘’With night descending the yellow glare of the street lamps lent it an air at once forlorn and promisingly sleazy.’’
Anthony Quinn has always been a writer highly recommended by good friends of mine and his Freya has been on my TBR for quite some time. When I requested Eureka, I was mainly attracted by the whimsical, groovy cover and by the fact that the story is set during the late 60s,a period of time that I consider to be one of the most fascinating in History.I am glad my instinct was right because this has been a very interesting reading experience.
We follow the people involved in the making of a film called ‘’Eureka’’ which is based on a script inspired by The Figure In The Carpet, a short story by Henry James. The man responsible for the screenplay is Nat, an Oscar winner that tries to regain fame and acceptance. The novel itself isn’t action packed, it is rather a slow burner, but terribly interesting, in my opinion. Besides being allowed a glimpse in the process of filmmaking at the time, we come to live with the characters and understand them better through their choices and actions in their social, professional and private life.
The characters are rich and fully developed. Nat is eccentric -in many ways- but he is deeply sympathetic. He is charmingly vain and kind hearted and a bit naive in a childish, almost innocent way. Freya is a journalist, a modern woman full of wits, grace and charm, but with a rather complicated private life. Billie is a young aspiring actress who struggles to find her place in the acting professions and along with it, she tries to find the courage -aided by her family and Nat- to escape an abusive relationship with Jeff, who is someone I’d cut in half with a blunt chainsaw if I had the chance...Reiner is a German director with an interesting background story and Sonja is a German actress who tries to do her job as best as she could and in the same time be there for everyone. And of course, we have Vere, a legendary actor, who for some reason made me picture the great Derek Jacobi as I was reading. So you see? It is a rare case that we have such a fascinating cast of characters who are nicely introduced, fully fleshed-out and realistic without being irritating or superficial. I was really impressed on that ground.
However, in my opinion, the true attraction and asset of Quinn’s novels isn’t the story, not even the people who populate its pages, but the setting, both in terms of time and of place. I don’t think I’ve read a better description of the swinging sixties, nor one as finely inserted in the story as this. The references to the music -the Beatles being the focus, obviously- the clothes, the outrageous parties, the new cinematic techniques and movements that were just starting, forming the experimental cinematography, were vivid and I felt as if I’ve been a child of the sixties. Furthermore, the whole setting has a strong, urban feeling which I really loved and felt familiar with. I would say that the descriptions of beautiful Munich with the urban, haunting atmosphere of Maximilianstrasse during the night (and those who have been to the wonderful Bavarian city will know what I’m talking about) were some of the best I’ve ever come across in a book. Equally beautiful, though a bit more common, were the images of the autumnal London during the dusk.
So, needless to say, Quinn’s writing is very interesting. The dialogues echo the ‘’sound’’ of the times and they feel natural and flowing. The film script that had the function of the story-within-the-story was a special feature that may seem irrelevant to some, but if we bother to look into it in depth (as we ought to, because we are readers after all), we’ll understand that it serves in realising the characters’ motives and prevents the writer from becoming too descriptive and repetitive. The story itself isn't so interesting, though. I felt, at times, that it was only a background, an excuse (in apositive way) for our portagonists’unfilding of their strengths and weaknesses.
Eureka is the kind of book that becomes memorable for its cast of characters and the successful depictions of one of the most beautiful and unique eras of our times. There is danger and debauchery and frivolity and joy and death. I don’t know about you, but this is the kind of books that definitely make a lasting impression on me.
Many thanks to Random House UK and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Anthony Quinn has always been a writer highly recommended by good friends of mine and his Freya has been on my TBR for quite some time. When I requested Eureka, I was mainly attracted by the whimsical, groovy cover and by the fact that the story is set during the late 60s,a period of time that I consider to be one of the most fascinating in History.I am glad my instinct was right because this has been a very interesting reading experience.
We follow the people involved in the making of a film called ‘’Eureka’’ which is based on a script inspired by The Figure In The Carpet, a short story by Henry James. The man responsible for the screenplay is Nat, an Oscar winner that tries to regain fame and acceptance. The novel itself isn’t action packed, it is rather a slow burner, but terribly interesting, in my opinion. Besides being allowed a glimpse in the process of filmmaking at the time, we come to live with the characters and understand them better through their choices and actions in their social, professional and private life.
The characters are rich and fully developed. Nat is eccentric -in many ways- but he is deeply sympathetic. He is charmingly vain and kind hearted and a bit naive in a childish, almost innocent way. Freya is a journalist, a modern woman full of wits, grace and charm, but with a rather complicated private life. Billie is a young aspiring actress who struggles to find her place in the acting professions and along with it, she tries to find the courage -aided by her family and Nat- to escape an abusive relationship with Jeff, who is someone I’d cut in half with a blunt chainsaw if I had the chance...Reiner is a German director with an interesting background story and Sonja is a German actress who tries to do her job as best as she could and in the same time be there for everyone. And of course, we have Vere, a legendary actor, who for some reason made me picture the great Derek Jacobi as I was reading. So you see? It is a rare case that we have such a fascinating cast of characters who are nicely introduced, fully fleshed-out and realistic without being irritating or superficial. I was really impressed on that ground.
However, in my opinion, the true attraction and asset of Quinn’s novels isn’t the story, not even the people who populate its pages, but the setting, both in terms of time and of place. I don’t think I’ve read a better description of the swinging sixties, nor one as finely inserted in the story as this. The references to the music -the Beatles being the focus, obviously- the clothes, the outrageous parties, the new cinematic techniques and movements that were just starting, forming the experimental cinematography, were vivid and I felt as if I’ve been a child of the sixties. Furthermore, the whole setting has a strong, urban feeling which I really loved and felt familiar with. I would say that the descriptions of beautiful Munich with the urban, haunting atmosphere of Maximilianstrasse during the night (and those who have been to the wonderful Bavarian city will know what I’m talking about) were some of the best I’ve ever come across in a book. Equally beautiful, though a bit more common, were the images of the autumnal London during the dusk.
So, needless to say, Quinn’s writing is very interesting. The dialogues echo the ‘’sound’’ of the times and they feel natural and flowing. The film script that had the function of the story-within-the-story was a special feature that may seem irrelevant to some, but if we bother to look into it in depth (as we ought to, because we are readers after all), we’ll understand that it serves in realising the characters’ motives and prevents the writer from becoming too descriptive and repetitive. The story itself isn't so interesting, though. I felt, at times, that it was only a background, an excuse (in apositive way) for our portagonists’unfilding of their strengths and weaknesses.
Eureka is the kind of book that becomes memorable for its cast of characters and the successful depictions of one of the most beautiful and unique eras of our times. There is danger and debauchery and frivolity and joy and death. I don’t know about you, but this is the kind of books that definitely make a lasting impression on me.
Many thanks to Random House UK and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
barrynorton's review
5.0
If you loved Freya, you must read this. If you didn't read Freya, read that, love it, read this.
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