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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
A really well written tragic story that I didn’t enjoy listening to and wouldn’t recommend to a friend.
I listened to the audible version of this book, narrated by Colin Firth. That was the most redeeming quality of the experience. This book surprised me in some ways, and I didn’t see a couple of the plot twists coming. In general, the book addresses what “love”, “hate”, “God”, “religion”, and “belief” are, but. It took until the end for me to figure that all out.
If I were rating this based only on Colin Firth’s performance narrating the audiobook it would get 5 stars but I really just didn't connect with the story at all.
3.5 stars I think. I had a hard time rating this book, partly because I got through about 35% of the book and couldn't figure out what was going on. So this morning I started all over and this time things made more sense to me. In the end, I listened to about half the book while I did my workout and then the second half while I was commuting and running errands. I don't know if I would have persisted if it hadn't been Colin Firth reading, but he definitely makes it easier for me to follow. This book has some powerful and achingly beautiful moments, but it's also depressing. I read a blurb on this book and it turns out that the book is semi-autobiographical in the sense that Greene channeled his own experiences and his thoughts about love and religion/Catholic church into this book. I think that both makes it more realistic/emotional and sad. I'm glad I finally sat down and "read" this book, but I'm ready for something a bit more lighthearted now!
There were so many lines I reread again and again because they were just too perfect. I much preferred the focus on the people's relationship with each other vs. God, but it all tied together seamlessly.
My fourth Greene novel and definitely not the last, but I'm slowly coming to the realization that i like his writing more than his stories.
The end of the affair is a bittersweet story of how, a woman and her struggles with faith, affects the life of the people around her
, it's also a story of love, hate and jealousy all at the same time.
Just like in [b:Brighton Rock|48862|Brighton Rock|Graham Greene|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1337363402l/48862._SY75_.jpg|2468586] Catholicism and the very personal old testament God have a prominent role in the novel, both for the characters like Sarah struggling to believe and for others like Bendrix and Smythe struggling to avoid it, the premise of the novel seems to be that both sides, by the mere fact that they even discuss the matter, accepts religion in one way or the other.
The characters are masterful described in a very British understated manner and even though the novel is somewhat dated (Written in 1951) it's still a joy to listen to.
The Narration by Colin Firth is amazing and adds an extra star on it's own.
The end of the affair is a bittersweet story of how, a woman and her struggles with faith, affects the life of the people around her
, it's also a story of love, hate and jealousy all at the same time.
Just like in [b:Brighton Rock|48862|Brighton Rock|Graham Greene|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1337363402l/48862._SY75_.jpg|2468586] Catholicism and the very personal old testament God have a prominent role in the novel, both for the characters like Sarah struggling to believe and for others like Bendrix and Smythe struggling to avoid it, the premise of the novel seems to be that both sides, by the mere fact that they even discuss the matter, accepts religion in one way or the other.
The characters are masterful described in a very British understated manner and even though the novel is somewhat dated (Written in 1951) it's still a joy to listen to.
The Narration by Colin Firth is amazing and adds an extra star on it's own.
not even the german translation could kill the hate (*love) I have for this book
I let Colin Firth read this to me...(what a great decision!)...and while I'm tempted to say that Colin Firth could read anything to me and I'd swoon, I think that it was more of a case of a well matched narrator. Not any narrator would have been able to handle the nuances of Greene's incredible internal commentary. I'm not sure I enjoyed the characters much, but the writing was something else.
I took my time reading this book (and even read some parts out loud). I loved this story. Bendrix is such a damaged character. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because I didn't enjoy all of the ending as much as I enjoyed the rest of the book.