Reviews

The Closed Circle by Jonathan Coe

beccamc's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

stewardii's review against another edition

funny hopeful informative lighthearted sad 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? Yes

4.25

Sorry, but, this absolutely rules. Of course it’s messier than Rotter’s Club, but as a sequel that aims to give the same treatment to Blair’s Britain that its predecessor gave to the 1970s, it does superbly well. If anything, it is more excoriating and vicious - I don’t think Coe has ever written anything as funny as the comeuppance that comes to Paul Trotter in this, made so much funnier by how shocking and un-Coe like it is! At times inconsistent, but never not brilliant. Much maligned.

drianturner's review against another edition

5.0

A triumph! It helps to have read the prequel, the Rotters' Club, before this.

sarahhautman's review against another edition

4.0

To Borrow

souljaleonn's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.0

kb_reads132's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

lizzina's review against another edition

5.0

I enjoyed this even more than "La banda dei brocchi", being characters more closer to my age than in the previous book. Actually, I couldn't believe how many of them have changed totally! I really like Claire, someone I didn't give much credit in the previus book. This time she is the best character, a strong woman who fall apart many times, but regain all her life all alone. Benjamin is the one who didn't change much, but I must admit I did not like how he ended up (I'm not a fan of Cicely, as you may guess ;)). Malvina was quite clear who it was since the beginning, but maybe it was in the author's mind to do this. Dough is funny like it was in the first book. Paul is somehow changed, and in worse (I wouldn't thik he could, but he actually did. Such an idiot!) I enojyed the book from the beginning to the end, very well written and many subject icluded but none of them bored me like sometimes it happens with subject I don't quite understand.

ludovicaciasullo's review against another edition

3.0

Le doti di questo scrittore che abbiamo imparato a conoscere e ad apprezzare con La banda dei brocchi sono ancora qui. Riprende le sottotrame che animavano il primo volume e le porta intelligentemente a compimento, tanto che i due romanzi sono così magistralemente legati da sembrare quasi due parti di uno stesso volume. La nozione di identità personale come intreccio di vita privata e pubblica si indebolisce: non scompare del tutto ma è meno centrale di quanto non lo fosse nel romanzo precedente. Da lettrice affezionata, si ritrovano con piacere i personaggi, ormai adulti, e, semplicemente, sei curioso di sapere che gli capita e come si sentono. Forse la ricerca dell'intreccio articolato si spinge un po' all'estremo e scavalla nel virtuosismo. L'autore è bravo a farlo ma è come se io, lettrice, avessi intravisto lo sforzo intellettuale e artistico che c'è dietro, come se si fosse vagamente rotta l'illusione: nel romanzo precedente era un meccanismo così delicato, da presitigatore.

Nonostante apprezzi questo autore, sia affezionata ai personaggi e adori lo stile della saga, è una versione un po' più cigolante, arrugginita, della precedente.
Per il legame affettivo che ho coi personaggi e con l'autore, avrei messo anche una mezza stella in più, ma preferisco essere austera.

ultima's review against another edition

3.0

this book gave me depression abt middle age and getting old

mefi's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book is too good to be true. It's impossible, I've never read a book such like this one. It's so complete; complicated but actually really straight forward. Absolutely loved this.

And Lois' words about terrorists and wars at the end, now, with Israel-Palestine war.