Reviews

The Swimming-Pool Library by Alan Hollinghurst

balkanbruiser's review against another edition

4.5

This really is a book that leaves you in utter melancholy with just the slightest bit of heart-breaking lurch, barely assuaged by an incessant search for tenderness. Queer people are flawed, queer people are real, we're here and we're not perfect. This book is an artifact of that.
There are some moments I wanted to skip, but there was something driving me forward to finish the book, and I'm glad I did. 

coreylanesmith's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense slow-paced

3.5

zenjief's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

2.0

mateusjobim's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

howeslee's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective 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? Yes

3.5

scar__daddy's review against another edition

Old timey gay racism set in the 80s

carpline's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

an interesting story that doesn’t quite travel as far as you’d want it to, and at times gets somewhat slow. but i really appreciated the detailed descriptions of the geography of gay london in the early 80s, which made it worthwhile to me. the main character was not particularly loveable, but that seemed to be purposeful, and i got the sense that change was on the horizon for him, even if it didn’t happen within the confines of the book itself.

leovinas's review

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

mckechniejam's review against another edition

5.0

Wild

dnyxly's review against another edition

funny reflective medium-paced

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

4.5