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epots's review against another edition
I had to read this in a week for class, and the pacing was too slow. The story was interesting but I couldn't attach myself to any of the characters.
claudia_is_reading's review
3.0
I am of two minds about this book. I truly dislike the protagonist, but I like the concept.
A young, vain, uber frivolous and privileged man, reading the diaries of the old Lord Nantwich who, feeling that his death is close, wants someone to write his memories.
I liked the juxtaposition between the lives of these two men, living in such different times; and I liked how, at the end, we discover the link that brings their lives together.
I like the writing style, too. But when I don't like the protagonist... it's hard for me to love a book :/
A young, vain, uber frivolous and privileged man, reading the diaries of the old Lord Nantwich who, feeling that his death is close, wants someone to write his memories.
I liked the juxtaposition between the lives of these two men, living in such different times; and I liked how, at the end, we discover the link that brings their lives together.
I like the writing style, too. But when I don't like the protagonist... it's hard for me to love a book :/
tradepaperback's review against another edition
Found it a hard slog and unenjoyable.
okaypel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
sadsster's review
challenging
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
jackieeh's review against another edition
4.0
This is the longest its taken me to read a book in years. Years. This had nothing to do with Hollinghurst's writing (which, it should be obvious by now, I love) and everything to do with the narrator. I finished The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, which is rich, grandiose, sad, and humanistic, and launched straight into this, which is...very well-written and well-observed. It was really, really difficult to move from these kind, imperfect characters to William Beckwith. Pretty much any other book would have made for a better lead-in.
Also, I usually do quite a bit of reading on public transportation, but, okay, there's this unspoken agreement that everyone will be reading over your shoulder, and Beckwith (James, Nantwich, Hollinghurst, et. al.) luxuriated in nigh-on fetishistic descriptions of black male anatomy and debates on underage ambiguity, and none of that was going to fly.
But enough about the things that prevented me from reading. Once I got into it three days ago, I was fully into it. Push aside the sex and what you have is a novel about numerous versions of England (multiples pasts and multiples presents) uneasily coexisting. There's the Bridesheadian and Empire-tastic diary flashbacks; there's the 1974 idle rich; there are skinheads and immigrant families and estates; there are trips to the opera, accidental pornography, arrests, adorable nephews, unequal friendships, and a lot of swimming.
It is difficult to follow a narrator like this, but it's also very rewarding. The variations in Will's speech from friend to friend are minute and amazing. Those infinitesimal shifts are so true to life. This is a narrator who is not half the bastard he pretends to be. Hollinghurst gives us only a few glimpses of Will's unfiltered reactions, so brief that Will himself fails to notice. This is masterful, and my favorite thing about the novel. It is also why it took me so long to get going; pay too little attention and you risk missing them altogether.
This book was written the year I was born, and right now I am gearing up to celebrate my 25th birthday on Monday. Some things change, some things stay the same. I will go on loving Alan Hollinghurst, but I will never read The Swimming-Pool Library on the bus.
The Line of Beauty, The Stranger's Child, and this book all feature protagonists who should be working on a book, and aren't. These are not the most restful novels a writer could be reading, but they are among the best.
Also, I usually do quite a bit of reading on public transportation, but, okay, there's this unspoken agreement that everyone will be reading over your shoulder, and Beckwith (James, Nantwich, Hollinghurst, et. al.) luxuriated in nigh-on fetishistic descriptions of black male anatomy and debates on underage ambiguity, and none of that was going to fly.
But enough about the things that prevented me from reading. Once I got into it three days ago, I was fully into it. Push aside the sex and what you have is a novel about numerous versions of England (multiples pasts and multiples presents) uneasily coexisting. There's the Bridesheadian and Empire-tastic diary flashbacks; there's the 1974 idle rich; there are skinheads and immigrant families and estates; there are trips to the opera, accidental pornography, arrests, adorable nephews, unequal friendships, and a lot of swimming.
It is difficult to follow a narrator like this, but it's also very rewarding. The variations in Will's speech from friend to friend are minute and amazing. Those infinitesimal shifts are so true to life. This is a narrator who is not half the bastard he pretends to be. Hollinghurst gives us only a few glimpses of Will's unfiltered reactions, so brief that Will himself fails to notice. This is masterful, and my favorite thing about the novel. It is also why it took me so long to get going; pay too little attention and you risk missing them altogether.
This book was written the year I was born, and right now I am gearing up to celebrate my 25th birthday on Monday. Some things change, some things stay the same. I will go on loving Alan Hollinghurst, but I will never read The Swimming-Pool Library on the bus.
The Line of Beauty, The Stranger's Child, and this book all feature protagonists who should be working on a book, and aren't. These are not the most restful novels a writer could be reading, but they are among the best.
slimeprogengy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
jakobmarleymommy's review against another edition
2.0
I'm not really sure what to say about this book. The characters had no redeeming qualities, plot lines were introduced and never resolved, and I'm unclear what the overall point of the book was.
A few other things troubled me as well. Not being a gay man, I honestly don't know how much time gay men think about cocks, analyze random strangers buldges, or exhibit varying stages of boners in the gym shower, but Will seemed to think of nothing else. Is that normal?
It also seemed that several less central characters were of ambiguous sexuality. Of course people can bisexual, but it almost seemed to be an English boarding school ritual to take it up the ass regardless of whether or not you were gay. I find it hard to believe that men can switch their sexuality on and off like that. I know I would not be able to be with a woman sexually, and I don't believe my feelings are unusual.
I don't know anything about the author, but he has some serious love of the penis. I appreciate a nice penis, but the descriptions in this book were over the top. I've never examined a penis with as much focus as the author appears to have; it got to be a bit much.
One thing I did appreciate about the book was the description of the sexual escapades that were possible (homo and hetero) in a pre-aids society. Despite dozens of illicit encounters there was not a single mention of protection or fear of disease. It's hard for me to understand that kind of world, having coming of age in the midst of the AIDS epidemic.
Overall, not awful, but definitely not worthy of being named one of the 1,001 books I must read before I die.
A few other things troubled me as well. Not being a gay man, I honestly don't know how much time gay men think about cocks, analyze random strangers buldges, or exhibit varying stages of boners in the gym shower, but Will seemed to think of nothing else. Is that normal?
It also seemed that several less central characters were of ambiguous sexuality. Of course people can bisexual, but it almost seemed to be an English boarding school ritual to take it up the ass regardless of whether or not you were gay. I find it hard to believe that men can switch their sexuality on and off like that. I know I would not be able to be with a woman sexually, and I don't believe my feelings are unusual.
I don't know anything about the author, but he has some serious love of the penis. I appreciate a nice penis, but the descriptions in this book were over the top. I've never examined a penis with as much focus as the author appears to have; it got to be a bit much.
One thing I did appreciate about the book was the description of the sexual escapades that were possible (homo and hetero) in a pre-aids society. Despite dozens of illicit encounters there was not a single mention of protection or fear of disease. It's hard for me to understand that kind of world, having coming of age in the midst of the AIDS epidemic.
Overall, not awful, but definitely not worthy of being named one of the 1,001 books I must read before I die.
eskimonika's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
3.25