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amandacreadsbooks's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.0
ageekyreader's review against another edition
1.0
I really can't recall a single part of this book that I liked. When I finished reading, I remember thinking, "was that it? what was the point?"
Not all books have to have grand sweeping statements or even cover that much time. But, like I've said in other reviews, the book has to have something to stand on, and this story didn't.
Not all books have to have grand sweeping statements or even cover that much time. But, like I've said in other reviews, the book has to have something to stand on, and this story didn't.
kwurtzel3's review
1.0
Intriguing plot; utterly miserable execution. And a very unsatisfactory ending.
soljasoleil's review against another edition
2.0
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
Sadly, it was not my cup a tea. This not a particularly plot driven book, but a collection of ''scenes'' from the characters' life primarily in London between the two world wars. This would have been perfectly alright, and it's a wonderful setting, but I didn't feel as though I got to know any of the characters beyond a couple of defining traits. There wasn't really any development with any of them.
I did however enjoy the way the narrator's voice inserted itself into the story, commenting on the characters and situations.
Sadly, it was not my cup a tea. This not a particularly plot driven book, but a collection of ''scenes'' from the characters' life primarily in London between the two world wars. This would have been perfectly alright, and it's a wonderful setting, but I didn't feel as though I got to know any of the characters beyond a couple of defining traits. There wasn't really any development with any of them.
I did however enjoy the way the narrator's voice inserted itself into the story, commenting on the characters and situations.
fiendfull's review
3.0
Before The War is a historical novel set in the early twentieth century with an ironic tone and a self conscious narrator. It tells the story of Vivien Ripple, the daughter of a publisher, Sherwyn Sexton, a writer and an editor at Ripple & Co, and the events that occur after Vivien makes the unlikely suggestion that they get married. Europe tries to recover from one war and hurtles headlong into another whilst the characters find themselves entangled more messily than they imagined and the world they live in shown to be ridiculous.
Weldon writes in a humorous and metafictional style, with a narrator who skirts between exposing the act of making up details on the spot and claiming that the events are true. The narrative of the novel is farcical and not particularly original, reading like something from Waugh or Burgess perhaps, but the narratorial style provides a driving force, exposing the act of looking back at fake history from the twenty first century through direct comments to the reader and references to modern things such as Gone Girl mixed into asides. The use of hindsight and historical irony makes this a novel more about the act of writing a novel set between the world wars than one focused on a narrative in the period.
Before The War is not quite the historical novel it seems to be, but this makes it suited to readers looking for irony, self consciousness, and something akin to Evelyn Waugh writing his novels from the vantage point of the twenty first century.
Weldon writes in a humorous and metafictional style, with a narrator who skirts between exposing the act of making up details on the spot and claiming that the events are true. The narrative of the novel is farcical and not particularly original, reading like something from Waugh or Burgess perhaps, but the narratorial style provides a driving force, exposing the act of looking back at fake history from the twenty first century through direct comments to the reader and references to modern things such as Gone Girl mixed into asides. The use of hindsight and historical irony makes this a novel more about the act of writing a novel set between the world wars than one focused on a narrative in the period.
Before The War is not quite the historical novel it seems to be, but this makes it suited to readers looking for irony, self consciousness, and something akin to Evelyn Waugh writing his novels from the vantage point of the twenty first century.
hallieg's review
2.0
I won this book in a contest here on goodreads. This plot has so much potential: Right after the first World War a pregnant, unmarried lady - who happens to be very plain and has a mild mental disability (Weldon make sure to tell us that) - proposes to a man she barely knows. You could do so many things with that plot, yet I felt like it wasn't her story I was reading....There were many characters introduced that didn't really have much of an impact or needed to be there.
I didn't think there was much of a climax. For me the best part was while they were on honeymoon - no it's not that kind of a book. So after Vivvie dies (which Weldon makes clear many times that she has control over the book, therefore Vivvie must die) the plot just fell part. Weldon focused lot of Adela and Sherwyn - very little on what the book description talks about. The last 150 pages were hard for me to get through.
I enjoyed how Weldon write. It was a nice change from the usual books I read. She breaks the "fourth wall" and writes herself into the story. I felt like it was written like she was preparing notes for a play. There were also time where I felt like it was all over the place. Readers were supposed to be taken back and forth from just after WWI to just before WWII. But I felt like that only happened once, after that it was several years later, then several years later, etc.
Overall, it was okay. I was disappointed with how the plot just stopped and took a left turn. It wasn't my favorite, but I might read another one of Weldon's because I enjoyed how narrated and wrote.
I didn't think there was much of a climax. For me the best part was while they were on honeymoon - no it's not that kind of a book. So after Vivvie dies (which Weldon makes clear many times that she has control over the book, therefore Vivvie must die) the plot just fell part. Weldon focused lot of Adela and Sherwyn - very little on what the book description talks about. The last 150 pages were hard for me to get through.
I enjoyed how Weldon write. It was a nice change from the usual books I read. She breaks the "fourth wall" and writes herself into the story. I felt like it was written like she was preparing notes for a play. There were also time where I felt like it was all over the place. Readers were supposed to be taken back and forth from just after WWI to just before WWII. But I felt like that only happened once, after that it was several years later, then several years later, etc.
Overall, it was okay. I was disappointed with how the plot just stopped and took a left turn. It wasn't my favorite, but I might read another one of Weldon's because I enjoyed how narrated and wrote.
ashwise360's review
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
krismcd59's review against another edition
4.0
Classic Weldon -- a sharp, cynical and worldly-wise comedy of British manners between the World Wars, with a clever time-jumping style of narrative. This is a continuation of sorts of Weldon's [b:The Love & Inheritance Trilogy|18942851|The Love & Inheritance Trilogy|Fay Weldon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1385361648s/18942851.jpg|26951235], and promises to extend to more volumes. It's not for readers wanting to revisit the homey pleasures of Downton Abbey -- her characters are too flawed and self-absorbed for that kind of experience. But lovers of real, gimlet-eyed English satire will enjoy Weldon's sure authorial touch.
sadpear's review
4.0
I was not expecting this to take up with one of the characters of Weldon's fantastic upstairs/downstairs trilogy! It was slow at first but soon the story rocketed along in that familiar jaunty way. Fascinating to see the character development in this one.