908 reviews for:

The Portrait of a Lady

Henry James

3.66 AVERAGE

anjsi's review against another edition

4.0

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

monicabooks's review against another edition

4.25

reflective slow-paced

ragnatela's review against another edition

4.25

reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.

Meeting Isabel Archer brings as much happiness as a bouquet of flowers: it is impossible not to enjoy its brightness, colours and scent. Unfortunately, she also withers as soon as a bouquet, leaving us sad with the memory of its past beauty.

I'm quite happy that the translator decided to abandon the uncivilized habit of writing prefaces, preferring to it an afterword, but I don't really agree with his description of Isabel as frigid.

(May 2024)

gios_bookshelf's review against another edition

3.5

reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

meli92's review against another edition

2.5

dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

obxpug_4a's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional funny informative reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

biolexicon's review against another edition

1.0

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So, many, commas. And, so, looooooong. Not having a traditional plot isn't a bad thing when the inner mind of characters is explored fully. This novel was very psychological, but it was so precise that it became convoluted and contradictory. I got lost in the maze of character descriptions and missed Isabel's essence.
The intro was great though. I got excited after reading it, excited for the ending really. I kept hanging on, trudging through page after page hoping that the pace would pick up and I could get to the much awaited ending. I gave up around 150 pages in. If there's a great payoff at the end, I'm going to miss it. I doubt that payoff though. The beginning was psychologically muddy and I bet the promised ending is equally so.

egmamaril's review against another edition

4.0

medium-paced

xeniaseidl's review against another edition

2.5

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

jess_mango's review against another edition

4.0

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I give this between 3 and 4 stars.