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3.32 AVERAGE
3.32 AVERAGE
If only the content held 1/10 of the quality of the prose. This is like looking at a painting by a robot. Perfect in every detail but of nothing of real interest. We also get a female lead who is like a Hustler cartoon; She is drawn to appeal to male fantasy and does not exist in nature. This ultimately had gorgeous language but no soul. I hereby swear off Helprin, in part (but not entirely) because he clearly hates women with any agency.
Not for me. DNF at pg 49. Lost interest. Confusing narrative style. Pretty much everything about the story makes it hard to keep track of what's happening, what anything means, and I just don't have the patience right now for a story like that. I liked that there were multiple POVs, but this is just one of those stories that either grips you or it doesn't.
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Ignore the film, this huge book will last you all winter, it's genius
Creative, bewildering, heartbreaking, clever. This one runs the gamut.
This was a marvelous book. I loved it. It took me forever to read it, but I enjoyed every second. It felt like a book I could just keep reading for the rest of my life.
Ugh. I really tried to get into this. The prose is enthralling, but the introduction of the character Hardesty gradually eroded my interest in this novel. What I thought was mythic I later interpreted as sublime.
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was my second reading; the first was over a decade ago. There was much that felt new to me on this second reading, perhaps just because of how much time had passed, but maybe also because I'm a different person. I identified far more with Virginia and Hardesty this time around than with Peter and Beverly, and their story as partners and parents felt more like the heart of the book than the story of tragic romance.
Helprin's prose is like none other. It's worth reading this book for his eloquence alone; reading his words feels like he is romancing the English language itself--it's so sensual, how he writes. The magical realism element of the story only works because of this writing style, I think. The language itself is so magical that you don't flinch at the most preposterous and nonsensical fantasy elements, because it all feels like a beautiful dream.
I highly recommend this unique, beautiful, deeply moving piece of American literature.
Helprin's prose is like none other. It's worth reading this book for his eloquence alone; reading his words feels like he is romancing the English language itself--it's so sensual, how he writes. The magical realism element of the story only works because of this writing style, I think. The language itself is so magical that you don't flinch at the most preposterous and nonsensical fantasy elements, because it all feels like a beautiful dream.
I highly recommend this unique, beautiful, deeply moving piece of American literature.
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
This book has gorgeous characters and descriptions, but ultimately it didn't pull together for me. I wanted to love this book, but the plot moved away too slowly and did not have a big enough pay off for me.
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated