Scan barcode
lindseysparks's review
2.0
Meh. This did not grab my attention and I only finished it because I read that it turns into a bit of a melodrama and I wanted to see Henry James trying to do melodrama. It definitely picks up when it goes that direction but it still just left me shrugging my shoulders. I felt like the themes have been better and more interestingly explored elsewhere, including in other works by James, and just didn't really enjoy to this although it's certainly not terrible.
giulia_righi03's review against another edition
3.0
un libro dove il protagonista americano viene delineato come l’eroe e la persona superiore rispetto alla vecchia aristocrazia francese con giusto un pizzico di mercificazione della donna? Bene ma non benissimo
jeriwho's review against another edition
2.0
I never did finish this book. I even stopped caring if the American wins the lady by the end. While Henry James sets up an excellent stage for a great novel, the heaviness of his prose stopped me. Newman was well drawn, but I couldn't get past the stilted, cumbersome style to settle down and enjoy an American's depiction of a happy, optimistic, somewhat arrogant but good hearted American plummeting into the depths of old and corrupt French aristocracy. And then the plot lost its way. I never could get into Henry James after trying this one novel. Good luck to you if you attempt it!
haazex's review against another edition
5.0
Henry James continues to enchant my reading hours this year. The novel revolves around a young and rich millionaire that is taking the grand tour of Europe and gets entangled in a relationship with an older French aristocratic family. At first I felt as if James used a comedic and sarcastic lens juxtaposing American and European culture yet the novel shifted over time into a deeper psychological journey triggered by the cultural rift. James's writing in particular is very immersive. Excellent novel!
cathleenrenee's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
allym's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
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? Yes
3.0
laszczaq's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
the_dave_harmon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.75
tmickey's review against another edition
I just felt no connection to it. Didn’t care about the characters and didn’t get far enough for the plot to do anything.