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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
This book is, in my opinion, a triumph. Expansive, rife with human interest and the small dramas of a persons life, all told in exquisite prose. I think it’s interesting that many of the reviews complain that it is boring—it’s as though they missed the point entirely. Most people, objectively, lead boring lives. It’s the details that make life interesting, rich, and worthwhile. The banality of Roland’s life made it real to me—it was interesting to see how he grew and changed over the years, the way things both didn’t work out and yet still turned out just fine. It’s a beautiful work about overcoming childhood trauma and creating a lovely life for yourself despite it all.
If you like expansive, narrative, semi-historical fiction, this is for you.
If you like expansive, narrative, semi-historical fiction, this is for you.
52 Book Club Challenge: Prompt#9-A book with a Dedication
I almost gave up on this novel twice. It took me until 1/3 of the way through the book to really get into the story. I'm glad I stuck with it though because it is a very well written (although very long) beautiful story of one man's ordinary life. A bit meandering at times there were also some very beautifully written passages that made me reflect on my own life and think about my own past. As a fan of history I loved reading about the historical events that shaped Roland's life and the story.
I almost gave up on this novel twice. It took me until 1/3 of the way through the book to really get into the story. I'm glad I stuck with it though because it is a very well written (although very long) beautiful story of one man's ordinary life. A bit meandering at times there were also some very beautifully written passages that made me reflect on my own life and think about my own past. As a fan of history I loved reading about the historical events that shaped Roland's life and the story.
Manuale di storia
Dalla Germania nazista al Covid, includendo anche la fine della prima (e sperabilmente ultima) presidenza Trump. Tutto ciò passando attraverso la crisi dei missili a Cuba, Chernobyl, la caduta del muro di Berlino, la guerra nella ex Iugoslavia, le torri Gemelle. Volendo ci si potrebbe dilettare a cercare i fatti storici che mancano, in Lezioni.
Mi è piaciuto ma non troppo, questo romanzo di McEwan. L'ho vissuta come una cavalcata storica non sempre collegata alle vicende dei personaggi e anche questi non mi hanno coinvolto molto. Vi ho trovate tante righe nette a dividere il bene dal male, mi sono mancate le sfumature.
Però m'impressiono il gran lavoro che ci dev'essere stato nel produrlo, questo libro e, soprattutto, il modo con cui McEwan descrive dettagli, situazioni particolari, sentimenti.
Dalla Germania nazista al Covid, includendo anche la fine della prima (e sperabilmente ultima) presidenza Trump. Tutto ciò passando attraverso la crisi dei missili a Cuba, Chernobyl, la caduta del muro di Berlino, la guerra nella ex Iugoslavia, le torri Gemelle. Volendo ci si potrebbe dilettare a cercare i fatti storici che mancano, in Lezioni.
Mi è piaciuto ma non troppo, questo romanzo di McEwan. L'ho vissuta come una cavalcata storica non sempre collegata alle vicende dei personaggi e anche questi non mi hanno coinvolto molto. Vi ho trovate tante righe nette a dividere il bene dal male, mi sono mancate le sfumature.
Però m'impressiono il gran lavoro che ci dev'essere stato nel produrlo, questo libro e, soprattutto, il modo con cui McEwan descrive dettagli, situazioni particolari, sentimenti.
Captivating and compelling...an entirely fulfilling read
emotional
reflective
sad
reflective
medium-paced
A thoughtful book, mediating on continuity, history, human relationships and human nature, crossing back and forth through a simple but unique man’s life.
I found that the beginning and ends of the book had more substance, a faster pace and were more gripping. The middle was a little bit stale for me, too much repetition of Roland’s lack of direction and questioning of his life path. However, I appreciate that this is the main message of this section about his middle-age; Roland is stagnant and struggling to come to terms with how his life has turned out.
I enjoyed getting to know Roland and found him to possess a calming, and for the most part, self-assured presence and rational and unique point of view. It is clear how his traumatic experiences shaped him, but also that he retained his identity and values which guided him through his life. I felt that he was mentally strong and did not take things too seriously. This was quite refreshing in a day and age where people and judged on their every move and internalise this attitude, becoming riddled with self-doubt, anxiety and low self esteem. I also found Roland’s political views quite refreshing, a baby boomer who held liberal views, allowed his child freedom to make his own choices, respected and kept up healthy friendships with women and even past partners. Overall I think he led a peaceful life and his mental strength and tranquility served him well.
Finally, Roland’s relationships were for the most part, great examples of stable, lasting, healthy relationships with family and friends. I find that in a man this is quite rare because women tend to be more sociable in male-female partnerships, and men can lack socialisation when their female partner dies. He had people who really loved him, appreciated who he was and took care of him into his old age.
I found that the beginning and ends of the book had more substance, a faster pace and were more gripping. The middle was a little bit stale for me, too much repetition of Roland’s lack of direction and questioning of his life path. However, I appreciate that this is the main message of this section about his middle-age; Roland is stagnant and struggling to come to terms with how his life has turned out.
I enjoyed getting to know Roland and found him to possess a calming, and for the most part, self-assured presence and rational and unique point of view. It is clear how his traumatic experiences shaped him, but also that he retained his identity and values which guided him through his life. I felt that he was mentally strong and did not take things too seriously. This was quite refreshing in a day and age where people and judged on their every move and internalise this attitude, becoming riddled with self-doubt, anxiety and low self esteem. I also found Roland’s political views quite refreshing, a baby boomer who held liberal views, allowed his child freedom to make his own choices, respected and kept up healthy friendships with women and even past partners. Overall I think he led a peaceful life and his mental strength and tranquility served him well.
Finally, Roland’s relationships were for the most part, great examples of stable, lasting, healthy relationships with family and friends. I find that in a man this is quite rare because women tend to be more sociable in male-female partnerships, and men can lack socialisation when their female partner dies. He had people who really loved him, appreciated who he was and took care of him into his old age.
A mammoth of a book because it covers a man’s entire life (and a little before), from WW2 to 2021. McEwan is clearly trying to show the ways that history and current events touch our lives. He makes some allusions to this idea through the main character, an observant and somewhat lost, passive main character, Roland. Roland is an interesting life to follow, not because he’s an exceptional character, but his commentary on world events and the course of his life felt like a life of perhaps wasted potential, but not without love or happiness. Even the very despicable Merriam Cornell and the sexual abuse is cast in a complicated light of desire, grief, and later, anger. Well, a scene that felt disappointing to me was his confrontation. I felt it disappointing that 1) Roland was spelling out his feelings for Merriam more concisely than someone who has repressed that trauma for years, and 2) even though he was spelling it out, it lacked emotional charge and I couldn’t get a grasp of his mental state. It felt unrealistically clean, for a scene that has been building up from the beginning of the book.
Ok but I really liked his second wife, Daphne and their relationship that was built on comfortable love. I appreciated the depiction of an untraditional but loving household. I felt Daphne redeemed many aspects of Roland’s life. When she’s dying and she starts to share her early memories, you start to get the sense that every character lives a life as expansive as Roland.
McEwan a bit of a heavier handed, more illustrious writer than I’m using to reading. It took me a while to get into this, but when it does, it starts to translate into a movie. I guess that’s why I found this novel a bit of a mixture between a good story, really focused on narrative, and a telling story, really focused on theme. This is shown when Roland tells you exactly what he’s thinking. The mix was sometimes well done and sometimes not well done enough for me. A well done section was the section of his life during the Berlin Wall.
Ok but I really liked his second wife, Daphne and their relationship that was built on comfortable love. I appreciated the depiction of an untraditional but loving household. I felt Daphne redeemed many aspects of Roland’s life. When she’s dying and she starts to share her early memories, you start to get the sense that every character lives a life as expansive as Roland.
McEwan a bit of a heavier handed, more illustrious writer than I’m using to reading. It took me a while to get into this, but when it does, it starts to translate into a movie. I guess that’s why I found this novel a bit of a mixture between a good story, really focused on narrative, and a telling story, really focused on theme. This is shown when Roland tells you exactly what he’s thinking. The mix was sometimes well done and sometimes not well done enough for me. A well done section was the section of his life during the Berlin Wall.
I struggle with rating and reading other reviews has helped. I may have been reading impatiently, maybe I didn’t understand that this will be an epic story. I got stuck on the tangents and meanders and maybe I should have put my feet up and enjoyed them more. It was a fascinating trip through modern history.
At my stage of life, I sympathise with the urge to review one's life and the consequences of the "sliding door" moments: decisions made or avoided, actions of others, the larger context in which a life has been lived. It seems to me that McEwan is doing this in this novel. Undeniably, there is much detail from his own life, although I am not suggesting it's a memoir. Parts are engrossing, humorous and moving, but the book is overly long and repetitive.
4.5 I really appreciate character driven books and this novel delivers. I also enjoyed the history lessons along the way.