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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Didn't hold my attention and characters all blended together. I like Waters' stuff but this was really dragging.
I keep leaving these book club reviews until way after I've read them so I can't give them the full review I would have liked to. :(
The Night Watch, like all of Waters' books (that I've read so far), is beautifully written, with rich characterization. It's bleak, but beautiful - a story not of where characters are going, but rather how they got there (a theme which is echoed by Kay: "Peoples pasts, you know, being so much more interesting than their futures"). While there might still be questions that might be wanted answered in the first part of the book - where some of these relationships and people are going - I think I almost like that they're left open to interpretation.
There are great parallels between each set of characters, all of whom seem to be tied first and foremost by loves that are generally ill-regarded and needing to be kept secret, and the pangs such secrecy causes each character. There's hope and despair, though a little, but not much, in between.
Overall, an excellent book that reminds me of why I like Sarah Waters' writing so much.
The Night Watch, like all of Waters' books (that I've read so far), is beautifully written, with rich characterization. It's bleak, but beautiful - a story not of where characters are going, but rather how they got there (a theme which is echoed by Kay: "Peoples pasts, you know, being so much more interesting than their futures"). While there might still be questions that might be wanted answered in the first part of the book - where some of these relationships and people are going - I think I almost like that they're left open to interpretation.
There are great parallels between each set of characters, all of whom seem to be tied first and foremost by loves that are generally ill-regarded and needing to be kept secret, and the pangs such secrecy causes each character. There's hope and despair, though a little, but not much, in between.
Spoiler
I actually love the mirror image Kay and Duncan's stories have between one another: Kay's story begins with a lot of hope, but the final scene we see of her (in 1947) is filled with despair. Duncan's story starts in pain and despair, but ends hopefully with a potential future with Fraser.Overall, an excellent book that reminds me of why I like Sarah Waters' writing so much.
emotional
reflective
sad
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
The structure in which the story is told is the highlight of the book. The reverse chronological order of the book almost brings with it a combination of voyeuristic pleasure and suspense. It is like examining a person's life now and trying to understand what might have happened for that person to lead that life. However, the book is very slow and the first section of the book moves at a snail's pace. Maybe a second reading will make the book a little better because now I know the backstory, but I am not so sure. The first section of the book provides the aftermath of the war but more than that, it provides the aftermath of the relations that strengthened during the war. The second and third sections deal directly with their lives during the war.
The second section which deals with the peak of the war is where the book shines. The author does not hold back from describing the war in as much detail as possible from a civilian's perspective. Certain situations evoke strong imagery.
The book represents a slice of life of three women and one man and so, does not have a solid beginning nor an end. We are provided only a glimpse into their lives and not their biography. I am not sure whether it is good or bad.
The second section which deals with the peak of the war is where the book shines. The author does not hold back from describing the war in as much detail as possible from a civilian's perspective. Certain situations evoke strong imagery.
The book represents a slice of life of three women and one man and so, does not have a solid beginning nor an end. We are provided only a glimpse into their lives and not their biography. I am not sure whether it is good or bad.
I really liked this! Was hoping to see some specific scenes, but figured they were deliberately left out as a writing choice. Frustrating for some readers, like me, but part of me in this case also enjoys that I have to imagine the scenarios myself.
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There are several good things to say about this book. One is that I like how it's told in reverse chronological order, it was quite a feat to organize it that way and I think the author pulled it off well. Another is that the author really evokes a strong sense of space and setting in this.
Her characters have fascinating potential, but I didn't connect with any of them. In a character driven book, it's pretty critical that the reader connect.
I've greatly enjoyed other books by this author, so I'm convinced that in this case the cliche is true: It's not you, it's me.
Her characters have fascinating potential, but I didn't connect with any of them. In a character driven book, it's pretty critical that the reader connect.
I've greatly enjoyed other books by this author, so I'm convinced that in this case the cliche is true: It's not you, it's me.
This one was okay. I don't mind the narrative device of progressively going back in time. At one point, in the first segment, Ms.Waters actually points to her device by having a character admit that they find people's pasts more interesting than their futures. I wish she had kept this in mind when writing the third segment. This section completely fizzled out for me.I particularly disliked the 'meet cute' of the straight couple. The second segment was good but it made me wonder why the Hell Viv was still putting up with Tony 3 years later in the first segment. No clues are offered in the first segment of the book so it is rather baffling. The final story of Duncan, potentially one of the most interesting at the beginning, seems like a half-hearted attempt to tie-up loose ends and she seems to have forgotten about his cell mate by then because he fails to make an appearance. I feel like a could have done without Viv's storyline altogether if it would have meant she spent more time on Duncan's.
This novel felt like an homage to the earlier work of Mary Renault. In fact, a female side character actually lives on a boat, reminiscent of Renault's early novel "The Friendly Young Ladies". I'm not a fan of Ms.Renault's rather melodramatic early stuff so I don't quite see the point except as a creative exercise. After her first three novels this one was a supreme let-down.
This novel felt like an homage to the earlier work of Mary Renault. In fact, a female side character actually lives on a boat, reminiscent of Renault's early novel "The Friendly Young Ladies". I'm not a fan of Ms.Renault's rather melodramatic early stuff so I don't quite see the point except as a creative exercise. After her first three novels this one was a supreme let-down.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
All in all a well-written story about life in the wartime. The characters were mostly interesting and their wartime jobs were fascinating.
The structure where time flows backwards was promising, but I was somewhat disappointed by the short 1941. With all the foreboding, I was expecting some dark secrets to be revealed, but the 1941 section felt banal and mundane after all the expectations that were piled on to it.
Not bad, but perhaps a bit long-winding.
The structure where time flows backwards was promising, but I was somewhat disappointed by the short 1941. With all the foreboding, I was expecting some dark secrets to be revealed, but the 1941 section felt banal and mundane after all the expectations that were piled on to it.
Not bad, but perhaps a bit long-winding.