Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by ollie_reading
Across the River and Into the Trees by Ernest Hemingway
previously incapable of writing a protagonist that wasn't a stoic, strong & silent type who watches on coolly and sagely while all around him lose their heads, finally hemingway writes a protagonist that actually has a personality! and flaws! and eccentricities!
this novel is far more immediately entertaining, and funny, as a result, and despite the plot, which revolves almost solely around a 50 year old man pining for a teenager, cantwell is more endearing than any previous hemingway protagonist because he feels things openly, loves more deeply, is quicker to rage or sulk or express joy or joke or make mistakes. it comes through most obviously in his descriptions of venice; cantwell has a beautiful and genuine love of the city and so the venice of this novel feels far richer than the paris of 'the sun also rises' and the various italian towns in 'a farewell to arms'.
it's just a shame that the plot revolves mainly around often nauseating conversation between cantwell and the 'daughter' he's hopelessly in love with. the non-linear chronology, war flashbacks and mediations on mortality are the most interesting aspects of the novel but feel underbaked, and as a result across the river and into the trees feels slight and flimsy in comparison to his earlier work and difficult to take as seriously.
this novel is far more immediately entertaining, and funny, as a result, and despite the plot, which revolves almost solely around a 50 year old man pining for a teenager, cantwell is more endearing than any previous hemingway protagonist because he feels things openly, loves more deeply, is quicker to rage or sulk or express joy or joke or make mistakes. it comes through most obviously in his descriptions of venice; cantwell has a beautiful and genuine love of the city and so the venice of this novel feels far richer than the paris of 'the sun also rises' and the various italian towns in 'a farewell to arms'.
it's just a shame that the plot revolves mainly around often nauseating conversation between cantwell and the 'daughter' he's hopelessly in love with. the non-linear chronology, war flashbacks and mediations on mortality are the most interesting aspects of the novel but feel underbaked, and as a result across the river and into the trees feels slight and flimsy in comparison to his earlier work and difficult to take as seriously.