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A review by camille_fatalfloor
Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Revisiting this one, it's been a long time since I read it and I'm glad to find it much better, and grittier than its film adaptation, which I find vastly overrated. My notes on that one read "absurdly charming in a flimsy way", which I still find to be a good descriptor of Holly as a whole.
That film was definitely propped up by the strength of Audrey Hepburn being her usual lovely self, though I'll give it bonus points for Moon River. I always think that people who idolise that photo of Hepburn have clearly never seen the film or watched it with an ounce of reading comprehension. Perhaps I can cut them some slack, for the usual need for Hollywood glamour meant that a lot of Holly's worser traits were skimmed over.
Make no mistake, Holly's a terrible person who wouldn't be so endearing to the people around her if not for her charm. The novella brings this out much more clearly, and Capote's prose is incisively effective in painting a pitiable portrait of a lost and naïve girl. I was equally struck by how concisely and competently Capote fleshes out the personalities and urban landscape surrounding her.
I do think Holly's monologues are the star of the story, rendering her compelling to the reader despite our awareness of her flaws. Part of the fun about reading about Holly Golightly is to be enchanted yourself, because she is one of those people who draw you into their orbit.
That film was definitely propped up by the strength of Audrey Hepburn being her usual lovely self, though I'll give it bonus points for Moon River. I always think that people who idolise that photo of Hepburn have clearly never seen the film or watched it with an ounce of reading comprehension. Perhaps I can cut them some slack, for the usual need for Hollywood glamour meant that a lot of Holly's worser traits were skimmed over.
Make no mistake, Holly's a terrible person who wouldn't be so endearing to the people around her if not for her charm. The novella brings this out much more clearly, and Capote's prose is incisively effective in painting a pitiable portrait of a lost and naïve girl. I was equally struck by how concisely and competently Capote fleshes out the personalities and urban landscape surrounding her.
I do think Holly's monologues are the star of the story, rendering her compelling to the reader despite our awareness of her flaws. Part of the fun about reading about Holly Golightly is to be enchanted yourself, because she is one of those people who draw you into their orbit.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Racism
Homophobia: period typical use of 'dyke'
Adult/minor relationship: Holly was married to a man at 14