What is the last book you read, and your rating?
- Cecilia_L
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Re: What is the last book you read, and your rating?
- Jennifer Fernandez
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- chelhack
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- BeingTheWriter
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- ea_anthony
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I have always enjoyed reading Dean Koontz novels, this was slightly more than enjoyable. It is #1 in the Odd Thomas series, I intend to start "Forever Odd" soon, which is #2.
- samiam013
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Smiles are contagious! Infect someone today!
- Dabuddhababe
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I have a strong appreciation for dark novels. Serial K appeared to be just my speed. Unfortunately, it didnt keep me on edge as much as I would have liked.
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- ea_anthony
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- Redlegs
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But, of course, there are many differences in style, tone, location, culture, ancillary characters and the like.
In Madame Bovary, Flaubert records the thoughts and actions of Emma Bovary in a matter-of-fact style, without judgmental commentary, and leaves the reader to be the arbiter of her choices.
Flaubert also enriches his narrative with elegant and evocative descriptions of the French countryside, village life in the mid 19th century and introduces a host of colourful and enriching support characters who add life and zest to an otherwise sad tale.
Even the men with whom Emma Bovary strays in her misguided passions are presented as reasonable men, albeit somewhat shallow and easily charmed.
As much as i enjoyed the majority of this rich and engaging novel, I found the final chapter weak and unsatisfying. It seems that Flaubert, after the death of Emma, just wanted to wrap things up as quickly as possible. Some of the content of this final chapter seemed irrelevant and on the whole was rushed and uncertain in its intent.
But, overall, I can fully understand why this novel remains a perennial and much loved classic.
4.5 stars out of 5
The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
- Redlegs
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Published in 1989, just as Hungary was beginning to emerge from years of Communist oppression and a stagnant economy, towards a more open society with slightly increased personal freedoms, this is a dark and foreboding novel reflecting the gloomy mood of Eastern Europe at that time.
The plot itself is minimal. A strange circus comes to the unnamed town, displaying the decaying remains of a giant whale. With the arrival of the circus, the local population, already skittish and despondent, spread rumours of apparent trouble, expecting a group of hooligan followers of the circus to cause riots and destruction.
And so it comes to pass one freezing night, as a mob goes on a destructive rampage, until the army is called in to quell the violence and restore order.
The events that make up the plot are not actually described in great detail or in a linear narrative. Rather, this is a 'point of view' novel, given over to long passages of the internal dialogues of certain key characters.
What is most impressive about this novel is the atmospheric and exacting writing style. Krasznahorkai delights and excels in very long, complex sentences that go on and on, and yet make perfect sense. Congratulations must go here to translator George Szirtes, who must have had one hell of a job in transposing this from Hungarian into coherent English.
The author has been able to create an atmospheric, dark, gloomy, cold and forbidding landscape that creates an apparent despondency, sense of despair and pessimism. And yet, at the same time, the quality of the prose, that is thick, oozy, treacly and rich, provides a warmth and relief and comfort for the melancholy and depressing overtones of the narrative.
Finally, the ending is nothing short of magnificent. Not for everyone, but definitely worth the effort in my opinion. 4.5 stars out of 5.
The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
- OloladeO
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