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abbszabbs's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
eyedrop's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
fionnualalirsdottir's review against another edition
If I close my eyes and ask myself what impression this book has left on me, the idea that comes immediately to mind is stillness. The stillness radiates from the main character, Catherine Sloper. I see her as a monumental figure in a hieratic pose, immobile, meek, but solid to the core.
Her immobility impressed me greatly, especially as this book is quite like a play. There is a lot of dialogue, a small number of characters, and one principal location where most of the important scenes take place. The characters circle that space, and they circle Catherine. She rarely moves, and since she pauses before answering every question addressed to her, we have time to imagine her face turning slowly towards the speaker as she meditates her careful response. The result of Catherine's overly cautious responses is that the other characters fail to know her, and fail abysmally. Though he allows the reader to see more of her inner life than the other characters ever guess at, Henry James allows Catherine to keep the core of her being a secret even from us. I like to think that as he developed his heroine, his respect for her grew so that he had no choice but to preserve her privacy and to keep the mystery at the heart of her stillness a mystery to the end. That's what I wanted for her and that's what he delivered.
..............................................................
While Catherine doesn't say very much, the other characters more than make up for her lack of verbosity. The exchanges between Catherine's various relatives reminded me of Jane Austin's ability to deliver witty dialogue line after line (of course people don't talk like this in real life, but how we wish they did). There were in fact many moments during reading when I was reminded of Jane Austin, and particularly of Fanny Price from Mansfield Park. Like Fanny, Catherine is undervalued by her entourage, and treated quite badly by certain among them. But Fanny acquires a savior.
Henry James prefers Catherine to be her own savior.
Her immobility impressed me greatly, especially as this book is quite like a play. There is a lot of dialogue, a small number of characters, and one principal location where most of the important scenes take place. The characters circle that space, and they circle Catherine. She rarely moves, and since she pauses before answering every question addressed to her, we have time to imagine her face turning slowly towards the speaker as she meditates her careful response. The result of Catherine's overly cautious responses is that the other characters fail to know her, and fail abysmally. Though he allows the reader to see more of her inner life than the other characters ever guess at, Henry James allows Catherine to keep the core of her being a secret even from us. I like to think that as he developed his heroine, his respect for her grew so that he had no choice but to preserve her privacy and to keep the mystery at the heart of her stillness a mystery to the end. That's what I wanted for her and that's what he delivered.
..............................................................
While Catherine doesn't say very much, the other characters more than make up for her lack of verbosity. The exchanges between Catherine's various relatives reminded me of Jane Austin's ability to deliver witty dialogue line after line (of course people don't talk like this in real life, but how we wish they did). There were in fact many moments during reading when I was reminded of Jane Austin, and particularly of Fanny Price from Mansfield Park. Like Fanny, Catherine is undervalued by her entourage, and treated quite badly by certain among them. But Fanny acquires a savior.
Henry James prefers Catherine to be her own savior.
nikosalinas's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
elizabethgmoore's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
brian_w_wiggins_1973's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kuerbispampe's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
ftrebelo's review against another edition
3.0
In short: A young impressionable girl is taken in by an opportunistic golddigger who at once changes her life forever and leaves it forever the same. I think the best word to describe this beautifully written novel would be "quiet" - both in terms of the pace, despite the somewhat hurried romance it portrays, and the protagonist.
darioschmidt's review against another edition
3.0
Ok, ich gebe zu das hier war definitiv eine vergnüglicherere Begegnung mit Henry James, als unsere letzte mit seinen "Ambassadors".
Ist das hier wirklich der selbe Autor?
Keine seltsam nebulösen Herumschwadronierereien und kein bemühtes Versteckspiel mit unerträglich blass gezeichneten Figuren, um ja etwas wie Charakterisierung der selbigen zu vermeiden.
Aber auf der anderen Seite.....naja, man erkennt schon auch Spuren des alten James wieder. Nur kommt sein ewiges Getue um "Ambivalenz" angenehmer daher, wenn es in die Form des relativ konventionell erzählten Gesellschaftsromans gepresst wird. Und auch die kammerspielartige Atmosphäre gemahnt doch an Borges berühmte Kritik am Spätwerk (vgl "lack of life").
Ich gebe zu, sprachlich hat er mich dieses Mal sogar gehabt und so manche Szene ist echt gut entworfen, aber irgendetwas fehlt.....Ich hab das Gefühl, dass das gesamte Kunstprinzip von Henry James rein daraus besteht, so viele Mehrdeutigkeiten wie möglich in einfache Sachverhalte zu integrieren. Sozusagen Ambivalenz um ihrer selbst Willen. Und so schlängelt sich jeder seiner Romane durch Belanglosigkeiten, vorbei an vage umrissenen Gestalten (denn das müssen sie ja sein, ansonsten würde es ja an der nötigen Ambivalenz mangeln) hin zu seinem (wie immer) offenen Ende.
............ 3 Sterne
mehr fällt mir dazu nicht ein.
Ist das hier wirklich der selbe Autor?
Keine seltsam nebulösen Herumschwadronierereien und kein bemühtes Versteckspiel mit unerträglich blass gezeichneten Figuren, um ja etwas wie Charakterisierung der selbigen zu vermeiden.
Aber auf der anderen Seite.....naja, man erkennt schon auch Spuren des alten James wieder. Nur kommt sein ewiges Getue um "Ambivalenz" angenehmer daher, wenn es in die Form des relativ konventionell erzählten Gesellschaftsromans gepresst wird. Und auch die kammerspielartige Atmosphäre gemahnt doch an Borges berühmte Kritik am Spätwerk (vgl "lack of life").
Ich gebe zu, sprachlich hat er mich dieses Mal sogar gehabt und so manche Szene ist echt gut entworfen, aber irgendetwas fehlt.....Ich hab das Gefühl, dass das gesamte Kunstprinzip von Henry James rein daraus besteht, so viele Mehrdeutigkeiten wie möglich in einfache Sachverhalte zu integrieren. Sozusagen Ambivalenz um ihrer selbst Willen. Und so schlängelt sich jeder seiner Romane durch Belanglosigkeiten, vorbei an vage umrissenen Gestalten (denn das müssen sie ja sein, ansonsten würde es ja an der nötigen Ambivalenz mangeln) hin zu seinem (wie immer) offenen Ende.
............ 3 Sterne
mehr fällt mir dazu nicht ein.