brianthehuman's review
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
ericarf's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book because I'm a Leonard Cohen fan. This book was engagingly written, and unlike other novels since it reads more like poetry. It was also fun to read a book set in my hometown of Montreal!
I read this book as part of Book Riot's 2017 Read Harder Challenge for the category of "read a book set within 100 miles of your location."
I read this book as part of Book Riot's 2017 Read Harder Challenge for the category of "read a book set within 100 miles of your location."
saragrayyy's review
funny
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
scytale's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
5.0
lauranoonz's review
3.0
A simple pleasurable read. A good introduction to Leonard Cohen as an author, looking forward to rest the rest of his work :)
rvandenboomgaard's review against another edition
5.0
One of those books lacking a story, but full of narrative. It takes you along like only a summer breeze does. Filled with beautiful, personal descriptions.
frankiebuchanan's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-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
4.25
adamz24's review against another edition
4.0
Cohen's prose is generous yet contained, and so exquisitely evocative and sensual that reading The Favourite Game in a short period of time, as I did, in just over five hours, begins to feel much like the hours-long embrace of passionate young lovers, punctuated by fevered outbursts of raw sexuality. Putting the book down, at its end, feels like one last tight hug and tender kiss at a door, before the young lovers lose one another for an unthinkable, no matter how short, time.
The easy way to talk about Cohen's debut novel is to speak of it as somewhat autobiographical. While Cohen and Breavman may share several details of their lives, it's just not very useful to concentrate on such things while talking about this novel. Breavman may not be a very likable character, and Cohen frequently writes him in a sort of wistfully satirical tone, less viciously critical than regretfully sad, but he is a complex and rich character. The novel, though mostly written in a third-person voice, also seems to be mostly from the perspective of Breavman, and as such, the oddly... biased? One-dimensional? characterization of most of the other characters in The Favourite Game makes logical and emotional sense.
The obvious comparisons to Catcher in the Rye and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man aren't misguided, but they're still pointless. Does it matter that Breavman is similar to Caulfield, except more grown up for much of this novel's length? Do we have to compare this book to the most well-known example of its genre? These comparisons weaken the case for The Favourite Game to be taken seriously in its own right as an important debut novel and not the side project of a poet who moonlit as a novelist in the 1960's.
Indeed, outside of Canada, this novel doesn't appear to be widely studied at all. It has a lot of interesting things to say, indirectly and not confrontationally, about issues of Canadian identity and character, and remains astonishingly relevant and true so many years after it was written. It remains one of the great urban Canadian novels in a literary scene so famed and praised for its rural literature, a literature which denies the reality of (by far) most Canadians' lives. Still, much of the novel is universal in its relevance. The emphasis on ethnic identity, the sensuality, the obsessions which take over Brevman's poetic psychology are all cross-cultural. Montreal Jews in the fifties may well be a number of other ethnic groups in a number of other places. Breavman's sexuality and his obsessions are nakedly, brazenly put into words by Cohen. It is one of the most honest novels around about what goes through the minds of young men. All of the silliness and stupidity of these thoughts, the rationalized vulgarity, the brazen animal sexuality tempered by social expectations.
While Breavman's characterization is reasonably captivating, especially in the character's balancing act between tendencies to destruction and preservation, and Cohen maintains a very high level of authorial craftsmanship throughout the novel, what I keep coming back to in my head is the prose, which is why I think that anyone who hasn't read this novel ought to read it. If written by a less confident and talented author, The Favourite Game may not have been all that good. The substance of the novel is only as good as its expression, especially in this case, where Cohen's stupid honesty and sincerity threatens frequently to fall into self-parody and unsuitable ridiculousness, but always stays on the right side of that line, even during Breavman's frequent praisings of the thighs of his lovers, or his fevered archaeological excavations of his lovers' bodies. Oh, and the book's pretty funny, too.
The easy way to talk about Cohen's debut novel is to speak of it as somewhat autobiographical. While Cohen and Breavman may share several details of their lives, it's just not very useful to concentrate on such things while talking about this novel. Breavman may not be a very likable character, and Cohen frequently writes him in a sort of wistfully satirical tone, less viciously critical than regretfully sad, but he is a complex and rich character. The novel, though mostly written in a third-person voice, also seems to be mostly from the perspective of Breavman, and as such, the oddly... biased? One-dimensional? characterization of most of the other characters in The Favourite Game makes logical and emotional sense.
The obvious comparisons to Catcher in the Rye and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man aren't misguided, but they're still pointless. Does it matter that Breavman is similar to Caulfield, except more grown up for much of this novel's length? Do we have to compare this book to the most well-known example of its genre? These comparisons weaken the case for The Favourite Game to be taken seriously in its own right as an important debut novel and not the side project of a poet who moonlit as a novelist in the 1960's.
Indeed, outside of Canada, this novel doesn't appear to be widely studied at all. It has a lot of interesting things to say, indirectly and not confrontationally, about issues of Canadian identity and character, and remains astonishingly relevant and true so many years after it was written. It remains one of the great urban Canadian novels in a literary scene so famed and praised for its rural literature, a literature which denies the reality of (by far) most Canadians' lives. Still, much of the novel is universal in its relevance. The emphasis on ethnic identity, the sensuality, the obsessions which take over Brevman's poetic psychology are all cross-cultural. Montreal Jews in the fifties may well be a number of other ethnic groups in a number of other places. Breavman's sexuality and his obsessions are nakedly, brazenly put into words by Cohen. It is one of the most honest novels around about what goes through the minds of young men. All of the silliness and stupidity of these thoughts, the rationalized vulgarity, the brazen animal sexuality tempered by social expectations.
While Breavman's characterization is reasonably captivating, especially in the character's balancing act between tendencies to destruction and preservation, and Cohen maintains a very high level of authorial craftsmanship throughout the novel, what I keep coming back to in my head is the prose, which is why I think that anyone who hasn't read this novel ought to read it. If written by a less confident and talented author, The Favourite Game may not have been all that good. The substance of the novel is only as good as its expression, especially in this case, where Cohen's stupid honesty and sincerity threatens frequently to fall into self-parody and unsuitable ridiculousness, but always stays on the right side of that line, even during Breavman's frequent praisings of the thighs of his lovers, or his fevered archaeological excavations of his lovers' bodies. Oh, and the book's pretty funny, too.
stratosphere's review
3.0
2.5/5
i wish i liked this book more, because leonard cohen is one of my favourite songwriters of all time.
but still, this book just doesn't sit right with me (i blame it on the fact that it's very romance-centered). i loved the portrayal of beavman's relationship with his mother and the way it impacted his life while growing up, but i just couldn't connect at all with the other parts of the book, it seemed very "fake" to me that literally it turns into a romance novel once he becomes a young adult.
the reason i gave this book a 2.5 is just because of leonard's writing skills... and i liked some very specific chapters
i wish i liked this book more, because leonard cohen is one of my favourite songwriters of all time.
but still, this book just doesn't sit right with me (i blame it on the fact that it's very romance-centered). i loved the portrayal of beavman's relationship with his mother and the way it impacted his life while growing up, but i just couldn't connect at all with the other parts of the book, it seemed very "fake" to me that literally it turns into a romance novel once he becomes a young adult.
the reason i gave this book a 2.5 is just because of leonard's writing skills... and i liked some very specific chapters
kirstiecat's review
4.0
I should start by saying a little something. I adore Leonard Cohen...I actually think he's one of the best lyricists out there (if not *the best*) and on a visceral note, often times has his music completely soothed me (especially on trains..if you're taking an overnight AMTRAK ride across sleepy North America, be sure to bring about eight hours of early period Leonard Cohen, mainly: Songs of Leonard Cohen, Songs from a Room, Songs of Love and Hate, and New Skin for the Old Ceremony. Or, if you have a tendency to listen to songs on repeat, bring a comfy set of headphones and play "Hey That's No Way to Say Goodbye" to your little heart's content for the next ten hours.)
That said, I should also say I can be somewhat objective about Leonard Cohen even though I will admit to a slight bias. For instance, though his lyrics in more recent albums (i.e. The Future) are some of his best yet, the chosen music accompaniment is downright dreadful. Someone needs to kidnap the man and an acoustic guitar and make sure he doesn't leave a recording studio until "Anthem" has it's true stripped down glory. Not that I'm condoning this sort of musical heist or anything but seriously those good lyrics suffer under such appalling conditions. It's like putting the most decadent chocolate cake in a dark alley by a bunch of feeding rats.
Perhaps, I'm getting off track. I meant to talk about the book here. Well, this is the first book of Cohen's I've read (surprisingly! Boy, do I need to get my act together!) While I'd rather listen to an album of his, I do find some of the similarities interesting. The Favorite Game, first published in 1963 gives us a glimpse of early Montreal and insight into human relationships partially under the guise of a diary kept by a definite Ladies Man (interesting to note, if Cohen's own words about himself are true concerning the lack of adoring females and lustful intimacy, he could have never been this main character) Then again, who wouldn't adore Cohen in just about any fashion? To love a mind is to love a body even if that body is, at this point, 73 years old. Anyhow, at most it's semi-autobiographical and at least pure fiction.
I think the one thing I found fascinating about this book above all else was the emphasis on rooms...which in some way parallels the emphasis in Songs From a Room. For instance, there's this overwhelming sense of the inside private spaces of people's lives and a commitment that seems final even though for protagonist Lawrence Breavman it is anything but. It's almost as if by making this small commitment to share a period of time with a woman in a room, it's the same for him as a lifelong commitment. The problem is, that fidelity only lasts for the time he's actually in the room and then he's off to another woman. He has his definite favorites, though, and will come back to them...calls them long distance right after leaving the last (ahem I believe this was before texting) and even goes to the extent of giving one of his great loves his journal describing recent sexual exploits. This is technically a third person tale but very much so told without a moral perspective or from the point of view of any of the women (though we do have a sense of how they feel but the story is led by Breavman and his actions). It merely is about the way this man is who loves women but perhaps loves his choice and his own solitude more. The most interesting part of the book was towards the end when Breavman sees a male friend of his and volunteers as a camp counselor. I won't spoil it but there's a story that really comes out of nowhere here.
Some of my favorite quotes:
"Your body will never be familiar" p.20
"They held hands tightly and watched the stars in the dark part of the sky; where the moon was bright they were obliterated. She told him she loved him. A loon went insane in the middle of the lake." p.32
"You want to live in a world where the light has just been switched on and everything has just jumped out of the black" p. 141
"We have to bring everything to eachother. Even the times we are corpses" p. 165
"On the Hudson there were other lights, the necklace of the George Washington bridge, the slow-moving barges and the Alcoa signs across the water, The air was clear the stars big. They stood close and inherited everything" p. 173
That said, I should also say I can be somewhat objective about Leonard Cohen even though I will admit to a slight bias. For instance, though his lyrics in more recent albums (i.e. The Future) are some of his best yet, the chosen music accompaniment is downright dreadful. Someone needs to kidnap the man and an acoustic guitar and make sure he doesn't leave a recording studio until "Anthem" has it's true stripped down glory. Not that I'm condoning this sort of musical heist or anything but seriously those good lyrics suffer under such appalling conditions. It's like putting the most decadent chocolate cake in a dark alley by a bunch of feeding rats.
Perhaps, I'm getting off track. I meant to talk about the book here. Well, this is the first book of Cohen's I've read (surprisingly! Boy, do I need to get my act together!) While I'd rather listen to an album of his, I do find some of the similarities interesting. The Favorite Game, first published in 1963 gives us a glimpse of early Montreal and insight into human relationships partially under the guise of a diary kept by a definite Ladies Man (interesting to note, if Cohen's own words about himself are true concerning the lack of adoring females and lustful intimacy, he could have never been this main character) Then again, who wouldn't adore Cohen in just about any fashion? To love a mind is to love a body even if that body is, at this point, 73 years old. Anyhow, at most it's semi-autobiographical and at least pure fiction.
I think the one thing I found fascinating about this book above all else was the emphasis on rooms...which in some way parallels the emphasis in Songs From a Room. For instance, there's this overwhelming sense of the inside private spaces of people's lives and a commitment that seems final even though for protagonist Lawrence Breavman it is anything but. It's almost as if by making this small commitment to share a period of time with a woman in a room, it's the same for him as a lifelong commitment. The problem is, that fidelity only lasts for the time he's actually in the room and then he's off to another woman. He has his definite favorites, though, and will come back to them...calls them long distance right after leaving the last (ahem I believe this was before texting) and even goes to the extent of giving one of his great loves his journal describing recent sexual exploits. This is technically a third person tale but very much so told without a moral perspective or from the point of view of any of the women (though we do have a sense of how they feel but the story is led by Breavman and his actions). It merely is about the way this man is who loves women but perhaps loves his choice and his own solitude more. The most interesting part of the book was towards the end when Breavman sees a male friend of his and volunteers as a camp counselor. I won't spoil it but there's a story that really comes out of nowhere here.
Some of my favorite quotes:
"Your body will never be familiar" p.20
"They held hands tightly and watched the stars in the dark part of the sky; where the moon was bright they were obliterated. She told him she loved him. A loon went insane in the middle of the lake." p.32
"You want to live in a world where the light has just been switched on and everything has just jumped out of the black" p. 141
"We have to bring everything to eachother. Even the times we are corpses" p. 165
"On the Hudson there were other lights, the necklace of the George Washington bridge, the slow-moving barges and the Alcoa signs across the water, The air was clear the stars big. They stood close and inherited everything" p. 173