aij's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Funny, fast-moving, very voicy and full of character (both the narrator and the bunch of oddballs he bounds between). No real plot and an unconvincing romantic interest, but short and enjoyable, and an interesting period piece with lots on race and sexuality and generational feeling. Feels like a forerunner of A Clockwork Orange, or a sort of UK Catcher in the Rye.
chrissuvsends's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
paulataua's review
5.0
As Colin points out to his older brother,
‘In those days, it seems, you were just an overgrown boy, or an under-grown man, life didn’t seem to cater anything whatever else between.’
His generation, however, were not just following their parents or becoming father or mother clones. They were the first adolescent group to have money, their own clothes, and the first adolescent group to consider themselves ‘teenagers’. They were starting out from scratch, making it up as the went along. They weren’t just beginners in the world of adults. They were absolute beginners.
I am sure that the plot is that great or the ending that satisfying, but the whole thing is so vibrant that it just carried me along. I loved it.
‘In those days, it seems, you were just an overgrown boy, or an under-grown man, life didn’t seem to cater anything whatever else between.’
His generation, however, were not just following their parents or becoming father or mother clones. They were the first adolescent group to have money, their own clothes, and the first adolescent group to consider themselves ‘teenagers’. They were starting out from scratch, making it up as the went along. They weren’t just beginners in the world of adults. They were absolute beginners.
I am sure that the plot is that great or the ending that satisfying, but the whole thing is so vibrant that it just carried me along. I loved it.
andrew61's review
challenging
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Listening to an excellent episode of Backlisted podcast really enhanced the experience of reading this wonderful evocation of the joy of being 19 with all of life and experience in front of you.
Set in the summer of the 1958 London race riots , our narrator is a photographer who travels across London, meeting diverse and beautifully drawn characters.
This is a city and youth desperate to throw off its history dominated by war, but also the city of immigration as London vibrates with new culture and music. It's definitely a book I should have read as a teenager, but reading it today, I felt that it seemed timeless in theme despite being set nearly 70 years ago.
Set in the summer of the 1958 London race riots , our narrator is a photographer who travels across London, meeting diverse and beautifully drawn characters.
This is a city and youth desperate to throw off its history dominated by war, but also the city of immigration as London vibrates with new culture and music. It's definitely a book I should have read as a teenager, but reading it today, I felt that it seemed timeless in theme despite being set nearly 70 years ago.
kathrinpassig's review
4.0
Allerdings auch ein Kandidat für die "Kleine Bibliothek der übermäßig von sich eingenommenen Erzähler" (zusammen mit "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance").
steve_angelkov's review
4.0
Interesting viewpoint of post war London and the developing free spirited 'youth culture'.
Plenty of conflict and challenges laid out with the protagonist battling his way through love, life and family turmoil.
Plenty of conflict and challenges laid out with the protagonist battling his way through love, life and family turmoil.
cgcpoems's review
3.0
This was a very interesting read. The world of the "absolute beginners" and the post-war period of relief starkly contrasted the racial tensions that aren't really brought to light until the last quarter of the novel. For me, the beginning lagged a bit. It wasn't until the second half that things began falling into place. Nonetheless, a very interesting read. I'm considering reading the other books in the trilogy, to shed more light on the world of the unnamed narrator.
madmadder's review
3.0
De titel doet misschien een belletje rinkelen vanwege het gelijknamige, heerlijke lied van David Bowie. Bowie schreef het nummer voor de film Absolute Beginners dat gebaseerd is op het boek. Ik kwam de roman op het spoor dankzij 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die, dat vol parels staat die ik uit mezelf niet zo snel op zou pakken (of waar ik zonder dat boek nog nooit van gehoord zou hebben). Een fijne ontdekking weer.
Er is enorm veel goed aan het boek. We volgen een negentienjarige jongen die op zichzelf woont en de eindjes aan elkaar probeert te knopen als fotograaf. Het speelt zich allemaal af in de jaren vijftig in Londen en gaandeweg krijgen we een steeds beter beeld van die stad uit die periode en van de spanningen die in de stad heersen. Bovenal echter is het een heerlijke beschrijving van de jeugdige bravoure van het hoofdpersonage.
https://boekuitroepteken.nl/2021/05/23/colin-macinnes-absolute-beginners/
Er is enorm veel goed aan het boek. We volgen een negentienjarige jongen die op zichzelf woont en de eindjes aan elkaar probeert te knopen als fotograaf. Het speelt zich allemaal af in de jaren vijftig in Londen en gaandeweg krijgen we een steeds beter beeld van die stad uit die periode en van de spanningen die in de stad heersen. Bovenal echter is het een heerlijke beschrijving van de jeugdige bravoure van het hoofdpersonage.
https://boekuitroepteken.nl/2021/05/23/colin-macinnes-absolute-beginners/