bookishkathrine's review against another edition
3.0
This is not a particularly easy ready. There are so many commas used, and the language can be contrived. The characters are not very likable. That being said, there are some interesting things going on thematically, and it's an interesting enough read once it picks up in the second half.
zoemaja's review against another edition
2.0
library book on kindle. It is difficult going back and forth between this and The Signature of all things, the audio book I am listening to right now. The tone is just so different. It was jarring to go from 11/2/1963 to this as well. But I am in the groove a few chapters in and while not quite liking the characters, at least not yet, at least being interested in them.
I actually abandoned this book halfway through. I just couldn't read one more page about privileged characters agonizing over their specialness. Not in the mood.
I actually abandoned this book halfway through. I just couldn't read one more page about privileged characters agonizing over their specialness. Not in the mood.
skidiva's review against another edition
1.0
Simply awful. Boring, badly written, cliche characters, a mess. Why this got any decent reviews is a complete mystery. Do not read this book
allieeveryday's review against another edition
3.0
This book was not what I was expecting. I enjoyed the story, though I felt like the author used a lot of "ten dollar words" that were unnecessary.
kath_m's review against another edition
4.0
One of the reviews of this book described it as a classic comedy of manners. Another compared it to an Edith Wharton tale. I agree on both accounts. On the surface it's just the story of three 30-something adults coming into their own in NYC pre- and post-9/11. It was an oddly compelling book. I found myself reading only a few chapters at a time and then abadonning it without a second thought until I made it to the last few chapters. It's good, strong writing with some words I need to add to my vocabulary list. Two degrees in English notwithstanding, I ran across more than a dozen words I couldn't define on the spot and some I have honestly never seen before. A refreshing change in a novel, wouldn't you say?
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Emperor’s Children is a New York novel set in the early twenty-first century. The plot revolves around the Thwaites family, especially intellectual journalist Murray and 30 year old daughter Marina, as well as two of her close friends from college. The characters were far from relatable, likeable or admirable - the title is telling if you know your fairytales - but were definitely well-drawn. I would have loved to have seen more of Annabel and the valuable work she was doing.
lola425's review against another edition
4.0
Kind of surprised by all the hate on this book. It's no better or worse than anything Franzen or Eugenides or Harbach or Wolitzer has written. I thought that Messud got the story just about right. I actually liked her privileged, whiny thirty-somethings more than in some other books about the same generation that I've read. Murray was spot-on, I could picture him (and his type) quite clearly. The Julius character could easily have been cut, I think, and the themes would have remained intact. Is it overwritten? It didn't strike me that way. To me, it wasn't glaring, and I usually pick up on an author who is trying to be overly clever. Not the impression I got here. I did feel like the use of 9/11 as a way to bring the story to a head was a little easy. I liked both Messud's book of novellas and The Woman Upstairs so I'm not surprised I liked this.
eileen_critchley's review against another edition
3.0
This one was a little long, and did drag in some parts, but it grew on me. I wasn't sure at first if I was even going to finish it, but I did and it was ok. Some parts were quite good, some parts just ok. The sentence structure did annoy me at times, and made this book hard to read when one is half asleep (as I often am when I am reading). In the end, probably worth reading, but could have been maybe 100 pages shorter.