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mattycameira's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
Moderate: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
ekmuh's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
even better than the movie. who would've thought
Graphic: Homophobia
verysillygoose's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
age gap was iffy
Graphic: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
knunderb's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Highsmith's writing is compelling in places but dang this book was boring. The plot sounds really good, but nothing really happens between the high points. This story could have been told on half the space and would have been twice as exciting.
Moderate: Homophobia
pencilspeaker's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Stalking
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
imogenoakes's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Homophobia, Stalking, and Lesbophobia
chaya_v's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
So many thoughts.
This was a very testing read. I loved their relationship and hated it at the same time. Carol’s attitude towards Therese was at times inexplicable to me. But looking at the bigger picture and the book as a whole, it feels different. And Therese’s hyperfixation on Carol was also so well-written and conveyed. I didn’t like how she were pitting herself against Carol’s daughter, or even that she find any fault in Carol thinking of Rindy first, before her relationship.
I’d also love to read this story from Carol’s perspective.
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Update I watched the movie. The cast was perfect, the movie conveyed the exact feeling of the book, even taking over some of the dialogue. I’m in love. Will be my favourite movie for a while probably.
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Re-read 29/12/2022
This book is so beautiful and even more I think once you’ve already read it once and know why Carol and Therese are acting in a certain way.
This was a very testing read. I loved their relationship and hated it at the same time. Carol’s attitude towards Therese was at times inexplicable to me. But looking at the bigger picture and the book as a whole, it feels different. And Therese’s hyperfixation on Carol was also so well-written and conveyed. I didn’t like how she were pitting herself against Carol’s daughter, or even that she find any fault in Carol thinking of Rindy first, before her relationship.
I’d also love to read this story from Carol’s perspective.
————————————————————————
Update I watched the movie. The cast was perfect, the movie conveyed the exact feeling of the book, even taking over some of the dialogue. I’m in love. Will be my favourite movie for a while probably.
————————————————————————
Re-read 29/12/2022
This book is so beautiful and even more I think once you’ve already read it once and know why Carol and Therese are acting in a certain way.
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
serenedancer's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-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
3.0
Overall it was well written, but I couldn't get into it. I liked the characters and the relationships were good.
Moderate: Homophobia
frantically's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lesbian yearning this, lesbian yearning that, where is the PLOT
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Stalking, and Lesbophobia
mysimas's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Carol, a sister book to Forster’s Maurice.
Maybe it was me, maybe it was the book, but the prose, although beautiful, sometimes confused me. A lot of the first half was also kind of a blur for me, most scenes didn’t really stand out or apart, though I felt quite charmed by the overall feel.
Therese’s growth was beautiful to witness and reminiscent of aforementioned Maurice or even Pride and Prejudice. Carol did some growing of her own, too, and she was one of the more convincing love interests I’ve encountered in fiction.
Definitely a book I would like to reread, this time carefully looking for the paralels as well as the uncanny synchronicity of thought that Carol and Therese seemed to display at times.
Last but not least, shoutout to the worst line ever and the pretty great one that followed right after:
Maybe it was me, maybe it was the book, but the prose, although beautiful, sometimes confused me. A lot of the first half was also kind of a blur for me, most scenes didn’t really stand out or apart, though I felt quite charmed by the overall feel.
Therese’s growth was beautiful to witness and reminiscent of aforementioned Maurice or even Pride and Prejudice. Carol did some growing of her own, too, and she was one of the more convincing love interests I’ve encountered in fiction.
Definitely a book I would like to reread, this time carefully looking for the paralels as well as the uncanny synchronicity of thought that Carol and Therese seemed to display at times.
Last but not least, shoutout to the worst line ever and the pretty great one that followed right after:
The milk seemed to taste of bone and blood, of warm flesh, or hair, saltless as chalk yet alive as a growing embryo.
It was hot through and through to the bottom of the cup, and Therese drank it down, as people in fairy tales drink the potion that will transform, or the unsuspecting warrior the cup that will kill.
(Seriously, I almost wept at the contrast.)
Graphic: Homophobia and Abandonment
Moderate: Fatphobia and Stalking
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
To explain my warnings a little: Abandonment — relates to Therese’s childhood history which later resonates with the events of the book. Homophobia — a characteristic of the society at the time, some of the characters display hate. Carol and Therese do not suffer from prominent internalized homophobia. Fatphobia — occurs mostly in the first half of the book. Could be argued for as a characteristic of Therese’s, from which she eventually starts to grow. Stalking — does not happen between Carol and Therese, or in a romantic context, and is not portrayed as a good thing. Suicidal thoughts — a very brief reflection of Therese’s that spans all of two lines.