annamikulec's review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
beholdtheanimals's review
4.0
First review ever, so this probably won't make much sense/will contain an excessively personal opinion and perhaps too much bitching and griping/will be far too Holly-oriented/all other necessary caveats. Okay. I've got that out of the way now.
What a charming little book! I only wish it had been a bit longer. Maybe Holly's little adventures would have gotten tedious if that was the case, but I suspect Capote would've managed to keep them just as engaging.
Holly herself strikes me as some kind of triumph - written /slightly/ differently, she could've been utterly insufferable in my book. The trope of the "untamed woman" (the kind described in that Sex and the City quote that seems so popular. You know the one. Runs wild and free, can only have a man who's just as wild to run with her, blah blah) rarely fails to make me cringe. The helpless, coquettish child-woman annoys me nearly as much. Flaky, happy-go-lucky Holly is a self-described "wild thing" who straddles both categories, but can't just be squashed into either of those boxes. Capote gives her genuineness and the perfect je ne sais quoi, though - she may be a phony, but she's real about it - making her the kind of "wild thing" that a lot of people would probably fall a little in love with. I know I definitely did.
What a charming little book! I only wish it had been a bit longer. Maybe Holly's little adventures would have gotten tedious if that was the case, but I suspect Capote would've managed to keep them just as engaging.
Holly herself strikes me as some kind of triumph - written /slightly/ differently, she could've been utterly insufferable in my book. The trope of the "untamed woman" (the kind described in that Sex and the City quote that seems so popular. You know the one. Runs wild and free, can only have a man who's just as wild to run with her, blah blah) rarely fails to make me cringe. The helpless, coquettish child-woman annoys me nearly as much. Flaky, happy-go-lucky Holly is a self-described "wild thing" who straddles both categories, but can't just be squashed into either of those boxes. Capote gives her genuineness and the perfect je ne sais quoi, though - she may be a phony, but she's real about it - making her the kind of "wild thing" that a lot of people would probably fall a little in love with. I know I definitely did.
alleeme's review
3.0
The only Capote I had read before this was "A Christmas Memory" (included in my edition of Breakfast at Tiffany's) or rather it was read to me every year for 8 years as part of a special Christmas program at my very literary, very southern private preparatory middle and high school in Alabama.
And really, Breakfast at Tiffany's has nothing to do with Alabama. I have heard Holly Golightly called the original manic pixie girl, but really we don't know enough about the narrator for her to exist solely as that role for him. She is not my sort of woman in any case, but that doesn't mean this isn't a well-written classic that should be read more widely especially in light of it's utterly trite film adaption that leaves out the fascinating glimpses of 1940s LGBT New York you can see between the lines of the novella.
And really, Breakfast at Tiffany's has nothing to do with Alabama. I have heard Holly Golightly called the original manic pixie girl, but really we don't know enough about the narrator for her to exist solely as that role for him. She is not my sort of woman in any case, but that doesn't mean this isn't a well-written classic that should be read more widely especially in light of it's utterly trite film adaption that leaves out the fascinating glimpses of 1940s LGBT New York you can see between the lines of the novella.
bannisterb's review against another edition
4.0
The first Truman Capote book I've read. I knew it was different than the movie, which I do like, and I'm glad I read the book. I think I like the book better! Also, I loved the audiobook voice -- Michael C. Hall did an excellent job.
Spoiler
I never was a fan of the love story in the movie, as it just never sat right with me -- it seemed forced. I like the love story approach in the book better, with the narrator just infatuated with her and mistaking it for love (in my opinion) and her running away to Brasil in the end of the flashback, possibly never returning to New York. I did, however, miss the part from the movie where the narrator has an older, wealthy patron paying for his apartment.kendramichele's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Holly Golightly ... all at once glamorous, selfish, crass, far from aspirational yet hypnotic. She strives for ambiguity. She shape-shifts as needed. She's unfulfilled and unloved; Holly's truest nature is survival.
Capote's New York of the 1940s is much like Holly herself: charming and desolate, magnetic and desperate. He offers a forlorn character study that transfixes the reader.
This novella has all the ingredients for an uninterrupted afternoon of reading: a short length, a brisk pace, and prose that strikes the balance between lyrical and sparse.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Homophobia
Minor: Miscarriage
sparksinthevoid's review against another edition
4.0
this was immensely and surprisingly enjoyable
holly is sexy and reckless and unhinged and that’s what i love
minus points for the outdated language
3.75/5
holly is sexy and reckless and unhinged and that’s what i love
minus points for the outdated language
3.75/5
sarkiste's review
4.0
First time when I read this book I was like:
OK, what is this and TBH as a huge fan of movie book was kind of like step back. After like 5 years-ish I decide to give this book chance no 2 and it was much much better so here is my opinion:
-I understand what was authors point, I also understand why unlike movie this book is not focused on that dreamy romantic side where I can ship Pol and Holly and just be happy with that.
-I still prefer movie-I love more Audrey's charismatic Holly and I'm eternal dreamer so I love happy endings
-this is one quality book that makes you think about life but be careful looks small but it's one serious book
------------------------------------------------
SRB:
Kada sam prvi put pročitala ovu knigu nisam znala gde se nalazim niti šta čitam. Kao velikom fanu filma ova knjiga je malo je reći bila jedan korak nazad. Nakon nekih 5 godina rešila sam da joj dam drugu šaansu i ovo je moje mišljenje:
-Imam bolje razumevanje ove knjige kao i poente koju je autor hteo da iznese. Kapiram u potpunosti zašto za razliku od filma ova knjiga nema tu ssanjalačku romantičnu stranu u glavnom fokusu te moraš da misliš o ranji umesto da ship-uješ Pola i Holi
-Još uvek preferiram film. Jednostavo Odri mi je hrizmatičnja Holi a ja sam veliki sanjar koji voli srećne krajeve so there you go
-Ovo je jedna knjiga koja će hteli ili ne naterati vas da razmišlajte o životu. Ali pažljivo mala je ali nimalo laka za čitanje.
OK, what is this and TBH as a huge fan of movie book was kind of like step back. After like 5 years-ish I decide to give this book chance no 2 and it was much much better so here is my opinion:
-I understand what was authors point, I also understand why unlike movie this book is not focused on that dreamy romantic side where I can ship Pol and Holly and just be happy with that.
-I still prefer movie-I love more Audrey's charismatic Holly and I'm eternal dreamer so I love happy endings
-this is one quality book that makes you think about life but be careful looks small but it's one serious book
------------------------------------------------
SRB:
Kada sam prvi put pročitala ovu knigu nisam znala gde se nalazim niti šta čitam. Kao velikom fanu filma ova knjiga je malo je reći bila jedan korak nazad. Nakon nekih 5 godina rešila sam da joj dam drugu šaansu i ovo je moje mišljenje:
-Imam bolje razumevanje ove knjige kao i poente koju je autor hteo da iznese. Kapiram u potpunosti zašto za razliku od filma ova knjiga nema tu ssanjalačku romantičnu stranu u glavnom fokusu te moraš da misliš o ranji umesto da ship-uješ Pola i Holi
-Još uvek preferiram film. Jednostavo Odri mi je hrizmatičnja Holi a ja sam veliki sanjar koji voli srećne krajeve so there you go
-Ovo je jedna knjiga koja će hteli ili ne naterati vas da razmišlajte o životu. Ali pažljivo mala je ali nimalo laka za čitanje.
becksus's review
4.0
Having seen the film I still chose to read this to see how it differed and how the writing flowed. I wasnt disappointed! The descriptions are lovely even with the now not quite politically correct sections. A nice little book, an easy read and feels part of a literary education.