Reviews

The Sparsholt Affair by Alan Hollinghurst

ashleysmilne's review against another edition

3.0

think hollinghurst writes really uniquely beautiful prose but was waiting for this book to arrive a bit more, like the emotional point of it felt a bit blunt

elemmakil's review against another edition

4.0

Tämä oli yksi niistä kirjoista, joissa on todella hyviä kohtia, ja toisaalta sellaisia, ettei kiinnostaisi lukea yhtään eteenpäin. Viimeisen sivun jälkeen koitti kuitenkin katarsis, siiteä kun pääsi tutustumaan näihin hahmoihin. Vaikka lähtökohta oli aika tyypillinen, hiljainen, sodan käynyt isä ja huonosta isä-suhteesta kärsinyt poika, niin silti tarina veti mukaansa rauhallisuudellaan ja täyteläisillä hahmoilla. Ja ehkä myös se, että kirjat, joissa suurin osa hahmoista on homoseksuaaleja, on vielä sen verran uusi juttu, että se vetoaa erityisellä tavalla. Vajaat neljä tähteä.

strawberrymivvy's review

Stopped reading this weeks ago, thinking I'd pick it up again, but could never face it

Just didn't engage or interest me

howeslee's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

rioyoung's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad medium-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

4.0

jknoxwhite's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

coops456's review against another edition

2.0

Having never read anything by Hollinghurst, and with my local library having unlimited copies of the ebook for LGBTQ History Month, I decided to give this a go.

But meh. Very disappointed.

It's written in 5 sections, each moving forward in time. The reader is left working out when this section is set. New characters are introduced and you have to deduce who they are and how they're connected to previous characters.

I'm left wondering what the point of this was, and why I persevered for 644 pages. Dullest thing I've read in ages.
Edited to add a star because the prose is good so 1-star was a bit harsh.

tomhill's review

3.0

After finishing The Line of Beauty, I ran to the library and checked out The Stranger's Child. I wanted to read anything and everything Hollinghurst had written. The opening chapters of that novel are so atmospheric and transport the reader instantly and effortlessly to the English countryside during the months before the first world war. Beautiful. But then phase two of the book begins; we jump forward a decade, never to return to 1913 and it just begins to meander. The Sparsholt Affair is structured in much the same way. Part one takes place at Oxford College during the early days of the second world war. Everything is atmospheric and beautifully written, and just as we are settling into this well-built world and getting to know the engaging characters, Hollinghurst flings us even farther into the future, again never to return to Oxford or WWII. Both books are worth reading, Sparsholt in particular, but for me, Hollingurst is too focused on telling too many characters' stories over far too many years. As a result, every character ends up underdeveloped, stretched too thin. He is a wonderful writer though, his prose is consistently beautiful/beautifully consistent.

kbrand04's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.25

vinsoo03's review against another edition

emotional sad tense 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Death of parent

Moderate: War and Homophobia

Minor: Terminal illness