Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Rainbow by D.H. Lawrence

1 review

edwardian_girl_next_door's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

3.5

This was my first time reading Lawrence, though I've read most of the other landmark Modernists, and I have to be honest -- I think most of it went over my head. It took a while for me to get into his style, and I didn't like it at first. He repeats words in the same paragraph rather than using synonyms or another way to describe his ideas; characters have non-lineal development; there are long-winded explanations of certain aspects of his characters' lives that often contradict themselves or are easily forgotten. But once I got used to it, the book went down a little easier. He has that vivid sensitivity to ordinary life I find in common among his contemporaries, and possesses the vocabulary and sensibility to express it in refreshing ways. I especially appreciated the nature prose and how it portrays the Brangwens' inherited deep affection for the land. That being said, I think Lawrence is an acquired taste -- his characters are irritatingly realistic when it comes to revelations and development, as they contradict themselves hopelessly and are hard to nail down to a few stock "good and bad qualities". The prose is dense and extremely abstract, especially when expounding on the intricacies of religion. But having made it through, it has definitely enriched my reading experience. Following Ursula and her ancestors through the trials, abuses, and joys in life is heartbreaking, confounding, and frustrating all at once. I look forward to reading the sequel, and perhaps revisiting the series a little later to pick out some of the finer details.
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