Reviews

The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes

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syddailylife's review

4.0

Realising it is a biography (a loose retelling) was a twist I didn't see coming :) It tended to drag a little, moving from careful repetition to dry, however the last third was entitely worth it. So many wonderful lines.

schnauzermum's review against another edition

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5.0

An impressive fictional biography of Shostakovich. The structure works well. The composer reflects on his life and relationship with Power at 3 critical points in his life: 1936, 1948 and and 1960. It’s a convincing account of the personal cost of being an artist in a totalitarian regime. It says so much in a short book. One to read and re-read.

jaclyncrupi's review

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4.0

It may not be his best book but it's pretty damn great (that bar is crazy high). Barnes inhabits Shostakovich and explores artistry under oppression. There are some killer lines in here within a clever triptych structure. There is a lot of good stuff here for Barnes lovers and those interested in Russian composers.

cankadir's review

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challenging dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

thenovelcourt's review

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3.0

"What could be put up against the noise of time? Only that music which is inside ourselves - the music of our being."

jvstee's review

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3.0

Like Sense of an Ending, in this book Barnes' character reflects on events throughout his life at the point at which he is at the end of his life. This style is well-suited for this fictionalised biography of Shostakovich's life in Soviet Russia, although the pacing isn't quite as equal as Sense of an Ending – the first half was more gripping to me than the second half, though the ending and Barnes' ability to write short, powerful sentences did make up for this for me.

mimima's review against another edition

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emotional informative medium-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

I loved the history, the references, the story, the struggle. I *hated* the structure and writing. Every star is where the former outweighed the latter.