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srm's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Somehow, I'd never read this, even though I've always been a fan of the movie. Election season inspired me to final check it out, and it's an often funny, but also often troubling look at American politics. Glad I finally checked it out.
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Suicide
tomleetang's review against another edition
3.0
The appeal of Primary Colours lies in its conjuring of real people, in its picture of the actual figures behind this roman a clef, in its supplying of a flavour of the nerve-shredding, often nasty reality of American political campaigning.
But as a novel it's clumsy, right from the offset; compared to the gold standard of the American political novel, which I would say is All the King's Men, its language is laborious and the imagery hackneyed. It reads like it was written as a longform piece of journalism - so I was less than surprised when I learned its author is indeed primarily a journalist.
I'm not saying I didn't find it enjoyable and gripping, and reading it I can't help feeling that the writers of Veep must have cribbed a few ideas from its pages. The tone is certainly one anybody who has watched Veep or its British forebear The Thick of It will recognise and relish.
But if I was a book snob I'd ask whether you could really call this 'Literature.' Oh wait, I am a book snob, and the answer is barely, but as a critique of politics and the associated machinations, it's absolutely thrilling.
But as a novel it's clumsy, right from the offset; compared to the gold standard of the American political novel, which I would say is All the King's Men, its language is laborious and the imagery hackneyed. It reads like it was written as a longform piece of journalism - so I was less than surprised when I learned its author is indeed primarily a journalist.
I'm not saying I didn't find it enjoyable and gripping, and reading it I can't help feeling that the writers of Veep must have cribbed a few ideas from its pages. The tone is certainly one anybody who has watched Veep or its British forebear The Thick of It will recognise and relish.
But if I was a book snob I'd ask whether you could really call this 'Literature.' Oh wait, I am a book snob, and the answer is barely, but as a critique of politics and the associated machinations, it's absolutely thrilling.
jimbowen0306's review against another edition
3.0
This book sees a youngish, but experienced political operative called Henry Burton go to work for a Democratic presidential candidate reminiscent of Bill Clinton.
We watch as gets dragged deeper into things, and he performs more ethically challenging things during the race, asking ourselves if we’d do that for the campaign in the process.
It was a decent read, but the book is old now, and feels of it’s time? With the rise of things like the internet issues change, and “deep dives” change, making the book feel almost quaint now.
We watch as gets dragged deeper into things, and he performs more ethically challenging things during the race, asking ourselves if we’d do that for the campaign in the process.
It was a decent read, but the book is old now, and feels of it’s time? With the rise of things like the internet issues change, and “deep dives” change, making the book feel almost quaint now.
skirmishgirl's review against another edition
3.0
Having seen the movie more than once, I was driven to read the book. That, and the numerous copies at the free book venue in town. So I grabbed it, and I read it. And it was a struggle.
It's not that the book is badly written, because it's not. But the film adaptation was so close that there wasn't much room for more in the book. There's one love story line that's not in the movie, but otherwise the vast majority of the movie is just like the book, thus removing the idea that the book is somehow superior.
If I hadn't seen the film, this might have been riveting, and it must have been revalatory when it came out. But now it just seems a little dated and a little trite.
It's not that the book is badly written, because it's not. But the film adaptation was so close that there wasn't much room for more in the book. There's one love story line that's not in the movie, but otherwise the vast majority of the movie is just like the book, thus removing the idea that the book is somehow superior.
If I hadn't seen the film, this might have been riveting, and it must have been revalatory when it came out. But now it just seems a little dated and a little trite.
dreavg's review against another edition
funny
informative
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
3.0
stormblessed4's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
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? Yes
2.0