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mmilligan94's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
While I understand and appreciate the significance of the novel I found it tedious reading. Therese and Carol are both exhausting and their relationship is exhausting. Highsmith has a few splashes of elegant prose but for the most part it’s a slog. There is no sweetness of first love, anguish of forbidden love, deepness of long lasting love. It’s two boring red flag women in their boring red flag relationship. There was too much angst for adult women that have known each other a few months.
daphnesayshi's review against another edition
4.0
Generally I prefer reading a book before watching its adaptation, but in this case, I thoroughly enjoyed imagining my baes Rooney and Cate as I read on. heh.
loveangle's review against another edition
5.0
I was struck by Therese, how she didn’t feel vivid at all as a person, but what an interesting character she is. Carol calls her an angel flung out of space. She’s an orphan, a set designer who creates settings without living a “real life,” a girl who falls in love for the first time and becomes rearranged as a result. Even the road trip with Carol leaves her essentially stranded, she’s just wandering around the cities alone, living a very mundane, anonymous existence.
“And she did not have to ask if this were right, no one had to tell her, because this could not have been more right or perfect.”
“Or was it that she always wanted a little more than she had, no matter how much she had?”
The love affair with Carol is the only way she feels confident, which would be a disaster for anyone else as unsure and immature as Therese.
“…her usual mistrust of her own reactions, the anxiety that her reactions were like no one else’s…”
“Carol’s phrase 'come out' bad made her think of being born, and it embarrassed her. Yes, she had been born since she left Carol.”
Ugh it’s just so good.
“And she did not have to ask if this were right, no one had to tell her, because this could not have been more right or perfect.”
“Or was it that she always wanted a little more than she had, no matter how much she had?”
The love affair with Carol is the only way she feels confident, which would be a disaster for anyone else as unsure and immature as Therese.
“…her usual mistrust of her own reactions, the anxiety that her reactions were like no one else’s…”
“Carol’s phrase 'come out' bad made her think of being born, and it embarrassed her. Yes, she had been born since she left Carol.”
Ugh it’s just so good.
jo_hoa's review against another edition
5.0
Classic. I love therese and carol and also cate blanchett
frozenheartv's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
4.5 stars
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
🧠 My thoughts
I was really happy that I decided to read the book after watching the movie. Both were very nice but the book had the privilege to dwell deeper into the psyche of the main characters so I got to understand more their behaviors and actions. I have tried to read many romance books but ended up DNFed most of them but this one stuck with me. Probably the reason was that the book was really about the romance itself, not lust or shallow affection. Their complicated relationships with each other were very intriguing to take a look into. It was very well-written.
👍 What I like
- Complex characters study
- Romantic and not shallow
👎 What I don't like
- Sometimes some parts feel a bit lengthy
emmajarvis's review against another edition
2.0
I don’t have very many thoughts on this book, I just found it kind of boring. I guess I’m not a fan of drama but nothing really happened. And I didn’t really feel invested in the characters at all. I had to listen to this as an audiobook to get through it. I swear all they did was drive and stop for coffee. I did find the last like 20% of the book a bit exciting though, and I thought the ending was okay.
cjones16's review against another edition
3.0
Highsmith begins and ends the novel almost perfectly, but the rest of the plot is viscous and dragged down by Carol’s dense character. Overall, I certainly found it intriguing and there is much to be discussed! I loved that it was reminiscent of a thriller like The Talented Mr. Ripley. A good read all in all.
soggygarlicknot's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I absolutely loved how they portrayed Therese and Carol's love. So heartwarming and heartbreaking. A good book and definitely a lesbian classic.