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juliancheltenham's review against another edition
4.0
A book about how difficult it is to love and maintain relationships. It’s beautifully written, often unexpectedly moving and a paean to London. It took some time for me to feel submerged in this book, but when I was, I loved it.
susie_m's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This was like a snapshot of time in the lives of a handful of characters, loosely linked with flashback sections to some of what had gone before. The style of writing was challenging at times - the flashbacks and memories of characters were not always signposted as such and the whole thing had a stream of consciousness feel. I think the author tried to play with different styles of writing for different characters but this was not carried through successfully. I found it both sad and depressing at times. Characters with little to show for their lives- lost love, failed business, wasted talent and wasted opportunities - and none of the characters had any sense of purpose about them. This was very clearly portrayed. It seemed to be raining all the time, rooms were small and mouldy, the stable yards were filthy. Katherine was looking at a picture in the national gallery which she described by saying ‘something is wrong with it - the elements do not seem properly integrated’. I think this sums up the book.
christiek's review against another edition
I gave up with 100 pages to go. Our main narrator is a sad sap who you just wish would make a decent decision. I didn't want to spend time with him and I couldn't see why Katherine didn't cut him loose. The point of view is totally unbalanced and what made me finally throw in the towel was when the POV shifted 160 some pages in to a character we'd never even met before.
purslane's review against another edition
4.0
The perspective shifts about, from standard-issue Szalay useless male protagonist to out-of-his-class girlfriend and vicious horse trainer, but no matter where we go it's never really spring. It's really chilly, damp, unhappy. Hardly a hint of sunshine. And finally what are these characters but types?
Szalay lays the literary writing on a bit thick, reminding us every few pages his theme is light, overdoing it a bit on the adverbs, but despite all that he is good. He gives us the uncertainties of romance, the inability to break out of our narcissism and connect, in scenes as honest as Kundera (a writer he resembles not at all).
So many cigarettes are smoked, so many embraces shrugged off, so many fucks fucked, that one needs a long walk in the fall rain to feel a bit clean after finishing this.
Szalay lays the literary writing on a bit thick, reminding us every few pages his theme is light, overdoing it a bit on the adverbs, but despite all that he is good. He gives us the uncertainties of romance, the inability to break out of our narcissism and connect, in scenes as honest as Kundera (a writer he resembles not at all).
So many cigarettes are smoked, so many embraces shrugged off, so many fucks fucked, that one needs a long walk in the fall rain to feel a bit clean after finishing this.
scotchneat's review against another edition
1.0
Have to say I didn't finish this one. A bloke who's trying to make back his life and his money meets a hotel manager and they go through ups and downs of finding a relationship.
stephend81d5's review against another edition
3.0
found this book very similar in parts to on chesil beach by ian mcewan with details of a relationship going nowhere and both sides not really knowing their deeper feelings through insecurity and neediness
geriatricgretch's review against another edition
3.0
I had a hard time putting this book down, but now that it's been two days I think I'll probably have forgotten it completely in six months. It was well written and haunting and sad.