A review by haazex
Roderick Hudson by Henry James

5.0

Henry James's first (well second really) novel is luminous and has reawakened a great interest in his works. This novel paints the journey of a budding artist and his "protector" as he is brought to to the creative forces of art residing in the museums and cities of Italy as well as its glorious landscapes. Of course, the hero also encounters society, new perspectives and transformations. In a sense it is a bildungsroman partially shaped by James's own journeys and impressions of this region. I was initially not thrilled by James's long complex sentences and intricate vocabulary, but my appreciation for his web of words and situational descriptions steadily grew on me. I understand that this is a very early work of his, but it is extremely well written and utterly engaging as long as one allows oneself to transcend into the society (or at least a rendition thereof) and artistic circles of late 19th century Italy. A wonderful novel!