A review by kirstiecat
The Epicure's Lament by Kate Christensen
3.0
Ugh..I wrote a decently long review and Goodreads didn't save it. Suffice it to say that I thought the writing of this novel was better than average but it lost me at the ending. Also, I'm the type of person who tends to have to like the protagonist in fiction novels and I found the charisma of this man to be too manipulative and even pathetic.
Some great things about the main character is that he's a misanthrope and has a dark sort of wit about him. He tends to be brutally honest about relationships and intimacy in his journals, which is how we learn about him and what's happening. There's nothing wrong with that except for his bluntly obvious double standards and homophobia that comes in at the end.
The main character is also actively engaging in a sort of long term suicide as he has Buerger's disease mainly caused by persistent smoking but won't give this up. It's an interesting aspect and adds a bit of complexity but I still just didn't find this man likable.
Another positive of the book is that it deals well with different relationships. both intimate and in the family. It takes place in a rural area set apart from NYC and in this wealthy family home that has been passed down and inherited by the protagonist and his brother. Again, this book has some positives but I ended up disliking the main character and hating the ending so I can't seem to rate it any higher than this.
Some great things about the main character is that he's a misanthrope and has a dark sort of wit about him. He tends to be brutally honest about relationships and intimacy in his journals, which is how we learn about him and what's happening. There's nothing wrong with that except for his bluntly obvious double standards and homophobia that comes in at the end.
The main character is also actively engaging in a sort of long term suicide as he has Buerger's disease mainly caused by persistent smoking but won't give this up. It's an interesting aspect and adds a bit of complexity but I still just didn't find this man likable.
Another positive of the book is that it deals well with different relationships. both intimate and in the family. It takes place in a rural area set apart from NYC and in this wealthy family home that has been passed down and inherited by the protagonist and his brother. Again, this book has some positives but I ended up disliking the main character and hating the ending so I can't seem to rate it any higher than this.