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A review by mastersal
Augustus by John Williams
5.0
Peer pressure for the win … or the biggest surprise of my reading month.
Read as part of a group read, I am still not sure if the rating is because of the community aspects or the fact that I was so pleased I could still read. Either way I loved this book. So smartly written, with such economy that I am still thinking about it.
The thematic concerns about the dichotomy of private and public lives is one which personally resonates and one which has come up a lot in nonfiction - but I don’t remember it being so clearly communicated in historical fiction.
Well not in the recent historical fiction I’ve read - could be a sign that I’m reading the wrong books but whatever. Still loved this.
Plus the writing was lovely. The author manages different character voices so well. The epistolary format helped here quite a bit which allowed this intimate tone with the reader but also to is performative aspect to the letters which I loved. So smart in structure.
I had lots of notes on the book - mostly gushes which I will spare everyone and just encourage you to read it. Plus, the audiobook is great too so double benefit.
Read as part of a group read, I am still not sure if the rating is because of the community aspects or the fact that I was so pleased I could still read. Either way I loved this book. So smartly written, with such economy that I am still thinking about it.
The thematic concerns about the dichotomy of private and public lives is one which personally resonates and one which has come up a lot in nonfiction - but I don’t remember it being so clearly communicated in historical fiction.
Well not in the recent historical fiction I’ve read - could be a sign that I’m reading the wrong books but whatever. Still loved this.
Plus the writing was lovely. The author manages different character voices so well. The epistolary format helped here quite a bit which allowed this intimate tone with the reader but also to is performative aspect to the letters which I loved. So smart in structure.
I had lots of notes on the book - mostly gushes which I will spare everyone and just encourage you to read it. Plus, the audiobook is great too so double benefit.