A review by selkelite
The Spell, by Alan Hollinghurst
4.0
Alright, so the ending scene was a little silly and, as a whole, this book doesn't come close to the dizzying literary heights of The Line of Beauty. It is, however, a wonderful read.
I love the way Hollinghurst evokes character and place and community, I love the awkward terrible sad sweet workings of the relationships he portrays, I love being dropped into a world in which nearly everyone is gay.
(That 1 star review up there really bugs me - I can't understand why anyone looking for a fast paced plot would have picked up a novel by this author in the first place, and I am endlessly bothered by readers who need all characters to be - shudder - likeable. If that's you, don't read this book. If not, enjoy.)
I love the way Hollinghurst evokes character and place and community, I love the awkward terrible sad sweet workings of the relationships he portrays, I love being dropped into a world in which nearly everyone is gay.
(That 1 star review up there really bugs me - I can't understand why anyone looking for a fast paced plot would have picked up a novel by this author in the first place, and I am endlessly bothered by readers who need all characters to be - shudder - likeable. If that's you, don't read this book. If not, enjoy.)