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A review by jbash_lo_fi
The Berlin Novels by Christopher Isherwood
4.0
Christopher Isherwood is one of my favourite writers but I didn't enjoy the Berlin Novels as much as I remembered on this read through. Having read Christopher and His Kind since the last time I read these books, they felt a bit diminished in comparison.
Isherwood's later writing is more honest, more confident and more compelling. That's even reflected with this compilation. I'd rate Mr Norris Changes Trains 3/5 and Goodbye to Berlin 4/5. The latter benefits from being more honestly autobiographical, albeit still coy and neutered.
The books are very good, just overshadowed by the evolved versions that followed them. I couldn't read Sally Bowles without thinking of Liza Minnelli in Cabaret and I couldn't read The Nowaks without thinking of the more vividly drawn version of Otto in Christopher and His Kind. So, read The Berlin Novels because they're great, then read Christopher and His Kind because it's even better and fills in the gaps.
Isherwood's later writing is more honest, more confident and more compelling. That's even reflected with this compilation. I'd rate Mr Norris Changes Trains 3/5 and Goodbye to Berlin 4/5. The latter benefits from being more honestly autobiographical, albeit still coy and neutered.
The books are very good, just overshadowed by the evolved versions that followed them. I couldn't read Sally Bowles without thinking of Liza Minnelli in Cabaret and I couldn't read The Nowaks without thinking of the more vividly drawn version of Otto in Christopher and His Kind. So, read The Berlin Novels because they're great, then read Christopher and His Kind because it's even better and fills in the gaps.