Active Users:1045 Time:22/11/2024 07:20:39 AM
Back to Messageboard Post New Thread Search Help Stats Rules
I've been meaning to write a review on it Camilla Send a noteboard - 01/02/2010 01:44:54 PM
in part because I need to sort out how I feel.

I wish I had read it in French rather than English, though. It was too obviously a translation.

I'm still trying to see how I feel about this one. I thought the characters were all intellectual snobs for much of the book. I really disliked the first half of the book. It wasn't until Ozu really becomes part of the book that I warmed to anyone. Once I finally started to have hope for the characters and see some redeeming qualities in them it ENDS in a rather abrupt manner.


I think that is part of the charm of it. From what I know of Ozu the film-maker, the transitoriness of things is a big issue in his films. I think the book is constructed around that.
Did you ever read The Last Samurai by Helen DeWitt? It does something similar with Kurosawa.

Regarding the characters: I found the narrators interesting. The girl was wonderfully pretentious. But I agree that they weren't so much characters you warmed to. Unlike Ozu.

There are some beautiful moments, some funny moments, and some philosophical moments. I just wish they would have been put together without the moments of frustration with the author's style and love of the thesaurus.


As I see it, the love of the thesaurus was part of the point. Did you read it in English translation, though? Because it seemed like the translator had simply gone for the closest English word a lot of the time, making it sound more pretentious than it might have in French.
*MySmiley*
structured procrastinator
Reply to message
What did you read in January? Tim - 31/01/2010 11:16:05 PM 1191 Views
Well, poppet, as you know, I read these ones: Rebekah - 31/01/2010 11:30:15 PM 1219 Views
Hm. Turns out I still haven't gotten any further in Anna Karenina... Legolas - 31/01/2010 11:30:47 PM 877 Views
Yes, Specialist's Hat was in Magic for Beginners, I think? Cockatiel of Doom - 01/02/2010 01:11:56 AM 924 Views
Gah. First double post ever. I am so ashamed. *NM* Cockatiel of Doom - 01/02/2010 01:11:56 AM 456 Views
Here's my baker's dozen PhotoJim - 01/02/2010 12:46:54 AM 882 Views
what do the numbers mean? *NM* Camilla - 01/02/2010 01:30:56 PM 442 Views
Dates read. - It's a cut and paste from my reading list for the year. *NM* PhotoJim - 01/02/2010 02:01:22 PM 466 Views
How can you retain anything? everynametaken - 01/02/2010 02:26:26 AM 805 Views
Did you perhaps mean to reply to PhotoJim? Tim - 01/02/2010 08:41:48 AM 979 Views
If it was directed at me, I certainly don't read quickly PhotoJim - 01/02/2010 01:00:39 PM 905 Views
Me too!! rebelaessedai - 01/02/2010 03:16:10 PM 921 Views
My 9 books in Jan may not seem that impressive.. @my - 03/02/2010 07:38:46 PM 1163 Views
Also! @my - 03/02/2010 07:39:16 PM 1198 Views
I'm not sure I finished any. Oh, wait, yes. I finished TWO. Both WoT books. Ghavrel - 01/02/2010 02:33:24 AM 871 Views
More than most, I suppose Larry - 01/02/2010 06:08:01 AM 1184 Views
Which Catullus poems in particular didn't you like? Ghavrel - 01/02/2010 08:00:40 AM 894 Views
63 was one of them Larry - 01/02/2010 06:03:18 PM 902 Views
I read four books ranagrande - 01/02/2010 08:14:34 AM 829 Views
A solid month. Novo - 01/02/2010 08:28:14 AM 903 Views
I haven't even managed one.... Maria - 01/02/2010 10:02:37 AM 833 Views
I got through 7. A good start, I think. Spriteling - 01/02/2010 10:23:17 AM 844 Views
Neverwhere twice in that short a time? Camilla - 01/02/2010 01:47:53 PM 795 Views
Only 3.75 nossy - 01/02/2010 10:53:48 AM 841 Views
I finished five Camilla - 01/02/2010 12:37:49 PM 896 Views
*random etymological comment* Legolas - 01/02/2010 01:22:12 PM 950 Views
Re: *random etymological comment* Camilla - 01/02/2010 01:29:26 PM 925 Views
Det er derfor jeg liker å lære norsk . *NM* Tim - 01/02/2010 04:20:59 PM 467 Views
Take half of English, half of Dutch, spell it funny, give it a good shake and there you are, huh? Legolas - 01/02/2010 06:42:12 PM 858 Views
The Elegance of the Hedgehog PhotoJim - 01/02/2010 01:38:08 PM 906 Views
I've been meaning to write a review on it Camilla - 01/02/2010 01:44:54 PM 1015 Views
I just finished this on Friday so still sorting it myself PhotoJim - 01/02/2010 01:59:52 PM 834 Views
Re: I just finished this on Friday so still sorting it myself Camilla - 01/02/2010 02:01:40 PM 885 Views
Re: I finished five Milla - 01/02/2010 08:03:06 PM 876 Views
Re: I finished five Camilla - 01/02/2010 09:24:12 PM 915 Views
Re: I finished five Milla - 02/02/2010 10:35:42 AM 883 Views
Re: I finished five Camilla - 02/02/2010 11:58:39 AM 898 Views
I always post this in the next month's plans. rebelaessedai - 01/02/2010 03:14:40 PM 835 Views
What were your top reads of 2009? Aeryn - 02/02/2010 03:21:21 PM 864 Views
A few classics, and a newer one. Kronin al'Sulc - 01/02/2010 03:49:29 PM 869 Views
Re: What did you read in January? Dark Gholam - 01/02/2010 05:24:18 PM 873 Views
Eh. Not enough. jh - 01/02/2010 07:06:53 PM 855 Views
Not much... Milla - 01/02/2010 08:13:08 PM 931 Views
These... Missa Sedai - 02/02/2010 01:38:22 AM 796 Views
What did I read in January Jones? Tom - 02/02/2010 01:55:29 AM 806 Views
Oh, and also- rebelaessedai - 02/02/2010 03:13:55 PM 862 Views
Because... Tim - 02/02/2010 03:20:13 PM 905 Views
And thoughts? rebelaessedai - 11/02/2010 11:02:30 PM 1026 Views
Rebekah - 11/02/2010 11:07:10 PM 857 Views
I read these: @my - 03/02/2010 07:33:56 PM 1113 Views
I finished my list for January, sans one which was boring. *NM* Danae al'Thor - 04/02/2010 01:51:07 PM 420 Views
Back to Messageboard Post New Thread Search Help Stats Rules

Reply to Message

Block Quote Paragraph Quote
Formatting
Smiley Codes