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 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.
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.
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
structured procrastinator
What did you read in January?
31/01/2010 11:16:05 PM
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Hm. Turns out I still haven't gotten any further in Anna Karenina...
31/01/2010 11:30:47 PM
- 886 Views
Here's my baker's dozen
01/02/2010 12:46:54 AM
- 893 Views
what do the numbers mean? *NM*
01/02/2010 01:30:56 PM
- 447 Views
Dates read. - It's a cut and paste from my reading list for the year. *NM*
01/02/2010 02:01:22 PM
- 469 Views
How can you retain anything?
01/02/2010 02:26:26 AM
- 815 Views
I'm not sure I finished any. Oh, wait, yes. I finished TWO. Both WoT books.
01/02/2010 02:33:24 AM
- 879 Views
More than most, I suppose
01/02/2010 06:08:01 AM
- 1195 Views
I finished five
01/02/2010 12:37:49 PM
- 904 Views
*random etymological comment*
01/02/2010 01:22:12 PM
- 962 Views
Det er derfor jeg liker å lære norsk . *NM*
01/02/2010 04:20:59 PM
- 471 Views
Take half of English, half of Dutch, spell it funny, give it a good shake and there you are, huh?
01/02/2010 06:42:12 PM
- 869 Views
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
01/02/2010 01:38:08 PM
- 913 Views
I've been meaning to write a review on it
01/02/2010 01:44:54 PM
- 1025 Views
Re: I finished five
01/02/2010 08:03:06 PM
- 884 Views
Re: I finished five
01/02/2010 09:24:12 PM
- 926 Views