Active Users:527 Time:29/06/2026 08:21:18 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 1567 Views
Well, poppet, as you know, I read these ones: Rebekah - 31/01/2010 11:30:15 PM 1671 Views
Hm. Turns out I still haven't gotten any further in Anna Karenina... Legolas - 31/01/2010 11:30:47 PM 1255 Views
Yes, Specialist's Hat was in Magic for Beginners, I think? Cockatiel of Doom - 01/02/2010 01:11:56 AM 1328 Views
Gah. First double post ever. I am so ashamed. *NM* Cockatiel of Doom - 01/02/2010 01:11:56 AM 680 Views
Here's my baker's dozen PhotoJim - 01/02/2010 12:46:54 AM 1292 Views
what do the numbers mean? *NM* Camilla - 01/02/2010 01:30:56 PM 665 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 693 Views
How can you retain anything? everynametaken - 01/02/2010 02:26:26 AM 1216 Views
Did you perhaps mean to reply to PhotoJim? Tim - 01/02/2010 08:41:48 AM 1357 Views
If it was directed at me, I certainly don't read quickly PhotoJim - 01/02/2010 01:00:39 PM 1294 Views
Me too!! rebelaessedai - 01/02/2010 03:16:10 PM 1315 Views
My 9 books in Jan may not seem that impressive.. @my - 03/02/2010 07:38:46 PM 1710 Views
Also! @my - 03/02/2010 07:39:16 PM 1746 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 1260 Views
More than most, I suppose Larry - 01/02/2010 06:08:01 AM 1640 Views
Which Catullus poems in particular didn't you like? Ghavrel - 01/02/2010 08:00:40 AM 1280 Views
63 was one of them Larry - 01/02/2010 06:03:18 PM 1284 Views
I read four books ranagrande - 01/02/2010 08:14:34 AM 1230 Views
A solid month. Novo - 01/02/2010 08:28:14 AM 1311 Views
I haven't even managed one.... Maria - 01/02/2010 10:02:37 AM 1235 Views
I got through 7. A good start, I think. Spriteling - 01/02/2010 10:23:17 AM 1263 Views
Neverwhere twice in that short a time? Camilla - 01/02/2010 01:47:53 PM 1189 Views
Only 3.75 nossy - 01/02/2010 10:53:48 AM 1213 Views
I finished five Camilla - 01/02/2010 12:37:49 PM 1296 Views
*random etymological comment* Legolas - 01/02/2010 01:22:12 PM 1355 Views
Re: *random etymological comment* Camilla - 01/02/2010 01:29:26 PM 1302 Views
Det er derfor jeg liker å lære norsk . *NM* Tim - 01/02/2010 04:20:59 PM 688 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 1253 Views
The Elegance of the Hedgehog PhotoJim - 01/02/2010 01:38:08 PM 1302 Views
I've been meaning to write a review on it Camilla - 01/02/2010 01:44:54 PM 1457 Views
I just finished this on Friday so still sorting it myself PhotoJim - 01/02/2010 01:59:52 PM 1234 Views
Re: I just finished this on Friday so still sorting it myself Camilla - 01/02/2010 02:01:40 PM 1292 Views
Re: I finished five Milla - 01/02/2010 08:03:06 PM 1271 Views
Re: I finished five Camilla - 01/02/2010 09:24:12 PM 1305 Views
Re: I finished five Milla - 02/02/2010 10:35:42 AM 1320 Views
Re: I finished five Camilla - 02/02/2010 11:58:39 AM 1320 Views
I always post this in the next month's plans. rebelaessedai - 01/02/2010 03:14:40 PM 1244 Views
What were your top reads of 2009? Aeryn - 02/02/2010 03:21:21 PM 1263 Views
A few classics, and a newer one. Kronin al'Sulc - 01/02/2010 03:49:29 PM 1245 Views
Re: What did you read in January? Dark Gholam - 01/02/2010 05:24:18 PM 1287 Views
Eh. Not enough. jh - 01/02/2010 07:06:53 PM 1264 Views
Not much... Milla - 01/02/2010 08:13:08 PM 1377 Views
These... Missa Sedai - 02/02/2010 01:38:22 AM 1209 Views
What did I read in January Jones? Tom - 02/02/2010 01:55:29 AM 1224 Views
Oh, and also- rebelaessedai - 02/02/2010 03:13:55 PM 1245 Views
Because... Tim - 02/02/2010 03:20:13 PM 1305 Views
And thoughts? rebelaessedai - 11/02/2010 11:02:30 PM 1441 Views
Rebekah - 11/02/2010 11:07:10 PM 1262 Views
I read these: @my - 03/02/2010 07:33:56 PM 1647 Views
I finished my list for January, sans one which was boring. *NM* Danae al'Thor - 04/02/2010 01:51:07 PM 661 Views
Back to Messageboard Post New Thread Search Help Stats Rules

Reply to Message

Block Quote Paragraph Quote
Formatting
Smiley Codes