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The Great Lenore
The Great Lenore is the tale of a ravishing young Brit whose falsely-reported death provides her with an opportunity to begin a new life. Before she can disappear for good, however, she longs to know the reaction of her two-timing husband and his aristocratic family. To find out, Lenore enlists Richard - an outsider in the money-and-booze sodden landscape of Nantucket high society - to be her eyes and ears. As events unfold, Richard discovers the entanglements of Lenore's relationships are more intricate than he ever expected - more intricate even than the secrets within Lenore's miniature punt boat.
This elegant debut paints an idyllic island surrounded by reflective seas and encased in a world where souls collide, mysteries thicken, and dreams unravel. With lively, modern prose reminiscent of The Jazz Age, Tohline orchestrates a playful literary riff on affluence, love, grief, and duplicity. In the author's words, ''[It] is about dreams, and about the things we sacrifice to chase them.''
This elegant debut paints an idyllic island surrounded by reflective seas and encased in a world where souls collide, mysteries thicken, and dreams unravel. With lively, modern prose reminiscent of The Jazz Age, Tohline orchestrates a playful literary riff on affluence, love, grief, and duplicity. In the author's words, ''[It] is about dreams, and about the things we sacrifice to chase them.''
204 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2011
18 people are currently reading
3526 people want to read
About the author
J.M. Tohline
1 book56 followersJM Tohline grew up in a small town just north of Boston and lives in a quiet house on the edge of the Great Plains with wife, Abby, and their cats, The Old Man and the Sea and East of Eden. He is 27 years old. The Great Lenore is his first novel. You can find him online at http://www.jmtohline.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
February 24, 2019
this book really makes me want to read Zuleika Dobson again, even though technically it is a retelling of The Great Gatsby.
it's probably nothing like zd except that it centers around a beautiful, vivacious woman who drives all the boys to distraction, it is both comical and deeply tragic, and there is probably a lot of drinking (i don't actually remember the drinking-quantity in z.d.)
so richard is a novelist, struggling with that second-novel curse, house-sitting in one of the wealthy enclaves of nantucket when he finds himself enmeshed in the walking greek tragedy of the family next door.
lenore is a woman who has a catastrophic effect on every man who meets her, and she is married to the elder son of richard's new neighbors. she is beautiful and charismatic and the sweetheart side of the femme fatale coin. and the plane she was supposed to be on has just crashed, leaving no survivors.
it is a perfect opportunity to see how people really feel about you, right?
so richard becomes her investigator-of-sorts, and oh, the things he discovers...
it is a satisfyingly sad little book. some of the transitional elements are blurrier than i usually like, but this gives the book a dreamlike quality, and since the narrator is usually drunk or stoned or just confused, this actually works out pretty nicely. he is one of those "empty vessel" narrators, who drifts around as the perfect observer, but his inebriated state makes him an unreliable observer, so it gets complicated.
we don't get to see too much of lenore, not enough to understand why she is the greatest chick since sliced bread, but all of the characters' comments to richard involve some sort of "you just had to know her" statement which makes for a nice authorial sidestep; he doesn't have to make her irresistible on paper, because she is only beautiful in flight.
i recommend this as an end-of-summer read, when all that sunshiny promise starts fading into dying leaves and chilling snow. that is, if sorrow is your bag. sorrow is definitely my bag.
in searching online to show off the nice edition of z.d. i have, i came across this cover, which might be the biggest crime against literature ever:
like it's some piece of summer beach blanket erotica.
i laff.
come to my blog!
it's probably nothing like zd except that it centers around a beautiful, vivacious woman who drives all the boys to distraction, it is both comical and deeply tragic, and there is probably a lot of drinking (i don't actually remember the drinking-quantity in z.d.)
so richard is a novelist, struggling with that second-novel curse, house-sitting in one of the wealthy enclaves of nantucket when he finds himself enmeshed in the walking greek tragedy of the family next door.
lenore is a woman who has a catastrophic effect on every man who meets her, and she is married to the elder son of richard's new neighbors. she is beautiful and charismatic and the sweetheart side of the femme fatale coin. and the plane she was supposed to be on has just crashed, leaving no survivors.
it is a perfect opportunity to see how people really feel about you, right?
so richard becomes her investigator-of-sorts, and oh, the things he discovers...
it is a satisfyingly sad little book. some of the transitional elements are blurrier than i usually like, but this gives the book a dreamlike quality, and since the narrator is usually drunk or stoned or just confused, this actually works out pretty nicely. he is one of those "empty vessel" narrators, who drifts around as the perfect observer, but his inebriated state makes him an unreliable observer, so it gets complicated.
we don't get to see too much of lenore, not enough to understand why she is the greatest chick since sliced bread, but all of the characters' comments to richard involve some sort of "you just had to know her" statement which makes for a nice authorial sidestep; he doesn't have to make her irresistible on paper, because she is only beautiful in flight.
i recommend this as an end-of-summer read, when all that sunshiny promise starts fading into dying leaves and chilling snow. that is, if sorrow is your bag. sorrow is definitely my bag.
in searching online to show off the nice edition of z.d. i have, i came across this cover, which might be the biggest crime against literature ever:
like it's some piece of summer beach blanket erotica.
i laff.
come to my blog!
February 27, 2012
This book was recommended to me after shortly after I joined GoodReads by someone who thought it matched my tastes. I was very happy to have a chance to try a title that I had previously not heard of, and I am happy to review it, but was not impressed.
I felt that this book really lacked depth in both the story and the characters. It seems rather than taking the time to make you believe something about a character, the author just tells you explicitly what he wants you to know. At first I thought maybe I couldn't relate to the characters because they are wealthy and well-connected, but they just weren't well developed. They were shells of people placed in an overly dramatic plot line.
If you are looking for a quick read, or something you don't have to concentrate that hard on then I say go for it. If you are looking for quality writing and depth, I would pass on this one.
I felt that this book really lacked depth in both the story and the characters. It seems rather than taking the time to make you believe something about a character, the author just tells you explicitly what he wants you to know. At first I thought maybe I couldn't relate to the characters because they are wealthy and well-connected, but they just weren't well developed. They were shells of people placed in an overly dramatic plot line.
If you are looking for a quick read, or something you don't have to concentrate that hard on then I say go for it. If you are looking for quality writing and depth, I would pass on this one.
May 16, 2011
I loved this book. The mystery, the world of the rich with tremendous problems, a beautiful setting, deep characters you could touch...but most of all, I loved the words. As gorgeous and enduring as a classic. It's been some weeks since I finished it, but I still feel the sea mist, still worry about the characters and their choices and still wonder about Lenore. This is a must-add to your summer reading list.
March 6, 2013
Gatsby-esque, but also riffing on Poe's The Raven, this novel could not seem to make up it's mind.
The Lenore character is so flat and shallow that the plot leaks like a sieve. Lenore unwittingly breaks hearts, leaving a trail of drunk and wallowing corporate men-children in her wake. As if this siren/femme fatal figure isn't disturbing enough, the novel only features two women, the impossible-to-have Lenore, and another woman, Cecilia, who the narrator sleeps with and promptly dumps because she isn't Lenore. A feminist nightmare. Oh and wait, there is Cecelia's mother who calls herself Mamma Something-or-other and plays mother to everyone (because when you have a whore character she must be balanced by a madonna, yes?)
The narrator is an introspective novelist working on book #2. He observes life, like Gatsby's Nick Carraway and Poe's unnamed narrator from The Raven. Except this guy is largely self-indulgent. He ruminates and ruminates, to the point of tired cliche. For example, if he had pointed out once or twice his awareness of time, that it ticks on ruthlessly blah blah blah (except when he talks to Lenore of course), then perhaps I may have paused and agreed. But to remind the reader of time marching on every few pages is worse than annoying; I got to the point of thinking about the valuable time I was wasting reading simplistic armchair philosophy in the form of a convuluted mystery novel.
The Lenore character is so flat and shallow that the plot leaks like a sieve. Lenore unwittingly breaks hearts, leaving a trail of drunk and wallowing corporate men-children in her wake. As if this siren/femme fatal figure isn't disturbing enough, the novel only features two women, the impossible-to-have Lenore, and another woman, Cecilia, who the narrator sleeps with and promptly dumps because she isn't Lenore. A feminist nightmare. Oh and wait, there is Cecelia's mother who calls herself Mamma Something-or-other and plays mother to everyone (because when you have a whore character she must be balanced by a madonna, yes?)
The narrator is an introspective novelist working on book #2. He observes life, like Gatsby's Nick Carraway and Poe's unnamed narrator from The Raven. Except this guy is largely self-indulgent. He ruminates and ruminates, to the point of tired cliche. For example, if he had pointed out once or twice his awareness of time, that it ticks on ruthlessly blah blah blah (except when he talks to Lenore of course), then perhaps I may have paused and agreed. But to remind the reader of time marching on every few pages is worse than annoying; I got to the point of thinking about the valuable time I was wasting reading simplistic armchair philosophy in the form of a convuluted mystery novel.
December 2, 2011
The Great Lenore by J.M. Tohline
Just imagine. You are an author who was once nominated for a National Book Award. You are working on a new novel, but your life is crazy. You yearn to get away, go to the seashore, and let the ocean inspire you. On Nantucket, you can write as you please, watch the waves, and fill your head with your characters so that they come alive on the page. Imagine you are Richard Parkland, the narrator of J.M. Tohline's debut novel The Great Lenore. Writing is the last thing you end up doing on your quiet beach vacation.
Tohline grew up near Boston and lives on the edge of the Great Plains with his cat called The Old Man And The Sea. The Great Lenore is his first novel but definitely not his last.
A friend invites Parkland to stay at his Nantucket beach house over the holiday season, and Parkland readily accepts to work on a new novel. He becomes friendly with the wealthy Montanas who own the mansion next door; he ends up having Thanksgiving with them. The merriment of the holidays are cut short, though, when Lenore, married to one of the Montana sons, dies in a plane crash. The family is devastated, and Parkland feels out of place. After all, he did not know Lenore. He is shocked when the ghost of Lenore ends up on his porch! Lenore missed her plane, yet this character at the center of Tohline's story, is so shallow that she will not even tell her husband she is alive. Her husband has a mistress, you see, and they have been growing apart. Yet, Lenore is in love with Jez, a man who works for the Montanas and who she has known for a very long time. Lenore and Jez have a complicated and complex relationship. I saw Lenore as a shallow young woman of privilege. She does not care who she hurts. She destroys people's lives on a whim. Just what is so great about Lenore? I am afraid I cannot tell you. Yet this novel is so "right now." Lenore and the Montanas represent the very rich who do what they please, while the little people, like you and me and Parkland get stepped on and used along the way.
Nantucket comes to life in The Great Lenore and becomes the perfect backdrop. I can think of no other locale that would have done this novel justice.
The Great Lenore is a stylish novella. His prose is clever and witty. Tohline explores such themes as fate versus free will and second chances. I believe readers will see themselves in Richard Parkland, an uncomplicated man who just cannot seem to process what he has witnessed. The reader will root for Parkland, just as the reader will praise Tohline. I predict we see great things from Tohline.
Just imagine. You are an author who was once nominated for a National Book Award. You are working on a new novel, but your life is crazy. You yearn to get away, go to the seashore, and let the ocean inspire you. On Nantucket, you can write as you please, watch the waves, and fill your head with your characters so that they come alive on the page. Imagine you are Richard Parkland, the narrator of J.M. Tohline's debut novel The Great Lenore. Writing is the last thing you end up doing on your quiet beach vacation.
Tohline grew up near Boston and lives on the edge of the Great Plains with his cat called The Old Man And The Sea. The Great Lenore is his first novel but definitely not his last.
A friend invites Parkland to stay at his Nantucket beach house over the holiday season, and Parkland readily accepts to work on a new novel. He becomes friendly with the wealthy Montanas who own the mansion next door; he ends up having Thanksgiving with them. The merriment of the holidays are cut short, though, when Lenore, married to one of the Montana sons, dies in a plane crash. The family is devastated, and Parkland feels out of place. After all, he did not know Lenore. He is shocked when the ghost of Lenore ends up on his porch! Lenore missed her plane, yet this character at the center of Tohline's story, is so shallow that she will not even tell her husband she is alive. Her husband has a mistress, you see, and they have been growing apart. Yet, Lenore is in love with Jez, a man who works for the Montanas and who she has known for a very long time. Lenore and Jez have a complicated and complex relationship. I saw Lenore as a shallow young woman of privilege. She does not care who she hurts. She destroys people's lives on a whim. Just what is so great about Lenore? I am afraid I cannot tell you. Yet this novel is so "right now." Lenore and the Montanas represent the very rich who do what they please, while the little people, like you and me and Parkland get stepped on and used along the way.
Nantucket comes to life in The Great Lenore and becomes the perfect backdrop. I can think of no other locale that would have done this novel justice.
The Great Lenore is a stylish novella. His prose is clever and witty. Tohline explores such themes as fate versus free will and second chances. I believe readers will see themselves in Richard Parkland, an uncomplicated man who just cannot seem to process what he has witnessed. The reader will root for Parkland, just as the reader will praise Tohline. I predict we see great things from Tohline.
April 30, 2012
(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.)
This slim debut novel by J.M. Tohline has an interesting conceit at its core; cleverly combining details from Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven and F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby but neither of their actual plots, it tells the story of a young novelist invited to housesit a mansion in Nantucket one winter, eventually becoming emotionally adopted by the upper-class family of misfits next door. The catch? It turns out that not only both brothers of that family but a close family friend have all had passionate love affairs at one point or another with the titular manic pixie dream girl, each of whom know only some of the truth about all of the others; so when said Lenore magically shows up at our everyman narrator's place four days after she apparently died in an accident, the family next door already starting to break down into Peyton-Place histrionics over their loss, needless to say that it throws a real wrench into the entire proceedings, especially after Lenore requests that our hero keep her existence a secret so that she can take advantage of the rare opportunity to see how all these various lovers of hers exactly react to her death. The problem, though, is that once Tohline puts this admittedly fascinating milieu together, he can't seem to figure out anything interesting to do with it; for while the entire thing is definitely well-written, and contains all kinds of knowing asides for the pleasure of heavy literary readers, the last two-thirds of this short book seem to consist of not much more than a bunch of people all endlessly screaming to each other, "I loved her more!" "No, I loved her more!" before building to a contrived climax that feels as if Tohline simply ran out of energy to continue. Fantastic as a short story idea but lacking as a novel, as belies the author's actual career experiences so far, this certainly is a sign of a writer who still has a lot of great work ahead of him, although with this particular book receiving only a tepid recommendation today.
Out of 10: 8.1
This slim debut novel by J.M. Tohline has an interesting conceit at its core; cleverly combining details from Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven and F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby but neither of their actual plots, it tells the story of a young novelist invited to housesit a mansion in Nantucket one winter, eventually becoming emotionally adopted by the upper-class family of misfits next door. The catch? It turns out that not only both brothers of that family but a close family friend have all had passionate love affairs at one point or another with the titular manic pixie dream girl, each of whom know only some of the truth about all of the others; so when said Lenore magically shows up at our everyman narrator's place four days after she apparently died in an accident, the family next door already starting to break down into Peyton-Place histrionics over their loss, needless to say that it throws a real wrench into the entire proceedings, especially after Lenore requests that our hero keep her existence a secret so that she can take advantage of the rare opportunity to see how all these various lovers of hers exactly react to her death. The problem, though, is that once Tohline puts this admittedly fascinating milieu together, he can't seem to figure out anything interesting to do with it; for while the entire thing is definitely well-written, and contains all kinds of knowing asides for the pleasure of heavy literary readers, the last two-thirds of this short book seem to consist of not much more than a bunch of people all endlessly screaming to each other, "I loved her more!" "No, I loved her more!" before building to a contrived climax that feels as if Tohline simply ran out of energy to continue. Fantastic as a short story idea but lacking as a novel, as belies the author's actual career experiences so far, this certainly is a sign of a writer who still has a lot of great work ahead of him, although with this particular book receiving only a tepid recommendation today.
Out of 10: 8.1
January 10, 2012
Let me tell you a funny story about what happened to me on my way to the grocery store…
It’s around 10am, and I’m walking out of my house to my car, and the mailman is just coming up my walkway with a box. I go back inside to open it, (because, hey, you know, I have a strict “no package left behind” policy), and much to my delight it’s my copy of The Great Lenore.
Well, I’ve been dying to get my hands on this book, so I figured I’d sit down for a couple of minutes and just read “a couple of chapters”. Whet my appetite a little….
“Somewhere a clock ticked. Somewhere, time disappeared.”
Well, when next I looked up (after finishing the book in its entirety), it’s 7:30 pm, and I guess I’d better start scrounging something for dinner, since I never did make it to the grocery store.
If you read one book this year, Hell, in the next TEN years, read The Great Lenore. I’m going to find some food and write a proper review for this incredible novel.
Did I fly? Oh yes, J.M. I did!
"Too Much."
It’s around 10am, and I’m walking out of my house to my car, and the mailman is just coming up my walkway with a box. I go back inside to open it, (because, hey, you know, I have a strict “no package left behind” policy), and much to my delight it’s my copy of The Great Lenore.
Well, I’ve been dying to get my hands on this book, so I figured I’d sit down for a couple of minutes and just read “a couple of chapters”. Whet my appetite a little….
“Somewhere a clock ticked. Somewhere, time disappeared.”
Well, when next I looked up (after finishing the book in its entirety), it’s 7:30 pm, and I guess I’d better start scrounging something for dinner, since I never did make it to the grocery store.
If you read one book this year, Hell, in the next TEN years, read The Great Lenore. I’m going to find some food and write a proper review for this incredible novel.
Did I fly? Oh yes, J.M. I did!
"Too Much."
July 6, 2013
Read 7/4/13 - 7/6/13
4 Stars - Highly recommended to fans of modern gothic literature and fuckeduppery
Pgs: 204
Publisher: Atticus Book
I cracked open The Great Lenore two days ago (which I've been holding on to ever since I met its author JM Tohline at AWP in March) in anticipation of its upcoming Author/Reader discussion in August, and despite my typical dislike of gothic, faux memoir-ish, tragic literature, I found myself instantly intrigued by Tohline's teasing narrative. He pulls you in, he pushes you away, he hints at things and cleverly sidesteps them time and time again until he's ready to revel it all. And all the while, he's got you tied to the end of a set of marionette strings, helpless in his hands, following the tugs and tickles of his fingers, eyes dancing across the pages, unable to stop until you reach The End.
I admit that, initially, this was a difficult book for me to read. The timing was uncanny. Very early in, I found myself closing the book and walking away from it, unsure if I wanted to continue. Because I was pretty sure that, up to this point in my life, I'd had just about all the infidelity I could handle...
If you don't know anything about this book, you should know this: Infidelity plays a large role in this tale of love, loss, and deep, dark secrets. Not that infidelity in and of itself is by any means a new plot concept. But I'm sick of how accepted and common it is, in all aspects of media - listen to the lyrics of a song and you're bound to hear about how the singer has cheated or was cheated on; watch any movie, good god, any HBO or Showtime series, even if it's not the driving force of the show, and you're almost guaranteed to see characters cheat on one another, sometimes with one another. And it's not just media, is it? It's all around us. How many of us have cheated on our spouses, boyfriends or girlfriends, discovered that we've been cheated on, or know someone close to us who has? And how many of us just sit by and let it all happen, know about it and never say anything, hide it and feel guilty about it? Jesus, it's everywhere you turn; and once you're aware of it, you can't seem to escape it. And I was pretty sure that I didn't want to immerse myself in literature that hinged so heavily on it right now.
But as I mentioned, Tohline hooks you, and once hooked, it's pointless to struggle, impossible to walk away. It just keeps pulling you back in.
So I gave in, and gave up, and gave my mind over to our narrator Richard, who is telling the tale of how he ended up so severely entwined in the ridiculously destructive love quadrangle between Montana brothers Chas and Maxwell, Jez - a close friend of the family, Chas's wife Lenore, and Chas's girlfriend-on-the-side Lily.
Much like those horribly dated TV soap operas that I refuse to burn brain cells on, and reminiscent of the dark and dreary classic Victorian Gothic novels that I somehow managed to eye-roll myself through, we are drenched in this family's who-is-fucking-who and who-fucked-them-first and how-can-anyone-not-know-who-is-plotting-what-with-who fucked-uppery. And oh yeah, there's Lenore's death, that is actually a non-death (and no, I'm not spoiling anything for you, because this is the hook that the author sinks into your skin upon reading the very first line!) that causes all of the family's secrets to come rushing to the surface like an overflowing toilet...
Lenore; she who all men are helpless against, the spider who weaves her web around each and every one of their hearts, the muse, the innocent angel, the devious devil, the true marionette master... Lenore.
Go on and give it a read. If for no other reason than to join in on our discussion with the author this coming August - cause there is a whole lot that's worthy of discussion here; if for no other reason than to see why I can review it so wearily and yet still give such a wonderful rating. It's a novel that's bound to toy with you. And you will like it. I guarantee it.
4 Stars - Highly recommended to fans of modern gothic literature and fuckeduppery
Pgs: 204
Publisher: Atticus Book
I cracked open The Great Lenore two days ago (which I've been holding on to ever since I met its author JM Tohline at AWP in March) in anticipation of its upcoming Author/Reader discussion in August, and despite my typical dislike of gothic, faux memoir-ish, tragic literature, I found myself instantly intrigued by Tohline's teasing narrative. He pulls you in, he pushes you away, he hints at things and cleverly sidesteps them time and time again until he's ready to revel it all. And all the while, he's got you tied to the end of a set of marionette strings, helpless in his hands, following the tugs and tickles of his fingers, eyes dancing across the pages, unable to stop until you reach The End.
I admit that, initially, this was a difficult book for me to read. The timing was uncanny. Very early in, I found myself closing the book and walking away from it, unsure if I wanted to continue. Because I was pretty sure that, up to this point in my life, I'd had just about all the infidelity I could handle...
If you don't know anything about this book, you should know this: Infidelity plays a large role in this tale of love, loss, and deep, dark secrets. Not that infidelity in and of itself is by any means a new plot concept. But I'm sick of how accepted and common it is, in all aspects of media - listen to the lyrics of a song and you're bound to hear about how the singer has cheated or was cheated on; watch any movie, good god, any HBO or Showtime series, even if it's not the driving force of the show, and you're almost guaranteed to see characters cheat on one another, sometimes with one another. And it's not just media, is it? It's all around us. How many of us have cheated on our spouses, boyfriends or girlfriends, discovered that we've been cheated on, or know someone close to us who has? And how many of us just sit by and let it all happen, know about it and never say anything, hide it and feel guilty about it? Jesus, it's everywhere you turn; and once you're aware of it, you can't seem to escape it. And I was pretty sure that I didn't want to immerse myself in literature that hinged so heavily on it right now.
But as I mentioned, Tohline hooks you, and once hooked, it's pointless to struggle, impossible to walk away. It just keeps pulling you back in.
So I gave in, and gave up, and gave my mind over to our narrator Richard, who is telling the tale of how he ended up so severely entwined in the ridiculously destructive love quadrangle between Montana brothers Chas and Maxwell, Jez - a close friend of the family, Chas's wife Lenore, and Chas's girlfriend-on-the-side Lily.
Much like those horribly dated TV soap operas that I refuse to burn brain cells on, and reminiscent of the dark and dreary classic Victorian Gothic novels that I somehow managed to eye-roll myself through, we are drenched in this family's who-is-fucking-who and who-fucked-them-first and how-can-anyone-not-know-who-is-plotting-what-with-who fucked-uppery. And oh yeah, there's Lenore's death, that is actually a non-death (and no, I'm not spoiling anything for you, because this is the hook that the author sinks into your skin upon reading the very first line!) that causes all of the family's secrets to come rushing to the surface like an overflowing toilet...
Lenore; she who all men are helpless against, the spider who weaves her web around each and every one of their hearts, the muse, the innocent angel, the devious devil, the true marionette master... Lenore.
Go on and give it a read. If for no other reason than to join in on our discussion with the author this coming August - cause there is a whole lot that's worthy of discussion here; if for no other reason than to see why I can review it so wearily and yet still give such a wonderful rating. It's a novel that's bound to toy with you. And you will like it. I guarantee it.
July 1, 2011
(This is the same review I posted on Amazon.)
A few other reviewers called The Great Lenore "rich and satisfying", "captivating", "engulfing", "riveting", and "a breath of fresh air". It is all of that and more. This is quality literature with a fantastic story; not just another throw-away novel (I've read my share of those.)
I thoroughly enjoyed The Great Lenore. It was wonderful. I'm still thinking about it, and that's the best part. It stays with you. It wasn't a long book but there was much packed into those pages. The book began with a short sentence that hooked me right away. "When I met Lenore she'd been dead for 4 days." Wait... ...what?? I kept reading. It's not a ghost story, but it has enough tangles to keep you wondering "what's next?". So many lives entwined. I couldn't put it down. I read it in two evenings. The story was engaging. The ending, unexpected. I enjoyed the way it was written. Beautifully descriptive. Poetic. Smart, but not pretentious.
I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more by JM Tohline in the future.
A second look. Re-read August 2013
::VAGUE SPOILERS BELOW::
When I first read The Great Lenore I'd never read The Great Gatsby. Now that I have I can see the similarities, but they don't detract from this story.
I enjoyed it once again. It left me sad for Jez and the love he lost and sad for Maxwell and the love that never was. The writing was just as beautiful as the first time around. Lenore - not so much. She's selfish, unlovable and not-so-Great; however, everyone in the book is so enamored with her that I can certainly appreciate her character. It's a great story and worth reading again.
A few other reviewers called The Great Lenore "rich and satisfying", "captivating", "engulfing", "riveting", and "a breath of fresh air". It is all of that and more. This is quality literature with a fantastic story; not just another throw-away novel (I've read my share of those.)
I thoroughly enjoyed The Great Lenore. It was wonderful. I'm still thinking about it, and that's the best part. It stays with you. It wasn't a long book but there was much packed into those pages. The book began with a short sentence that hooked me right away. "When I met Lenore she'd been dead for 4 days." Wait... ...what?? I kept reading. It's not a ghost story, but it has enough tangles to keep you wondering "what's next?". So many lives entwined. I couldn't put it down. I read it in two evenings. The story was engaging. The ending, unexpected. I enjoyed the way it was written. Beautifully descriptive. Poetic. Smart, but not pretentious.
I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more by JM Tohline in the future.
A second look. Re-read August 2013
::VAGUE SPOILERS BELOW::
When I first read The Great Lenore I'd never read The Great Gatsby. Now that I have I can see the similarities, but they don't detract from this story.
I enjoyed it once again. It left me sad for Jez and the love he lost and sad for Maxwell and the love that never was. The writing was just as beautiful as the first time around. Lenore - not so much. She's selfish, unlovable and not-so-Great; however, everyone in the book is so enamored with her that I can certainly appreciate her character. It's a great story and worth reading again.
July 14, 2011
I almost decided to give this 3 stars, but I just didn't enjoy it enough. It wasn't terrible, it was just a little empty. I didn't particularly like any of the characters. They're all pretty flat in spite of their unfortunate situations, and I thought Lenore was incredibly dull. I was very intrigued by the idea behind this book, but it just doesn't achieve all that it could. It didn't really make me feel anything. On to the writing. The review at the front of the book describes it as "lyrical without being pretentious". I have to disagree. A lot of this book reads like a young author who wants you to know that he is well-read. "The sun is also rising, outside of my window..." Really? What's with the pointless name dropping? I've read that book too, and it doesn't make me impressive. I also really don't like the "Somewhere, a clock ticked. Somewhere, time disappeared" thing. It adds nothing, and it really makes no sense. Yeah, this book is pretentious. However, I think that Tohline has a lot of potential. I wish I could better articulate what it is that he DID get right with this book, because there are things about it that just feel good. I realize that this is Tohline's first novel, but I've decided not to rate it that way. It just feels like cutting him slack would be doing him a disservice. My rating would be much higher if I were taking that into account.
November 21, 2012
you notice in this book of communications/interpersonal relationships there is only one (and this reported at 3rd person) conversation between women. all, all others are men/men, woman/man, women/men , and author notes that most of our verbal spew is just noise making, with no real communication going on. that lack of women talking together = minus one star.
the trite ghoulishness of rich people being rich, tortured, mean and conflicted, meh.
that = minus one star.
the frankness, the more and more, tighter and tighter, interconnection of these peoples lives though, is a great technique, a great story and way to tell this story. i loved that. even the fucking baseball, i loved that. and the fireplaces. and the questions: what difference would it make if i was gone. not here anymore, but with the ability to look over shoulders to see how other people react. mark twain did that well in Pudd'nhead Wilson/Those Extraordinary Twins
i can't wait to read more tohline!!
the trite ghoulishness of rich people being rich, tortured, mean and conflicted, meh.
that = minus one star.
the frankness, the more and more, tighter and tighter, interconnection of these peoples lives though, is a great technique, a great story and way to tell this story. i loved that. even the fucking baseball, i loved that. and the fireplaces. and the questions: what difference would it make if i was gone. not here anymore, but with the ability to look over shoulders to see how other people react. mark twain did that well in Pudd'nhead Wilson/Those Extraordinary Twins
i can't wait to read more tohline!!
July 5, 2011
If I had to pick one word to describe this book, it would be "refreshing". Breaking away from the pack, The Great Lenore does a wonderful job of exploring deep thematic elements that speak to the choices people make and the consequences which accompany them.
Because I have children, I had to read this book in short increments.
I'm glad of it because I had time to digest what I was reading and ponder the question, "Is it ever too late to do the right thing?" (hint: it's not...but Tohline moves you to think we do a fantastic job getting in our own way.)
I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who's looking to read something a little different, thought-provoking, dis-likes the rich, loves the beach...or may be tired of vampires.
P.S. There are no vampires, witches, or werewolves in this book.
Because I have children, I had to read this book in short increments.
I'm glad of it because I had time to digest what I was reading and ponder the question, "Is it ever too late to do the right thing?" (hint: it's not...but Tohline moves you to think we do a fantastic job getting in our own way.)
I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who's looking to read something a little different, thought-provoking, dis-likes the rich, loves the beach...or may be tired of vampires.
P.S. There are no vampires, witches, or werewolves in this book.
January 27, 2012
The Great Lenore by JM Tohline is one of those really rare finds...
written so that it seems to sing to you in its pages.
Lenore will quickly pull you in, make you laugh and cry - and think - all while
making you appreciate the wonderfully fascinating and lyrical way in which it's told.
A beautifully written story about love... about passion, sacrifice, pain and forgiveness.
One that will stay on my shelf to enjoy again and again and again.
Here is a new voice so refreshing and so powerful, I can hardly wait for more!
There is little to compare to being lulled by JM Tohline.
written so that it seems to sing to you in its pages.
Lenore will quickly pull you in, make you laugh and cry - and think - all while
making you appreciate the wonderfully fascinating and lyrical way in which it's told.
A beautifully written story about love... about passion, sacrifice, pain and forgiveness.
One that will stay on my shelf to enjoy again and again and again.
Here is a new voice so refreshing and so powerful, I can hardly wait for more!
There is little to compare to being lulled by JM Tohline.
April 3, 2013
I was recommended this book by a random woman named 'Esther' on Goodreads. It seems maybe a little strange, in hindsight, that this 'Esther' has an email address listed with the name Jordan - you know, like the Jordan who wrote this terrible book? - but that may perhaps be neither here nor there. Jordan would not be the first mediocre author to troll Goodreads, recommending his terrible book, so I won't put him on blast for that.
I will however, put him on blast for recommending his book to me, solely based upon the fact that I gave a glowing review to The Great Gatsby.
J.M. Tohline thinks he's F. Scott Fitzgerald. Let me assure you, he is not.
The premise of this book is not awful. A web of lies and romance and intrigue centered around a woman who fakes her own death. The problem is with the repetitive, halting writing style that completely destroys any semblance of romanticism or drama.
Gripping dialog sections such as:
"Richard?"
"What?"
"You okay?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Okay."
"Okay."
... abound in this brilliant work of fiction. Page after page of one sentence paragraphs that the author mistakenly believes to be full of some kind of wisdom or wit, of which there is none, and repetitive metaphors and allusions that just become sickening after a while. If I would have played a drinking game where I took a shot each time the dazzlingly creative author used the phrase "Somewhere, time passes, and somehow these things matter," or "Somewhere, time disappeared," I would have ended up an alcohol-soaked corpse.
This is a bad book, full of unrealistic love stories and horrid amounts of pretentiousness. The titular character, who is supposed to be this woman of mystery and irresistible charm and allure, turns out to be shallow, depthlessly shallow, and it just throws the entire plot off the rails as soon as she appears. Character after character reveals their love for her, including our hero Richard who somehow loves her to the point of foot massages and fireside cuddling within minutes from meeting her. The entire narrative is so unrealistic and overwrought, so full of homages to authors that Tohline adores (right up to the yellow-car vehicular homicide scene - oh, spoiler alert), so full of inane and pretentious rambling that this book is honestly one of the least pleasant reading experiences I have ever had.
J.M. Tohline thinks he's F. Scott Fitzgerald, but he writes like a high-school kid who got his hands on a Thesaurus... and he had the nerve to recommend, to me and others, his own book because he thinks he's more brilliant than he is. Hubris, my friend. Write a brilliant book, and people will tell you you're brilliant.
Don't read this book.
I will however, put him on blast for recommending his book to me, solely based upon the fact that I gave a glowing review to The Great Gatsby.
J.M. Tohline thinks he's F. Scott Fitzgerald. Let me assure you, he is not.
The premise of this book is not awful. A web of lies and romance and intrigue centered around a woman who fakes her own death. The problem is with the repetitive, halting writing style that completely destroys any semblance of romanticism or drama.
Gripping dialog sections such as:
"Richard?"
"What?"
"You okay?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Okay."
"Okay."
... abound in this brilliant work of fiction. Page after page of one sentence paragraphs that the author mistakenly believes to be full of some kind of wisdom or wit, of which there is none, and repetitive metaphors and allusions that just become sickening after a while. If I would have played a drinking game where I took a shot each time the dazzlingly creative author used the phrase "Somewhere, time passes, and somehow these things matter," or "Somewhere, time disappeared," I would have ended up an alcohol-soaked corpse.
This is a bad book, full of unrealistic love stories and horrid amounts of pretentiousness. The titular character, who is supposed to be this woman of mystery and irresistible charm and allure, turns out to be shallow, depthlessly shallow, and it just throws the entire plot off the rails as soon as she appears. Character after character reveals their love for her, including our hero Richard who somehow loves her to the point of foot massages and fireside cuddling within minutes from meeting her. The entire narrative is so unrealistic and overwrought, so full of homages to authors that Tohline adores (right up to the yellow-car vehicular homicide scene - oh, spoiler alert), so full of inane and pretentious rambling that this book is honestly one of the least pleasant reading experiences I have ever had.
J.M. Tohline thinks he's F. Scott Fitzgerald, but he writes like a high-school kid who got his hands on a Thesaurus... and he had the nerve to recommend, to me and others, his own book because he thinks he's more brilliant than he is. Hubris, my friend. Write a brilliant book, and people will tell you you're brilliant.
Don't read this book.
March 29, 2013
I had high expectations for this book and started off very optimistic. I loved the description of the northeast coast setting, and the narrator, Richard, is initially very likeable and approachable. However, the more I read, the more frustrated I got. A few things in particular irritated me:
1. The CONSTANT repetition of "Somewhere a clock ticked, somewhere time disappeared." It was powerful the first time the author wrote it, but after that, it just read as forced and pathetic. Phrases and meaning should be subtle, especially in a book that was inspired by Gatsby, but this was anything but. Repeating something ad nauseum doesn't automatically make it a literary element.
2. The nearly as frequent mention of Lenore's perfection, without actually ever getting to know her. It made me resent her, not agree with her perfection. Perhaps that was the author's intent, to paint her as a flawed heroine. But either way, she made me roll my eyes and grit my teeth.
3. Toward the end, Richard describes three separate occasions as being "the point where everything changed," saying that if only one of the characters hadn't done this ONE thing, the ending would have changed. That would have had impact had he said it once. But three times? No.
4. This book is riddled with grammar and usage errors. I'm not talking about dialogue construction or the form of italics he uses (I thought that was actually really fascinating and enjoyable to read). There were a few no-nos (for ex: "comprised of") sprinkled throughout that made it hard to take the book as seriously.
All this said, I'd probably read another book by this author. The overall premise of the story is awesome, and parts of the book really drew me in. Above all, his forward was one of the most endearing I've ever read. For that alone, I'd give him another shot!
1. The CONSTANT repetition of "Somewhere a clock ticked, somewhere time disappeared." It was powerful the first time the author wrote it, but after that, it just read as forced and pathetic. Phrases and meaning should be subtle, especially in a book that was inspired by Gatsby, but this was anything but. Repeating something ad nauseum doesn't automatically make it a literary element.
2. The nearly as frequent mention of Lenore's perfection, without actually ever getting to know her. It made me resent her, not agree with her perfection. Perhaps that was the author's intent, to paint her as a flawed heroine. But either way, she made me roll my eyes and grit my teeth.
3. Toward the end, Richard describes three separate occasions as being "the point where everything changed," saying that if only one of the characters hadn't done this ONE thing, the ending would have changed. That would have had impact had he said it once. But three times? No.
4. This book is riddled with grammar and usage errors. I'm not talking about dialogue construction or the form of italics he uses (I thought that was actually really fascinating and enjoyable to read). There were a few no-nos (for ex: "comprised of") sprinkled throughout that made it hard to take the book as seriously.
All this said, I'd probably read another book by this author. The overall premise of the story is awesome, and parts of the book really drew me in. Above all, his forward was one of the most endearing I've ever read. For that alone, I'd give him another shot!
July 31, 2012
I found "The Great Lenore" most intriguing. It's the sort of book that I really feel I need to re-read before commenting on it in depth. And I also feel the need to re-read "Gatsby" (one of my all-time 'greats') yet again and compare the two more carefully.
Richard, the narrator, is very like Nick, the narrator in "Gatsby". Lenore is just like Daisy - a woman who seems to promise so much - but who actually is an empty vessel with nothing of any value to offer. She's a toxic tease - she plays with the emotions of those who adore her, and seems to have no sense at all of wronging them or of the havoc she is causing.
Tohline doesn't have the control and panache of Scott Fitzgerald, and I feel that he can be self-indulgent on occasion. But I certainly found "The Great Lenore" a worthwhile read.
Richard, the narrator, is very like Nick, the narrator in "Gatsby". Lenore is just like Daisy - a woman who seems to promise so much - but who actually is an empty vessel with nothing of any value to offer. She's a toxic tease - she plays with the emotions of those who adore her, and seems to have no sense at all of wronging them or of the havoc she is causing.
Tohline doesn't have the control and panache of Scott Fitzgerald, and I feel that he can be self-indulgent on occasion. But I certainly found "The Great Lenore" a worthwhile read.
January 22, 2012
I read this book "in one exhilarating sitting", as Mr. Tohline says. The writing is charming and reminiscent of an earlier age, perhaps the twenties. The characters are well-drawn and likeable (for the most part.) And the mystery of Lenore carries you through the book to arrive at the shocking ending.
It's a glimpse into the affluent life of Nantucket high society, all the quirks, the dreams and the lifestyle. The plot will have you guessing, and the mystery will drive you through the book without coming up for air.
I highly recommend this short novel. I know I'll keep it and read it again.
It's a glimpse into the affluent life of Nantucket high society, all the quirks, the dreams and the lifestyle. The plot will have you guessing, and the mystery will drive you through the book without coming up for air.
I highly recommend this short novel. I know I'll keep it and read it again.
September 16, 2012
That JM Tohline, a twenty-six year old author writing a debut novel, dares to pen a lovingly lyrical homage to F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, arguably the "Great American Novel," gives me hope for the future of fiction. As Fitzgerald's last line of that beautiful novel continues to haunt generations of devoted bibliophiles--So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past--perhaps Tohline's opening will prove equally memorable: "When I first met Lenore, she'd been dead for four days."
Think back to when you first met Fitzgeralds' characters and the novel--not just that specific book, but the novel as an art form--came alive. Tohline works the same magic. In The Great Lenore, he fast-forwards from the 1920s to the present, and reincarnates Gatsby/James Gatz into Jez Tagsam, a self-made man who, after attending an Oklahoman university on scholarship, tours Europe and meets the beautiful Lenore in London. They fall in love (shocking), and when Lenore learns she's been accepted into Harvard, she convinces Jez to find a job in Boston. Jez soon lands a job at Montana, Inc., and climbs the corporate ladder with alacrity. When a promotion sends him to Europe, his relationship with Lenore crumbles, and she falls first into the arms of Maxwell Montana (yes, that would be the son of Jez's boss), and then into matrimony with Max's brother, Chas (who later finds himself a mistress, Lily, because apparently Lenore isn't "great" enough for him). Richard Parkland, a semi-famous author and the "good guy" in whom everyone confides (Nick Carraway? Hmmm), becomes entangled in the lives of Lenore, Jez, and the Montanas when a plane crash causes everyone to believe that Lenore is dead and she shows up--decidedly not dead--at his door.
Are the Gatsby bells ringing? They should be: a no-name man earns the love of a beautiful aristocrat (although I guess in current times we'd simply call her "upper class"), chooses wealth and fortune over love and happiness, and spends his life mourning the woman he never got to have and regretting the past. The aforementioned aristocrat (or "upper class woman") subsequently marries a man who she will always think of as second-best, and tends to leave chaos in her wake.
Of course, there are differences between Fitzgerald's canonical tale and Tohline's contemporary novel. Nick Carraway summered in West Egg; Richard Parkland goes to Nantucket. Instead of discussing issues of the Roaring Twenties (flappers, the Lost Generation, and prohibition, for example), Tohline's characters chat on cell phones.
Though the novel is a tribute to Gatsby, Tohline's writing style reads more like Hemingway or Salinger. His sentences are stripped and heart-wrenching: "In real life, there is no The End. There is no tidy conclusion all wrapped in a package, with a bow tied around it. In real life, life goes on. It's all so messy." Or, perhaps my favorite passage in the book: "It is never until tragedy strikes that the world takes notice. And even then humanity's interest is fleeting and unstable--their attention standing on fidgeting feet in a single spot for a single moment until something more current happens, and their feet shuffle on. And I think: If it is only through constant tragedy that we can achieve any sort of continuing recognition, where then does that leave us all, who each have but a single life to spare?"
Tohline's got guts for taking on Fitzgerald and one of the most well-known (and most-loved) pieces of literature of all time. Tohline actually grew up Massachusetts and has a cat named The Old Man And The Sea (I wonder what the cat's called for short?). He is currently writing a new book called Blue The Person; my understanding is that this plot-line is all his (with maybe a dash of Hemingway thrown in). Check him out. He's headed for great (haha) things.
Think back to when you first met Fitzgeralds' characters and the novel--not just that specific book, but the novel as an art form--came alive. Tohline works the same magic. In The Great Lenore, he fast-forwards from the 1920s to the present, and reincarnates Gatsby/James Gatz into Jez Tagsam, a self-made man who, after attending an Oklahoman university on scholarship, tours Europe and meets the beautiful Lenore in London. They fall in love (shocking), and when Lenore learns she's been accepted into Harvard, she convinces Jez to find a job in Boston. Jez soon lands a job at Montana, Inc., and climbs the corporate ladder with alacrity. When a promotion sends him to Europe, his relationship with Lenore crumbles, and she falls first into the arms of Maxwell Montana (yes, that would be the son of Jez's boss), and then into matrimony with Max's brother, Chas (who later finds himself a mistress, Lily, because apparently Lenore isn't "great" enough for him). Richard Parkland, a semi-famous author and the "good guy" in whom everyone confides (Nick Carraway? Hmmm), becomes entangled in the lives of Lenore, Jez, and the Montanas when a plane crash causes everyone to believe that Lenore is dead and she shows up--decidedly not dead--at his door.
Are the Gatsby bells ringing? They should be: a no-name man earns the love of a beautiful aristocrat (although I guess in current times we'd simply call her "upper class"), chooses wealth and fortune over love and happiness, and spends his life mourning the woman he never got to have and regretting the past. The aforementioned aristocrat (or "upper class woman") subsequently marries a man who she will always think of as second-best, and tends to leave chaos in her wake.
Of course, there are differences between Fitzgerald's canonical tale and Tohline's contemporary novel. Nick Carraway summered in West Egg; Richard Parkland goes to Nantucket. Instead of discussing issues of the Roaring Twenties (flappers, the Lost Generation, and prohibition, for example), Tohline's characters chat on cell phones.
Though the novel is a tribute to Gatsby, Tohline's writing style reads more like Hemingway or Salinger. His sentences are stripped and heart-wrenching: "In real life, there is no The End. There is no tidy conclusion all wrapped in a package, with a bow tied around it. In real life, life goes on. It's all so messy." Or, perhaps my favorite passage in the book: "It is never until tragedy strikes that the world takes notice. And even then humanity's interest is fleeting and unstable--their attention standing on fidgeting feet in a single spot for a single moment until something more current happens, and their feet shuffle on. And I think: If it is only through constant tragedy that we can achieve any sort of continuing recognition, where then does that leave us all, who each have but a single life to spare?"
Tohline's got guts for taking on Fitzgerald and one of the most well-known (and most-loved) pieces of literature of all time. Tohline actually grew up Massachusetts and has a cat named The Old Man And The Sea (I wonder what the cat's called for short?). He is currently writing a new book called Blue The Person; my understanding is that this plot-line is all his (with maybe a dash of Hemingway thrown in). Check him out. He's headed for great (haha) things.
June 29, 2011
JM Tohline opens The Great Lenore with a dedication: “Dear Reader, Take this book and fly.
An auspicious opening, but one setting the bar high for the writer. So the question is, does Lenore have wings?
The characters of The Great Lenore are an ensemble thrown together largely by chance, and book surrounds the wave one young woman’s existence casts on the seemingly calm surface of their lives. All who meet Lenore love her. All who meet Lenore are changed by her.
From the point of view of Richard, a successful writer trying to start his second novel, Tohline leads down a trail populated by withered souls, copious amounts of alcohol, and the fickle depths of money, love and pain. We are presented with the conflicting truths of life, and watch as they crash against each other, indifferent to the bruises left behind.
This book drips with twists, littering the roadway with broken hearts and misplaced dreams. It is about how much influence luck has on our lives, the strange paths we find ourselves on, even when we never intended to leave the well-traveled one. Characters make tiny mistakes, with huge consequences. It is a study in frustration tinged with irony.
Tohline nods to his forebears in his prose and his themes, but his characters are his own. He knows them, and portrays them to the reader with grace. His characters struggle through their emotions, fighting to survive them when they are too far-gone to be concerned with what is right.
What I admire most about Tohline’s style, something I didn’t expect, was the sense of suspension. Not only does one become lost in the plot and characters, one becomes caught in the pause. The hesitation of a breath. The ticking of a clock. You linger in the silence between words, caught and held, savoring the moment. At one point, Richard says, “In general, I am a connoisseur of silence: I seek it out and enjoy it, and in social settings I use it to my advantage.” Like his narrator, Tohline uses silence and its fellows to great effect. It is a rare trait, and one I watch for in a writer.
Lenore lingers. Days after reading it, Lenore creeps into my thoughts. A mystery surrounds her, one that is never fully resolved. Lenore, for all her remarkable qualities, remains an undefined factor in the universe, her personal truths shrouded in the aura of her presence. Despite (or because of) her obscurity, she fascinates me.
So does The Great Lenore have wings?
Yes. And she flies.
This book is a wonderful introduction to JM Tohline. I will be watching for his next work.
An auspicious opening, but one setting the bar high for the writer. So the question is, does Lenore have wings?
The characters of The Great Lenore are an ensemble thrown together largely by chance, and book surrounds the wave one young woman’s existence casts on the seemingly calm surface of their lives. All who meet Lenore love her. All who meet Lenore are changed by her.
From the point of view of Richard, a successful writer trying to start his second novel, Tohline leads down a trail populated by withered souls, copious amounts of alcohol, and the fickle depths of money, love and pain. We are presented with the conflicting truths of life, and watch as they crash against each other, indifferent to the bruises left behind.
This book drips with twists, littering the roadway with broken hearts and misplaced dreams. It is about how much influence luck has on our lives, the strange paths we find ourselves on, even when we never intended to leave the well-traveled one. Characters make tiny mistakes, with huge consequences. It is a study in frustration tinged with irony.
Tohline nods to his forebears in his prose and his themes, but his characters are his own. He knows them, and portrays them to the reader with grace. His characters struggle through their emotions, fighting to survive them when they are too far-gone to be concerned with what is right.
What I admire most about Tohline’s style, something I didn’t expect, was the sense of suspension. Not only does one become lost in the plot and characters, one becomes caught in the pause. The hesitation of a breath. The ticking of a clock. You linger in the silence between words, caught and held, savoring the moment. At one point, Richard says, “In general, I am a connoisseur of silence: I seek it out and enjoy it, and in social settings I use it to my advantage.” Like his narrator, Tohline uses silence and its fellows to great effect. It is a rare trait, and one I watch for in a writer.
Lenore lingers. Days after reading it, Lenore creeps into my thoughts. A mystery surrounds her, one that is never fully resolved. Lenore, for all her remarkable qualities, remains an undefined factor in the universe, her personal truths shrouded in the aura of her presence. Despite (or because of) her obscurity, she fascinates me.
So does The Great Lenore have wings?
Yes. And she flies.
This book is a wonderful introduction to JM Tohline. I will be watching for his next work.
July 20, 2011
Title: The Great Lenore
Author: J M Tohline
Publisher: Atticus Books
Rating: 4 Shots of Espresso (The Red Eye)
I would first like to thank Atticus Books for graciously sending me a copy of Tohline's book to review. The Great Lenore was published June 15 2011.
Enjoy sensationalized mysteries that are grounded in the reality of life?
Catch J M Tohline’s recently released debut novel, The Great Lenore. Set in-between the winter vacation homes of Nantucket and within the narrator’s writerly head; The Great Lenore depicts the tale of one family’s almost obsession with the immensely beautiful Lenore. Upon finding out of Lenore’s not-so-really-dead death, the family becomes distraught. Slowly everyone reveals their connections to Lenore to the narrator who just happens to be writing a book–or this book? Tohline’s novel stylistically mimics the crashing waves of the Nantucket ocean. Going back and forth, quickly, between past and present, as well as, between different character’s perspectives. Tohline’s style slowly reveals the secrets of Lenore’s past–creating a not-so-suspenseful suspense. Wait what? The captivating The Great Lenore modernizes Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s Lady Audley’s Secret due to its suspense building, which keeps the real secrets secret. The reader learns everything in the final pages that stitch every character together magically.
J M Tohline’s style and clue building kept me turning the pages until I knew all of the details. I give Tohline’s The Great Lenore four shots of espresso. Tohline’s novel lured me in and kept me reading until the final pages where the connections between characters and details were fully revealed. The missing shot, for me, came down to literally the last two pages where the novel goes on about where the characters end up in the future. These extraneous details took away from the potency of the climax. If the novel ended right before the description of the future, then this novel would have resonated much deeper. The climax enticed me because of its rippling effect that was suspended once the future entered the novel. I, nevertheless, highly recommend The Great Lenore for anyone wanting a twisting read that keeps the readerly intuition churning and the novels waves a-crashing!
Author: J M Tohline
Publisher: Atticus Books
Rating: 4 Shots of Espresso (The Red Eye)
I would first like to thank Atticus Books for graciously sending me a copy of Tohline's book to review. The Great Lenore was published June 15 2011.
Enjoy sensationalized mysteries that are grounded in the reality of life?
Catch J M Tohline’s recently released debut novel, The Great Lenore. Set in-between the winter vacation homes of Nantucket and within the narrator’s writerly head; The Great Lenore depicts the tale of one family’s almost obsession with the immensely beautiful Lenore. Upon finding out of Lenore’s not-so-really-dead death, the family becomes distraught. Slowly everyone reveals their connections to Lenore to the narrator who just happens to be writing a book–or this book? Tohline’s novel stylistically mimics the crashing waves of the Nantucket ocean. Going back and forth, quickly, between past and present, as well as, between different character’s perspectives. Tohline’s style slowly reveals the secrets of Lenore’s past–creating a not-so-suspenseful suspense. Wait what? The captivating The Great Lenore modernizes Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s Lady Audley’s Secret due to its suspense building, which keeps the real secrets secret. The reader learns everything in the final pages that stitch every character together magically.
J M Tohline’s style and clue building kept me turning the pages until I knew all of the details. I give Tohline’s The Great Lenore four shots of espresso. Tohline’s novel lured me in and kept me reading until the final pages where the connections between characters and details were fully revealed. The missing shot, for me, came down to literally the last two pages where the novel goes on about where the characters end up in the future. These extraneous details took away from the potency of the climax. If the novel ended right before the description of the future, then this novel would have resonated much deeper. The climax enticed me because of its rippling effect that was suspended once the future entered the novel. I, nevertheless, highly recommend The Great Lenore for anyone wanting a twisting read that keeps the readerly intuition churning and the novels waves a-crashing!
April 3, 2011
I won an ARC for The Great Lenore. I was expecting it to be very good. What I did not expect was that I would not be able to set it down. It is a great book!
The story is crafted with an expert's touch. It's from the perspective of the main character, Richard. But really, the main character is the world he creates -- a world which is a web of connections, relations, lies, and decisions.
"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”
~Sir Walter Scott
The webs in The Great Lenore are indeed tangled, and the relations expertly revealed. You are tied to the story in a way that you find yourself asking "Why?" You rub your face. You hurt. You care.
The reader sees the choices that are made, and the narrator even tells us throughout the story that he would regret those choices--if only he had known. The reader knows it's coming, but we are still impacted profoundly when it happens. We are still surprised by the turn that the story takes.
The story has flash-backs and flash-forwards. Everything you read on the craft of writing will tell you not to do it. I suppose there's a lot of validity to the concerns. Mainly because most authors can't pull it off. In the Great Lenore, JM Tohline pulls it off with elegance -- Jordan is an expert. You are never confused. Instead, the tapestry of the story is reveled in a way that keeps you grounded in the story world.
Most books suffer because of poor character development. We hear of two-demensional characters who kill otherwise great stories. In the Great Lenore, they are not three-demensional -- Jordan takes them to the next level where the fourth dimension comes through. You feel them, you get them, and you even begin to absorb their world through their drunken stupor.
Is this novel for everyone? No novel ever will be. But if you appreciate a story that will haunt you, characters that you will care for like your own, and how we are connected to the decisions we make, then this novel is for you.
I highly recommend it.
The story is crafted with an expert's touch. It's from the perspective of the main character, Richard. But really, the main character is the world he creates -- a world which is a web of connections, relations, lies, and decisions.
"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”
~Sir Walter Scott
The webs in The Great Lenore are indeed tangled, and the relations expertly revealed. You are tied to the story in a way that you find yourself asking "Why?" You rub your face. You hurt. You care.
The reader sees the choices that are made, and the narrator even tells us throughout the story that he would regret those choices--if only he had known. The reader knows it's coming, but we are still impacted profoundly when it happens. We are still surprised by the turn that the story takes.
The story has flash-backs and flash-forwards. Everything you read on the craft of writing will tell you not to do it. I suppose there's a lot of validity to the concerns. Mainly because most authors can't pull it off. In the Great Lenore, JM Tohline pulls it off with elegance -- Jordan is an expert. You are never confused. Instead, the tapestry of the story is reveled in a way that keeps you grounded in the story world.
Most books suffer because of poor character development. We hear of two-demensional characters who kill otherwise great stories. In the Great Lenore, they are not three-demensional -- Jordan takes them to the next level where the fourth dimension comes through. You feel them, you get them, and you even begin to absorb their world through their drunken stupor.
Is this novel for everyone? No novel ever will be. But if you appreciate a story that will haunt you, characters that you will care for like your own, and how we are connected to the decisions we make, then this novel is for you.
I highly recommend it.
April 23, 2011
Before I review The Great Lenore I feel like I need to explain how I rate a book. Goodreads gives me five stars therefore I rate in this manner:
Plot = 1 star
Character = 1 star
Prose = 1 star
Dialogue = 1 star
Entertainment = 1 star
I believe The Great Lenore deserves a solid four stars. It's a well written novel with beautiful prose, and such a great deal of time has been spent polishing this book, that I believe you could look into the pages and behold your reflection. It read so well that I was able to dive into the story, and never have to worry about coming up for air. I was able to breathe the words. Jordan has a way with words that is admirable. If the novel is read for no other reason it should be read for the word-smithing. A sure hand has crafted every sentence and paragraph so that no word is wasted, and the time the reader spends reading will be well spent.
The premise of The Great Lenore is interesting. A woman who is believed to be dead crashes her funeral, and unexpected things happen. Jordan's story did not go in the direction that I was thinking, and for that I was happy, but at the same time I was angry with Lenore. I won't delve into the reason for my anger because I post spoiler free reviews. You'll have to read the book for yourself. It's available for pre-order here http://amzn.to/dWxSAN.
It would have been easier for me to give The Great Lenore five stars if the main character, Richard, hadn't annoyed me. I'm not sure if J.M. intended this or not, but he felt more like he was more of a vessel for the story to be told. The real star of the story is Maxwell Montana. Maxwell was real and he was enjoyable. I hope Jordan writes a story focused solely on Maxwell one day. To Richard there were so many times I wanted to tell him to get over himself. I don't think he will.
Do I recommend The Great Lenore? Most assuredly. It's a good story that is well told.
Plot = 1 star
Character = 1 star
Prose = 1 star
Dialogue = 1 star
Entertainment = 1 star
I believe The Great Lenore deserves a solid four stars. It's a well written novel with beautiful prose, and such a great deal of time has been spent polishing this book, that I believe you could look into the pages and behold your reflection. It read so well that I was able to dive into the story, and never have to worry about coming up for air. I was able to breathe the words. Jordan has a way with words that is admirable. If the novel is read for no other reason it should be read for the word-smithing. A sure hand has crafted every sentence and paragraph so that no word is wasted, and the time the reader spends reading will be well spent.
The premise of The Great Lenore is interesting. A woman who is believed to be dead crashes her funeral, and unexpected things happen. Jordan's story did not go in the direction that I was thinking, and for that I was happy, but at the same time I was angry with Lenore. I won't delve into the reason for my anger because I post spoiler free reviews. You'll have to read the book for yourself. It's available for pre-order here http://amzn.to/dWxSAN.
It would have been easier for me to give The Great Lenore five stars if the main character, Richard, hadn't annoyed me. I'm not sure if J.M. intended this or not, but he felt more like he was more of a vessel for the story to be told. The real star of the story is Maxwell Montana. Maxwell was real and he was enjoyable. I hope Jordan writes a story focused solely on Maxwell one day. To Richard there were so many times I wanted to tell him to get over himself. I don't think he will.
Do I recommend The Great Lenore? Most assuredly. It's a good story that is well told.
June 16, 2011
Thank goodness that even though Tohline is being compared to authors like Fitzgerald and Salinger he isn't horrible like they are! The only comparison I can make between this new author and the two I mentioned was they all do share a similar style. The difference between the them would be that Tohline can actually write a well developed novel while the other two babbled and made no sense at all for a couple hundred pages! I heard about this book a few months ago when a friend of Tohline's was making noise about it on his FB page. I read the excerpt, loved it, ordered the book and was giddy when it arrived in my mailbox earlier this week.
J.M. Tohline has created a compelling read. I devoured the first 6 chapters in short time and finished off the book a few hours later after I fulfilled work obligations. The first sentence of the book hooked me. "When I met Lenore, she'd been dead for four days." That's a line that reels the reader in and makes them want to finish the book so they can know how does one meet a dead person. J.M. goes on to craft a story of intrigue and mystery about Lenore. Lenore is a British woman who has been reported dead...yet she isn't. But she returns to where her husband and his family are processing their grief to see if, in fact, she is missed. Her return unearths secrets and relationship triangles that, until they are revealed, the reader does not anticipate. Told from the POV of a new friend to the family, Richard, we get a third party peek into the life of Lenore and her family.
In the beginning of chapter 8 Richard (who happens to be a novelist), and Tohline I'm willing to bet, describes a book. How some books are so good that you can't help but read them in a "single, exhilarating sitting" and I wonder, did Tohline know that his book would be one of those exhilarating read-in-one-sitting kind of books?
J.M. Tohline has created a compelling read. I devoured the first 6 chapters in short time and finished off the book a few hours later after I fulfilled work obligations. The first sentence of the book hooked me. "When I met Lenore, she'd been dead for four days." That's a line that reels the reader in and makes them want to finish the book so they can know how does one meet a dead person. J.M. goes on to craft a story of intrigue and mystery about Lenore. Lenore is a British woman who has been reported dead...yet she isn't. But she returns to where her husband and his family are processing their grief to see if, in fact, she is missed. Her return unearths secrets and relationship triangles that, until they are revealed, the reader does not anticipate. Told from the POV of a new friend to the family, Richard, we get a third party peek into the life of Lenore and her family.
In the beginning of chapter 8 Richard (who happens to be a novelist), and Tohline I'm willing to bet, describes a book. How some books are so good that you can't help but read them in a "single, exhilarating sitting" and I wonder, did Tohline know that his book would be one of those exhilarating read-in-one-sitting kind of books?
September 12, 2012
Read this book. You will not regret it. Lovely, tragic and quite a bit too short.
Maybe because Richard, like Nick Carraway, is the narrator without being completely involved in the story; maybe because you're left feeling that the book was too short; and maybe because the ending, The End that Richard talks about so often, triggers a memory of the green light that tomorrow may bring us closer to, this book reminded me of The Great Gatsby. For me, an enormous fan of Gatsby, this is high praise. Incredibly high praise.
I won't go as far as to say it rivals Gatsby - it doesn't simply because nothing could. And there are certain elements that I didn't like as much (there always are!) The repetition of description - especially the descriptions of Lenore, perfect in every way without you really being able to picture what it was about her that made her so perfect (somehow, Jez's perfection was easier to picture) - made certain parts of the book more difficult to relate to, but other descriptions were so beautiful and so deeply intwined within the story that you couldn't help but get swept up in the complicated lives of a small group of painfully wealthy people.
I particularly enjoyed the casting of Richard as a writer and perpetual observer. Authors themselves are well placed to describe the thoughts and feelings of other writers when those writers are their characters, and writer-characters are well placed to observe without having undue influence on the story. It is a clever (and, in my opinion, under-utilised) way in which to frame a story without limiting perspective to important players in the action.
Overall, I loved it. So read it.
Maybe because Richard, like Nick Carraway, is the narrator without being completely involved in the story; maybe because you're left feeling that the book was too short; and maybe because the ending, The End that Richard talks about so often, triggers a memory of the green light that tomorrow may bring us closer to, this book reminded me of The Great Gatsby. For me, an enormous fan of Gatsby, this is high praise. Incredibly high praise.
I won't go as far as to say it rivals Gatsby - it doesn't simply because nothing could. And there are certain elements that I didn't like as much (there always are!) The repetition of description - especially the descriptions of Lenore, perfect in every way without you really being able to picture what it was about her that made her so perfect (somehow, Jez's perfection was easier to picture) - made certain parts of the book more difficult to relate to, but other descriptions were so beautiful and so deeply intwined within the story that you couldn't help but get swept up in the complicated lives of a small group of painfully wealthy people.
I particularly enjoyed the casting of Richard as a writer and perpetual observer. Authors themselves are well placed to describe the thoughts and feelings of other writers when those writers are their characters, and writer-characters are well placed to observe without having undue influence on the story. It is a clever (and, in my opinion, under-utilised) way in which to frame a story without limiting perspective to important players in the action.
Overall, I loved it. So read it.
December 30, 2012
this book was good; definitely a page turner. it was basically a modern take on the great gatsby with some curve balls thrown in and it bothered me a bit that it was SO similar to the great gatsby.
simmilarities:
lenore=daisy
chas=tom buchanan
richard-similar to nick caraway
$$$$
jez=gatsby
jez=killed by chas' lover (gatsby is killed by lover's husband but similar idea)
the car=yellow!
lily's husband is named WILSON which is the last name of the lover in the great gatsby!
east cost! (Massachusetts is pretty close to new york)
lenore leaves jez for chas just like daisy leaves gatsby for tom!
i mean the author, JM Tohline is a great author- i love the themes he throws into the story through his narrator that really make you think about the "question of life." however again, at the end he has the same disposition as nick-they both feel pretty pessimistic about life...and emphasize how certain events have such a large impact on the pathway of life. i think im giving this book 4 stars b/c i liked the themes and the author's own unique style but not 5 b/c it copied the great Gatsby so much...but not low enough to get 3 stars. i wish i could have given it 3.5!
simmilarities:
lenore=daisy
chas=tom buchanan
richard-similar to nick caraway
$$$$
jez=gatsby
jez=killed by chas' lover (gatsby is killed by lover's husband but similar idea)
the car=yellow!
lily's husband is named WILSON which is the last name of the lover in the great gatsby!
east cost! (Massachusetts is pretty close to new york)
lenore leaves jez for chas just like daisy leaves gatsby for tom!
i mean the author, JM Tohline is a great author- i love the themes he throws into the story through his narrator that really make you think about the "question of life." however again, at the end he has the same disposition as nick-they both feel pretty pessimistic about life...and emphasize how certain events have such a large impact on the pathway of life. i think im giving this book 4 stars b/c i liked the themes and the author's own unique style but not 5 b/c it copied the great Gatsby so much...but not low enough to get 3 stars. i wish i could have given it 3.5!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2013
So, where to begin? Let's start by saying I'm not impressed. This book was recommended by someone after I finished The Great Gatsby, and the only thing I found the two have in common besides wealthy characters and tragedy is the word 'Great' in the title. So, so, disappointed in this book, as I really wanted to like it. The characters are shallow, unlike-able, and forgettable; I felt no investment in them. The plot meanders along randomly piecing together tidbits I desperately hoped would materialize into something exciting, but in the end I felt I was holding the literary equivalent of a crazy quilt. By the way, I'm not a crazy quilt lover. I gave it two stars only because the plot managed to give me enough hope for anything redeeming to occur, therefore, I kept reading only to feel like "meh" at the lackluster, bordering on inane, ending.
I do love stories about the rich and their petty problems (insert eye roll), but this book just didn't do anything for me. It boggles my mind that anyone would compare this with Gatsby. I'm sad that I wasted a day and a half of my precious spring break reading this...no offense to the author.....but, gee whiz, I wish I'd read something else!
I do love stories about the rich and their petty problems (insert eye roll), but this book just didn't do anything for me. It boggles my mind that anyone would compare this with Gatsby. I'm sad that I wasted a day and a half of my precious spring break reading this...no offense to the author.....but, gee whiz, I wish I'd read something else!
July 17, 2012
The Great Lenore by J.M. Tohline, published by Maryland-based Atticus Books, is loosely based upon F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (no, you don’t have to read Fitzgerald to enjoy Tohline’s novel), but it’s also part Edgar Allan Poe(m)-inspired.
Richard Parkland takes up his friend’s offer of using his summer home on Nantucket during the winter to write his next novel, and he soon comes in contact with the Montanas, who live in an ornate home much like that of Gatsby in Fitzgerald’s novel. Richard parallels the narrator of Gatsby, Nick Carraway, while Lenore is the female lead here and is not as insipid or self-absorbed. Many of the elements are similar in that the Montana’s are a rich family and that their members are embroiled in drama, particularly the brothers Maxwell and Chas. There are great loves and there are mistresses, but there is much more in these pages than a replication of Fitzgerald or any other writer.
Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2012/07/t...
Richard Parkland takes up his friend’s offer of using his summer home on Nantucket during the winter to write his next novel, and he soon comes in contact with the Montanas, who live in an ornate home much like that of Gatsby in Fitzgerald’s novel. Richard parallels the narrator of Gatsby, Nick Carraway, while Lenore is the female lead here and is not as insipid or self-absorbed. Many of the elements are similar in that the Montana’s are a rich family and that their members are embroiled in drama, particularly the brothers Maxwell and Chas. There are great loves and there are mistresses, but there is much more in these pages than a replication of Fitzgerald or any other writer.
Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2012/07/t...
March 18, 2012
After page 50 or so I couldn't stop - read it in two days. Nice easy prose style and well-developed characters all around. Certainly borrows from Gatsby but eliminates the elements of Gatsby that I didn't like and found unrealistic. A little too heavy on the "if only I had known" foreshadowing, but other parts of plot foreshadowing are nicely placed. Richard and Lenore are nice reflections of each other - everyone is drawn to Lenore, and everyone feels at ease with and opens up to Richard. The character of Richard is nicely drawn as the outsider who slips in and fits in right away. Great ocean imagery and descriptions - I could just see it out the window. I do, however, want to redecorate and get rid of the salmon-colored chair. :)
March 12, 2012
Richard met Lenore when she had been dead for 4 days. Wow, what a way to start out a book! Everything revolves around Lenore, her life, her marriage, her loves, her in laws, her husband, Her Lover.....well you get the idea. But it is Richard you will get to know the best. Richard of the sarcastic comments (only in his head), The brilliant thoughts (which he would love if they were in his head) and second novel..which may never get written. All because of Lenore. This was a book like none other I have read. The story, odd yet feels strangely familiar. I found myself drawn in and once in, stayed in. I won't reveal the end, but you will most likely get there in one sitting, because you won't want to put it down.
June 2, 2011
The Great Lenore is a book I very much enjoyed. It had the feel of The Great Gatsby: a narrator finds himself tangled up in the affairs of a world of which he never intended to be a part. There are secrets, there is love and a legendary woman. Some dreams are grasped while others slip away. Yet The Great Lenore is also very much its own book, never more than subtly evoking a whiff of Fitzgerald’s classic. More often than Gatsby, Lenore took my breath away, sneaked up behind me and coolly turned what I thought I knew about the story on its head.
My full review is posted on my blog, Erin Reads.
My full review is posted on my blog, Erin Reads.
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