Sara’s review of The Chateau > Likes and Comments
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Maxwell is such an Incredible writer. I'm glad to see that this one has your seal of approval.
According to his letters to Welty, I think he worked on this manuscript for quite a while, and struggled with it. I hope to get to it soon.
What an odd way to end things with that bizarre Q&A section. Fine review, as always, Sara.
Anne wrote: "Maxwell is such an Incredible writer. I'm glad to see that this one has your seal of approval."
He is! Having edited so many great writers, I find it amazing that he was able to find and hold his own voice in his writing. This is distinctively Maxwell throughout.
Diane wrote: "According to his letters to Welty, I think he worked on this manuscript for quite a while, and struggled with it. I hope to get to it soon."
I paused in the letters to read this because they had traded so many letters that referenced his efforts on this novel. It was years and years in the making. I will be more than a little interested in what you have to say about it, Diane. For me, it reads easily, but there is no doubt whatsoever that every word is carefully chosen and placed. He really captured the feeling of the immediate post WWII world.
Zoeytron wrote: "What an odd way to end things with that bizarre Q&A section. Fine review, as always, Sara."
I was baffled by the end, Zoey. It was as if it had been added on as an afterthought. Almost as if he sat down with his manuscript and said, "here are the questions people might ask me about what something in the story meant or what happened after" and then proceeded to try and answer them. I did not feel it added anything substantive to the book, but rather that the book would have been perfect without it. I could just feel Maxwell overthinking this one.
Lovely review, Sara! how wonderful when a writer can put his readers in the place so beautifully. I’m also puzzled by the ending as you are. The bow at the end isn’t always necessary.
I have never encountered a writer doing this before, although I have, of course, thought some went on too long after a denouement. Still a book I would highly recommend.
Beautiful and enticing review, Sara! I am definitely delighted to add this to my list! Thank you 💛
Thank you, Kushagri. I hope you enjoy it!
It sounds like my kind of book. . . until page 354.
Exactly! It could have ended at that point, been 100% complete and perhaps perfect.
What a wonderful review. Reminds me of a trip my parents took long ago. You've done it again, Sara--opened my eyes to an author I'd never heard of, that now I absolutely must read.
Another excellent review and introduction to another author I’m not aware of, but I just love any novels set in France, it seems the most idyllic laid back country in my imaginations in that era, so pleased you rated this so highly as I’m looking forward to reading it 😊
Kathleen wrote: "What a wonderful review. Reminds me of a trip my parents took long ago. You've done it again, Sara--opened my eyes to an author I'd never heard of, that now I absolutely must read."
You will feel like you are traveling with your parents when you read this, Kathleen. Maxwell is a marvelous author.
Megan wrote: "Another excellent review and introduction to another author I’m not aware of, but I just love any novels set in France, it seems the most idyllic laid back country in my imaginations in that era, s..."
I hope you do enjoy this one, Megan, and that you will become a great fan of Maxwell.
This does indeed sound appealing right up to the jolting Q&A. That had to have changed the entire tone of the novel and I would have been grumpy about it :D Still, you keep encouraging me to read Maxwell, and I will! Excellent review, Sara :)
You will like Maxwell when you get to him. The first 354 pages were divine, Candi, so I stilled the grumpiness. I would say, just read up to there and close the book, but not everyone may feel as I did.
An intriguing review, Sara! I've found Maxwell a baffling writer. I was utterly delighted with his So Long, See You Tomorrow, so insightful, empathetic and grounded. And yet, i was utterly disappointed in each of his other books. It appears that you may have encountered both sides of Maxwell in this book.
I read a collection of his short stories that ranks among the best short stories I have ever read, and a second collection that I really had to push to get through. He is just so marvelous when he is on target that I can forgive him when he is not.
I just finished this and, like you, thought the last section too long and unnecessary. I was reminded of Twain and the terrible detour he took at the end of Huckleberry Finn!
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Anne
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Apr 27, 2023 08:16PM
Maxwell is such an Incredible writer. I'm glad to see that this one has your seal of approval.
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According to his letters to Welty, I think he worked on this manuscript for quite a while, and struggled with it. I hope to get to it soon.
What an odd way to end things with that bizarre Q&A section. Fine review, as always, Sara.
Anne wrote: "Maxwell is such an Incredible writer. I'm glad to see that this one has your seal of approval."He is! Having edited so many great writers, I find it amazing that he was able to find and hold his own voice in his writing. This is distinctively Maxwell throughout.
Diane wrote: "According to his letters to Welty, I think he worked on this manuscript for quite a while, and struggled with it. I hope to get to it soon."I paused in the letters to read this because they had traded so many letters that referenced his efforts on this novel. It was years and years in the making. I will be more than a little interested in what you have to say about it, Diane. For me, it reads easily, but there is no doubt whatsoever that every word is carefully chosen and placed. He really captured the feeling of the immediate post WWII world.
Zoeytron wrote: "What an odd way to end things with that bizarre Q&A section. Fine review, as always, Sara."I was baffled by the end, Zoey. It was as if it had been added on as an afterthought. Almost as if he sat down with his manuscript and said, "here are the questions people might ask me about what something in the story meant or what happened after" and then proceeded to try and answer them. I did not feel it added anything substantive to the book, but rather that the book would have been perfect without it. I could just feel Maxwell overthinking this one.
Lovely review, Sara! how wonderful when a writer can put his readers in the place so beautifully. I’m also puzzled by the ending as you are. The bow at the end isn’t always necessary.
I have never encountered a writer doing this before, although I have, of course, thought some went on too long after a denouement. Still a book I would highly recommend.
Beautiful and enticing review, Sara! I am definitely delighted to add this to my list! Thank you 💛
Thank you, Kushagri. I hope you enjoy it!
It sounds like my kind of book. . . until page 354.
Exactly! It could have ended at that point, been 100% complete and perhaps perfect.
What a wonderful review. Reminds me of a trip my parents took long ago. You've done it again, Sara--opened my eyes to an author I'd never heard of, that now I absolutely must read.
Another excellent review and introduction to another author I’m not aware of, but I just love any novels set in France, it seems the most idyllic laid back country in my imaginations in that era, so pleased you rated this so highly as I’m looking forward to reading it 😊
Kathleen wrote: "What a wonderful review. Reminds me of a trip my parents took long ago. You've done it again, Sara--opened my eyes to an author I'd never heard of, that now I absolutely must read."You will feel like you are traveling with your parents when you read this, Kathleen. Maxwell is a marvelous author.
Megan wrote: "Another excellent review and introduction to another author I’m not aware of, but I just love any novels set in France, it seems the most idyllic laid back country in my imaginations in that era, s..."I hope you do enjoy this one, Megan, and that you will become a great fan of Maxwell.
This does indeed sound appealing right up to the jolting Q&A. That had to have changed the entire tone of the novel and I would have been grumpy about it :D Still, you keep encouraging me to read Maxwell, and I will! Excellent review, Sara :)
You will like Maxwell when you get to him. The first 354 pages were divine, Candi, so I stilled the grumpiness. I would say, just read up to there and close the book, but not everyone may feel as I did.
An intriguing review, Sara! I've found Maxwell a baffling writer. I was utterly delighted with his So Long, See You Tomorrow, so insightful, empathetic and grounded. And yet, i was utterly disappointed in each of his other books. It appears that you may have encountered both sides of Maxwell in this book.
I read a collection of his short stories that ranks among the best short stories I have ever read, and a second collection that I really had to push to get through. He is just so marvelous when he is on target that I can forgive him when he is not.
I just finished this and, like you, thought the last section too long and unnecessary. I was reminded of Twain and the terrible detour he took at the end of Huckleberry Finn!