Tristan > Recent Status Updates

It’s ok. Badly proofread though. I wonder how long the copy editor spent on it. There are far too many errors to be acceptable really. Content wise it has its moments. I’m in a long chapter about Socrates at the moment and it’s really rather dull.

I really can't see what all the fuss is about. The book is painfully over-written. What's with the dialogue? Nobody speaks like that! I just want to finish it.

I’m not very impressed so far. My first book by the author and I feel like I’m reading a simplistic YA novel. The writing style is clear but lacking any sparkle.

I don't think I can finish this. I'm bored. It's not really what I'd wanted to read on the topic: this is very specific historical analysis and I'd wanted a more sociological/theoretical text.

I don't think I can finish this. I'm bored. It's not really what I'd wanted to read on the topic: this is very specific historical analysis and I'd wanted a more sociological/theoretical text.

I'm thoroughly enjoying this so far! Magical realism through and through and I do like how Rushdie writes.

I'm predisposed to like this book; I think at the core, Francis Spufford and I agree on quite a bit but I'm struggling a bit with the style. It's quite frenzied at moments and those moments are frustrating to read. It must be said though that it is a passionate book and rightly so. I've skipped a good few pages because of the style.

I bought this book on impulse whilst waiting in the queue at the bookshop. It was on a table of novellas and other short works. I'm very interested in novellas, so despite having avoided it because I'd read that it pales in comparison to his three full length novels, I decided to buy it. I'm a good few chapters in and I can see why. It's very overwrought.

This is utter drivel! It's not even good literary soft porn. Nice writing as is per usual from Hollinghurst but God, these people are just pointless.

I'm not sure about this one. I enjoyed his other books but I really don't find any of these characters compelling or sympathetic in any way. I often like books with 'horrible' people, but these aren't compellingly horrible. I'll give it a few more chapters but if I still feel like that, I'll have to put it down.

After a few chapters, I found that every time I read the book, I felt stressed and work is so stressful right now, I don't need any extra. I'll try to come back to it later.