Where Angels Fear To Tread
by E.M. Forster
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Cultures collide in Forster’s first novel, which reads in many ways like a thematic rough draft of A Room With a View (in fact several sentences are even repeated verbatim in RWAV!). But it’s a great story in its own right. When an English widow goes to Italy and then, in what could only be a fit of madness, marries an ITALIAN, her respectable in-laws are scandalized. That she should discover her husband is a bounder and then subsequently die in childbirth is no more than can be expec...more
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
literary people
My favorite quotation from the book: "He had known so much about her once -what she thought, how she felt, the reasons for her actions. And now he only knew that he loved her, and all the other knowledge seemed passing from him just as he needed it most."
I like Forster, and his portrayal of small people living in a small world, suddenly expanded by travel and exposure to people living passionately. Not as heartbreaking as some of his other novels, not as emotionally gripping as s...more
I like Forster, and his portrayal of small people living in a small world, suddenly expanded by travel and exposure to people living passionately. Not as heartbreaking as some of his other novels, not as emotionally gripping as s...more
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Read in January, 2007
My absolute favorite of the E.M. Forster novels I read. This one blew me away. When I turned the last page, I felt like I'd been catapulted out of the novel's world to find myself surprisingly in my own house with my own children around me. It absolutely sucked me in and had me crying and caring and wondering what would happen to each of the characters.
One of my favorite novels of all time.
One of my favorite novels of all time.
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Read in May, 2008
Other people have written that this book is short, and that is like a sketch for a Room With a View. However, it is considerably longer than that other book, covers more time, and has more action, including violence and exciting carriage accidents in the rain, as well as love triangles and meddling spinsters.
This book involves various contemptible and/or pathetic people, acting in an officious and/or careless way, with surprising and tragic results. Equally tragic is the fact that lessons ...more
This book involves various contemptible and/or pathetic people, acting in an officious and/or careless way, with surprising and tragic results. Equally tragic is the fact that lessons ...more
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Read in April, 2008
recommends it for:
Fans of Forrester or J. Austen
A good read and quite action packed at the end. I wasn't expecting as much activity based on the first few chapters of the book. There was even an "unexpected" twist in the final pages. The author well portrays the typical reserved and "proper" condition of the privileged in British Society. As Philip awakens to his own situation and potential, you are at once both startled and encouraged. I'll read it again sometime in the next few years. I'm a fan of "A Room with...more
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Very good. The story is both funny and terribly sad. My favorite character is the horrible British sister-in-law who is a xenophobe to end all racists. She's SO awful she makes you realize how stupid she is.
I don't often recommend a movie instead of a book, but if you don't feel like reading the book, check out the movie with Rupert Graves and Helena Bonham Carter. Lush and beautiful.
I don't often recommend a movie instead of a book, but if you don't feel like reading the book, check out the movie with Rupert Graves and Helena Bonham Carter. Lush and beautiful.
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This is one of those books that makes me think that no one is ever fit for marriage. While a Room with a view seems to celebrate caprice and love, Angels seems to believe in the possibility, but also revel in the blundering process of following the heart and suffering as a consequence--although there is beauty and redemption in the relentless march of life.
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Read in January, 1999
recommends it for:
Anyone interested in the whole "clash of civilizations" notion
There is so much wisdom packed into this short, first novel. Forster's commentary on the misunderstandings and missed opportunities between people of different cultures and religions is still so relevant today. I read this book after seeing the movie and before I set to work on my own remixed version of the whole "stranger in a strange land" experience.
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Read in May, 2007
Read this one for book club. All I knew of E.M. Forster to this point was the movie version of "Room with a View." Reading this novel was a nice window into Forster's written style. It is a biting indictment of the culture of its time; very interesting. This one was not the "happy ending" type; in fact, I'd call it a tragedy. But very well written.
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Read in December, 2006
recommends it for:
those who want to read a classic in three days
Short and sweet...well, not really. Short it may be, but this novel has very little that's sweet about it. Forster writes again about the English high society in a way that makes me never want to be a part of it! But it's certainly worth reading. Good descriptions of Italy and the Italian way of life in that time, as well.
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EM Forster has been my latest classic discovery. I’d never read anything of his before last year, and I’m completely in love. Where Angels Fear to Tread is a short book that made me linger over every word, to my tremendous delight.
Read the rest here:
[http://superfastreader.com/where-angels-fear-to-tread-by-em-forster.htm]
Read the rest here:
[http://superfastreader.com/where-angels-fear-to-tread-by-em-forster.htm]
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Read in April, 2008
The beginning of this book had me completely captivated and in love with Forster and his wit (he writes amazing dialogue) - then the ending became a bit too obvious to forecast the events. It also went down this very moralistic path that felt too heavy-handed for the rest of the book. But it was great fun to read.
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Upper middle class family go to "rescue" the offspring of their son's widow (fathered by her new Italian husband; she died in childbirth). Evocative Italian setting and surprisingly "modern" idioms and turns of phrase ("Dinner was a nightmare.") and attitudes of some of the characters. Unexpected ending.
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Read in January, 2000
Forster has perfect prose. Also, I like his explorations of the wild and tame sides of our psyches; it's what he's famous for and justly so. This story is also set in Italy, but I find it to have much in common with "The Sheltering Sky" in terms of its tone. Highly recommended.
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Read in March, 2008
I loved this short novel, and am looking forward to reading more Forrester. Subjects are dealt with in a subtle, thought provoking way.
Reading this felt like a sort of meditation- on family, society, and the role of the pursuit of beauty and passion in all things.
Reading this felt like a sort of meditation- on family, society, and the role of the pursuit of beauty and passion in all things.
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Read in August, 2006
recommends it for:
europe lovers
the italian in the middle of everything threw me for a loop but i did really like it and and its not that hard of a book to read. took me a while though cuz you do need time to get into it and i don't set aside that much time for reading.
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Read in May, 2008
A really good book if you are fascinated by Italy, the story is well-crafted and there is subtle humour in the serious situation. An enjoyable read overall, although a few incidents in the book were probably uncalled for.
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I like Forester. A Passage to India is one of my favorite books. If you like 20th century British fiction, you will like this novel.
It's a quick read. Deals with the issues of class in British society and love!!!
It's a quick read. Deals with the issues of class in British society and love!!!
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This was always my favorite E.M. Forster novel, although Room with a View has probably usurped that title more recently. I love the idea of overcoming nationalism, the nature of love, and unlikely epiphanies.
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This was E.M. Forster's (of Howard's End & A Room With a View fame)first novel.It was a strange book but had some interesting social dynamics between the Italian and the English and a surprise ending.
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