Beth's review
The Portrait of a Lady (Penguin Classics)
by Henry James
Beth - I really liked your review, particularly the comment about Edith Wharton being a much better writer than Henry James. Unless Henry James wrote a much slimmer book than "Portrait of a Lady," I'll probably have to take your word for it - I'd never have the patience to slug through an overly verbose tome like Portrait. It's nice to know James can set the stage, but that wouldn't be enough for me.
Thanks!
Dad
Beth's review
The Portrait of a Lady (Penguin Classics) by Henry James
Beth's review
rating:
I expected to like this more than I did. I found it needlessly long, occasionally pompous, and ultimately unsatisfying. Still, there's a lot of good stuff in here: the exciting independence of Isabel in the early chapters, her palpable misery in her marriage, the vivid and memorable secondary characters, and above all (for me, at least) the set pieces. James was always able to make me feel like I knew just what a room or garden looked and felt like -- though he also frequently made me feel as though I was observing it from behind a glass wall.
I read somewhere that Edith Wharton was always striving to be as good a writer as Henry James; frankly, I think she's much better. Wharton's work is far more elegant, focused, economical, and empathetic. There were moments in this book when James convinced me that he understood what it's like to be a human, but for the most part his prose seemed strangely removed and difficult to penetrate -- and therefore kind of annoying. I got used to it, b...more
I read somewhere that Edith Wharton was always striving to be as good a writer as Henry James; frankly, I think she's much better. Wharton's work is far more elegant, focused, economical, and empathetic. There were moments in this book when James convinced me that he understood what it's like to be a human, but for the most part his prose seemed strangely removed and difficult to penetrate -- and therefore kind of annoying. I got used to it, b...more
Beth - I really liked your review, particularly the comment about Edith Wharton being a much better writer than Henry James. Unless Henry James wrote a much slimmer book than "Portrait of a Lady," I'll probably have to take your word for it - I'd never have the patience to slug through an overly verbose tome like Portrait. It's nice to know James can set the stage, but that wouldn't be enough for me.Thanks!
Dad