Fionnuala’s review of The Gate of Angels > Likes and Comments
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I tend to feel this might be the best introduction to Fitzgerald's novels - although I have not read all of them. It covers quite a lot of sombre topics in a very playful way
I would say the same, all her favourite topics are here: innocence, generosity, and the way people's moral standards are dependent on their circumstances. In Offshore, one of the characters says, a little as Daisy would have, that his moral standards were much the same as Richard’s, only he did not feel he was well enough off to apply them as often, and in such a wide range of conditions.
In The Golden Child, there's a slight echo of that, Regret is a luxury I can’t permit myself.
This one was my introduction to Fitzgerald and not expecting much I go much out of it. She's very good at leaving spaces open for the reader to think about. Great characters, though often in small parts.
Oh, when that happens, that a book at the very end makes you proceed to its beginning is magical. It has happened to me few times, and all those are memorable. I suppose the second reading is for the Inner eye only.
Nick wrote: "This one was my introduction to Fitzgerald and not expecting much I go much out of it. She's very good at leaving spaces open for the reader to think about. Great characters, though often in small ..."
I enjoyed your review, Nick (view spoiler)
You rightly point out the deft handling of such widely different notions as metaphysics and London street talk.
And yes to the well described characters. Kelly, for all he was obnoxious, was so alive on the page. And Mrs Wrayburn—chained, in spite of her learning and her ethnic clothing, to the kitchen stove!
Kalliope wrote: "Oh, when that happens, that a book at the very end makes you proceed to its beginning is magical. It has happened to me few times, and all those are memorable. I suppose the second reading is for the Inner eye only..."
The Inner eye definitely gets a workout second time around, Kalliope—all senses on alert!
This was set around the same time as The Beginning of Spring, in 1912. The story balances precariously between the old world and the new. A professor that the Master of Angels is working with on a project gets called back to Germany to work on explosives. A character imagines herself being thirty five which will be in 1939, and she laughs, the date sounds so absurd. There are lots of little hints of the changes to come. Talk of how the atom can't be split, for example..
Based on your reviews in your Fitzgerald journey, Fionnuala, I'd say this novel seems the most intriguing.
Just as I'd never nominate a favourite child, Tony, I'm reluctant to say that this novel is Fitzgerald's most intriguing. But it is a great place to start on her novels.
To think she was 74 when this was published and 79 when her last novel came out. In fact her nine novels were written in the space of only eighteen years, between 1977 and 1995.
Isn't it wonderful when you read a book that pulls you in to the extent that you immediately start again at the beginning? One book I remember doing that with was "After Julius" by Elizabeth Jane Howard.
I have only read Fitzgerald's "The Bookshop" to date, but you are making me want to drop everything and get hold of the rest of her books! Thanks for your great review.
Eleanor wrote: "Isn't it wonderful when you read a book that pulls you in to the extent that you immediately start again at the beginning? One book I remember doing that with was "After Julius" by Elizabeth Jane Howard..."
I haven't read anything by EJH, Eleanor, but I'm glad to be reminded of her—and she would have been a contemporary of Penelope Fitzgerald's, more or less, so I'm tempted to take a look at her writing. In my head she was simply one of Kingsley Amis's wives but that's such an unfair way to label her!
Fionnula, your review has made me very interested in Daisy. "The inner eye and out observation" are naturally interesting to me. I think this is a Fitzgerald I could sink into.
I hope you enjoy it, Anne. Daisy doesn't appear for quite a while but once we meet her, she impresses the reader a lot, on her own account, and for the fact that she's such a complete contrast to the world Fred knows. It's all very deftly handled.
"So fascinating that when I got to the end I turned back to the beginning and read the entire book again. It was magic."
That's a special experience, Fionnuala! Your display shelf looks lovely, are there many of her books left to go through?
Thanks, Junta. This was her eight novel, and I've just finished the ninth and last. It's been a very interesting experience and I'm certain I got more out of the later ones for having read the earlier ones. It's as if I learned her writing language, her unique approach to crafting her stories. She leaves out what other writers might include and includes what others would surely leave out, but the books still work—just maybe not for everyone.
So glad to see you continue enjoying your Fitzgerald trip, Fionnuala. I confess I wasn’t aware of this writer until your thoughtful reviews introduced her to me. Although I keep reading
...and enjoying them very much, I still can’t quite place her as a writer. I rely on you to best advice me on where to start with her :)
Terrific review, Fionnuala. Ah, a writer who makes space for the reader... such rarities are to be treasured.
Violeta wrote: "...I still can’t quite place her as a writer..."
That's a very insightful observation, Violeta, as if your subconscious knows more about her than your conscious mind does. After reading all her novels, I have difficulty 'placing' her myself! Some of her novels feel traditional but then they surprise in ways that seem experimental but you'd never call her modernist or post-modern or post-post-modern because the odd directions in which she takes her writing don't seem purposely done or self aware, more like the only way the writing of what's in her mind can be achieved. I've never felt very comfortable with literary tags such as post-modern and experimental anyway, and she provides me with the perfect example of why I feel like that: the writers I admire most have a unique way of writing that defies categorization. They write the only way they can—but it works for me. I can't tell if they will work for others though:-(
I couldn’t agree more about what makes you admire most a writer, Fionnuala. Like in all relationships, it’s a matter of chemistry where labels just don’t matter.
Brilliantly eloquent testimony to her gifts as a novelist, Fi.
I loved this book so much. Your review revived all those feelings!
Violeta wrote: "I couldn’t agree more about what makes you admire most a writer, Fionnuala. Like in all relationships, it’s a matter of chemistry where labels just don’t matter."
That's right, Violeta. 'Chemistry' in relationships is the right word in the context of this book—its both explainable and unexplainable!
Violet wrote: "Brilliantly eloquent testimony to her gifts as a novelist, Fi."
Thanks, Violet
Simon wrote: "I loved this book so much. Your review revived all those feelings!"
In a way, I think I write reviews more for those who've read and loved books than to convince new readers to read them, Simon, so your feedback is great to get!
Perfect review of a wonderful and perplexing book. I also started it over immediately after finishing! There are so many odd details and secrets in it.
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I tend to feel this might be the best introduction to Fitzgerald's novels - although I have not read all of them. It covers quite a lot of sombre topics in a very playful way
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I would say the same, all her favourite topics are here: innocence, generosity, and the way people's moral standards are dependent on their circumstances. In Offshore, one of the characters says, a little as Daisy would have, that his moral standards were much the same as Richard’s, only he did not feel he was well enough off to apply them as often, and in such a wide range of conditions.In The Golden Child, there's a slight echo of that, Regret is a luxury I can’t permit myself.
This one was my introduction to Fitzgerald and not expecting much I go much out of it. She's very good at leaving spaces open for the reader to think about. Great characters, though often in small parts.
Oh, when that happens, that a book at the very end makes you proceed to its beginning is magical. It has happened to me few times, and all those are memorable. I suppose the second reading is for the Inner eye only.
Nick wrote: "This one was my introduction to Fitzgerald and not expecting much I go much out of it. She's very good at leaving spaces open for the reader to think about. Great characters, though often in small ..."I enjoyed your review, Nick (view spoiler)
You rightly point out the deft handling of such widely different notions as metaphysics and London street talk.
And yes to the well described characters. Kelly, for all he was obnoxious, was so alive on the page. And Mrs Wrayburn—chained, in spite of her learning and her ethnic clothing, to the kitchen stove!
Kalliope wrote: "Oh, when that happens, that a book at the very end makes you proceed to its beginning is magical. It has happened to me few times, and all those are memorable. I suppose the second reading is for the Inner eye only..."The Inner eye definitely gets a workout second time around, Kalliope—all senses on alert!
This was set around the same time as The Beginning of Spring, in 1912. The story balances precariously between the old world and the new. A professor that the Master of Angels is working with on a project gets called back to Germany to work on explosives. A character imagines herself being thirty five which will be in 1939, and she laughs, the date sounds so absurd. There are lots of little hints of the changes to come. Talk of how the atom can't be split, for example..
Based on your reviews in your Fitzgerald journey, Fionnuala, I'd say this novel seems the most intriguing.
Just as I'd never nominate a favourite child, Tony, I'm reluctant to say that this novel is Fitzgerald's most intriguing. But it is a great place to start on her novels. To think she was 74 when this was published and 79 when her last novel came out. In fact her nine novels were written in the space of only eighteen years, between 1977 and 1995.
Isn't it wonderful when you read a book that pulls you in to the extent that you immediately start again at the beginning? One book I remember doing that with was "After Julius" by Elizabeth Jane Howard.I have only read Fitzgerald's "The Bookshop" to date, but you are making me want to drop everything and get hold of the rest of her books! Thanks for your great review.
Eleanor wrote: "Isn't it wonderful when you read a book that pulls you in to the extent that you immediately start again at the beginning? One book I remember doing that with was "After Julius" by Elizabeth Jane Howard..."I haven't read anything by EJH, Eleanor, but I'm glad to be reminded of her—and she would have been a contemporary of Penelope Fitzgerald's, more or less, so I'm tempted to take a look at her writing. In my head she was simply one of Kingsley Amis's wives but that's such an unfair way to label her!
Fionnula, your review has made me very interested in Daisy. "The inner eye and out observation" are naturally interesting to me. I think this is a Fitzgerald I could sink into.
I hope you enjoy it, Anne. Daisy doesn't appear for quite a while but once we meet her, she impresses the reader a lot, on her own account, and for the fact that she's such a complete contrast to the world Fred knows. It's all very deftly handled.
"So fascinating that when I got to the end I turned back to the beginning and read the entire book again. It was magic."That's a special experience, Fionnuala! Your display shelf looks lovely, are there many of her books left to go through?
Thanks, Junta. This was her eight novel, and I've just finished the ninth and last. It's been a very interesting experience and I'm certain I got more out of the later ones for having read the earlier ones. It's as if I learned her writing language, her unique approach to crafting her stories. She leaves out what other writers might include and includes what others would surely leave out, but the books still work—just maybe not for everyone.
So glad to see you continue enjoying your Fitzgerald trip, Fionnuala. I confess I wasn’t aware of this writer until your thoughtful reviews introduced her to me. Although I keep reading
...and enjoying them very much, I still can’t quite place her as a writer. I rely on you to best advice me on where to start with her :)
Terrific review, Fionnuala. Ah, a writer who makes space for the reader... such rarities are to be treasured.
Violeta wrote: "...I still can’t quite place her as a writer..."That's a very insightful observation, Violeta, as if your subconscious knows more about her than your conscious mind does. After reading all her novels, I have difficulty 'placing' her myself! Some of her novels feel traditional but then they surprise in ways that seem experimental but you'd never call her modernist or post-modern or post-post-modern because the odd directions in which she takes her writing don't seem purposely done or self aware, more like the only way the writing of what's in her mind can be achieved. I've never felt very comfortable with literary tags such as post-modern and experimental anyway, and she provides me with the perfect example of why I feel like that: the writers I admire most have a unique way of writing that defies categorization. They write the only way they can—but it works for me. I can't tell if they will work for others though:-(
I couldn’t agree more about what makes you admire most a writer, Fionnuala. Like in all relationships, it’s a matter of chemistry where labels just don’t matter.
Brilliantly eloquent testimony to her gifts as a novelist, Fi.
I loved this book so much. Your review revived all those feelings!
Violeta wrote: "I couldn’t agree more about what makes you admire most a writer, Fionnuala. Like in all relationships, it’s a matter of chemistry where labels just don’t matter."That's right, Violeta. 'Chemistry' in relationships is the right word in the context of this book—its both explainable and unexplainable!
Violet wrote: "Brilliantly eloquent testimony to her gifts as a novelist, Fi."Thanks, Violet
Simon wrote: "I loved this book so much. Your review revived all those feelings!"In a way, I think I write reviews more for those who've read and loved books than to convince new readers to read them, Simon, so your feedback is great to get!
Perfect review of a wonderful and perplexing book. I also started it over immediately after finishing! There are so many odd details and secrets in it.
