The Sentimentalists in Around the World in 80 Books

Aug 15, 2011 Stephanie rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

"In the same way, I suppose, that for the drowning man there comes, though several times he raises himself above the surface, the irrefutable moment in which it is certain that he will not raise himself again, and the last bubbles of his final exhalations arise and disperse, and an invisible seal is drawn across the waves … we gave him up."

The Sentimentalists feels like an eclectic compilation that left me, the reader, feeling disconnected, and confused by the disjointedness of the whole book. D "In the same way, I suppose, that for the drowning man there comes, though several times he raises himself above the surface, the irrefutable moment in which it is certain that he will not raise himself again, and the last bubbles of his final exhalations arise and disperse, and an invisible seal is drawn across the waves … we gave him up."

The Sentimentalists feels like an eclectic compilation that left me, the reader, feeling disconnected, and confused by the disjointedness of the whole book. Did I enjoy the topic? For the most part, yes.

Did I enjoy the poetic prose? It was beautiful (although the excessive use of commas and long sentences left me gasping for breath). Did I love the imagery? I would say it left powerful images on my mind but they were not integrated very well. What about the symbolism, the relationships, the character development, plot line, etc.? The list of questions, in regard to this book’s review, would continue with similarly polar answers.

All in all, the poetic style of writing and thinking did not mesh well, for me, with the topic: Napoleon’s experience in Vietnam and the incident at Quang Tri and his family life after. There seemed little in attempt to tie anything together, or tie it up by the end. The daughter’s thoughts albeit powerful and interesting, could sometimes drag and prevented the reader from really identifying with any of the characters, including the narrator, or the plot.

I still have not decided if I liked this book well enough to recommend it to fellow readers. But if a reader was on the fence about reading this – then do so just for the experience. After all, it did win Canada’s most prestigious literary award: the Giller (if that is any motivation).

"I had thought in those years, I suppose, having learned the lesson from my mother well, that it was foolish to ask for too much out of life, afterwards only to live in the wake of that expectation, an irreducible disappointment. But what pain, I thought now, could be greater than to realize that even the practical reality for which you had assumed to settle upon, did not hold – that even that was illusory? Would it not be better, then, to set your sights on some more fantastic and rare dream from which even in failing you might take some comfort in having once aspired?"

----I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.----
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Apr 28, 2011 Sara rated it liked it · review of another edition

I wish I could go back and read this book again. I found it difficult to read at the time, but it has stuck with me so much that It left my brain full of questions.... Hmmm

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