Alice Adams in Tackling the Pulitzer Prize Winners!

Jun 20, 2018 Bookslut rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: pulitzer

Well, it's hard to say with this one. I didn't think it was any good, but it was very readable, even though it is 100 years old. I appreciate that, and breezing through some of these dud Pulitzers is such a nice option compared to the ones where I hated every minute. But again, this was a weak novel, the mother character is insufferable, the anti-heroine is pretty nearly insufferable, and Mr. Tarkington is very, very bad at writing dialogue. There was one strong scene, which was not only much hi ...more

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Jan 11, 2020 Grace rated it liked it · review of another edition

Booth Tarkington's second Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Alice Adams is again a novel that explores class and morality. The novel follows the Adams family as they hatch a scheme to elevate themselves into the upper echelons of local society and as one would imagine it fails spectacularly. Alice Adams reads as a morality tale, emphasizing that when the character's deeds are less than honest they will be punished ten fold for their efforts.

I didn't mind the novel, to be honest Tarkington's writing Booth Tarkington's second Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Alice Adams is again a novel that explores class and morality. The novel follows the Adams family as they hatch a scheme to elevate themselves into the upper echelons of local society and as one would imagine it fails spectacularly. Alice Adams reads as a morality tale, emphasizing that when the character's deeds are less than honest they will be punished ten fold for their efforts.

I didn't mind the novel, to be honest Tarkington's writing is excellent and he really manages to bring the character of Alice Adams to life, portraying her as very likeable and earnest at times. The storyline did make me think of 1940-50s movies, but this may have been playing in my head knowing Katherine Hepburn was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of Alice Adams on film. I very much did not like the characters of Mrs. Adams or Walter Adams, both of whom seemed morally bankrupt, focused only on what was owed them. For Mrs. Adams this was a better place in society, while for Walter, who was most babied by his mother, pure greed was one of his many sins. The father, Virgil Adams, seems to be the only member of the family who is honest and moral, however, he fails to raise his family to his standards and instead sinks to their lows.

While this was an easy comforting read in its predictability, there isn't much in my opinion that lends itself to recommendation. The most bothersome aspects of the text was Tarkington's portrayal of his black characters, he portrayed every cliche one could imagine, which of course made for an uncomfortable read. While I recognize that this book was written and published in 1921, it does not make Tarkington's black characters, and how they are portrayed, more palatable.

I would say if you are looking to complete reading all of the Pulitzer Prize winning novels in Fiction like myself, this book is an easy read to check off a box. Well written with well developed white characters, the novel is an easy checkbox ticked. ...more

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Dec 11, 2015 Bruce rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: pulitzer-winners

I liked The Magnificent Ambersons but didn't like this book at all. Virgil Adams was the most sympathetic character but there wasnt a really likable character in the bunch. The story was rather dull and didn't go anywhere. 1921 must have been a bad year for novels. ...more

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