Ruth Warner
asked:
Did anyone else have this experience? It seems like this book needed some serious editing. I love a long read but this was over the top. I felt like it might never end...this is separate from the content which was relentless, like a hammer on my head, over and over however precious comes to mind. I can't understand the accolades for this book. I did finish it, I say proudly.
To answer questions about
A Little Life,
please sign up.
Me
Yes, Ruth! You are a voice of sanity.
I also did not understand all the hoopla over this book. The first half was engaging enough--not great, but I could stick with it--but the second half was a bore fest. I was not emotionally engaged with the characters, especially Jude, who annoyed me after a while. Guess I'm just a cold fish.
The editor must have been sleeping when he got to this one. The repetition (ie, Jude's suffering) as well as much of the prose could use a good snipping.
Check out the New York Review of Books for A Little Life, if you haven't already. I think you'll find it interesting. (Thanks to another goodreads reviewer, Marcus, for suggesting it.)
I also finished it, which doesn't affect me one way or the other. Am I determined or just a glutton for punishment?
I also did not understand all the hoopla over this book. The first half was engaging enough--not great, but I could stick with it--but the second half was a bore fest. I was not emotionally engaged with the characters, especially Jude, who annoyed me after a while. Guess I'm just a cold fish.
The editor must have been sleeping when he got to this one. The repetition (ie, Jude's suffering) as well as much of the prose could use a good snipping.
Check out the New York Review of Books for A Little Life, if you haven't already. I think you'll find it interesting. (Thanks to another goodreads reviewer, Marcus, for suggesting it.)
I also finished it, which doesn't affect me one way or the other. Am I determined or just a glutton for punishment?
Chris
I’m convinced it did well mainly because of the eye-catching cover.
Paige
I agree that I found the book tedious (or at least some aspects of I found tedious) and a more aggressive editing would have been nice. It's one of the reasons I gave it a lower rating (3.5 stars) despite really liking how the author handled some of the themes and the fact that it made me think... When you're describing it right now though "I felt like it might never end," "like a hammer on my head, over and over," it makes me think of Jude's experience, and how he felt that way too. I don't THINK the author meant to mirror his experience in the way we felt about the reading experience... but maybe it is supposed to give us a window into Jude's dark world.
Rachel
I agree with you. Way too much description of mundane. Too much description of Jude's sadness, Jude's wounds coming open and becoming infected, Jude cutting himself, a specific sweater Willem was wearing... But what put me over the top was the long long description of the eulogy of one of his grad school professors who was a very minor character. Yawn.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more