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basedknock's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
tcweeks24's review against another edition
3.0
Okay, so, as much as I love Carson McCullers (The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is one of my all time favorites), I found this to be a bit disappointing. It's all technically there: the "freaky" characters, the sexual identity crisis(es), the "Southern Gothic"-yness of it all. But it's too short, the characters flash across the page and don't feel fleshed out. What is even the point of Anacleto, other than another "freak?" The plot never has any momentum. Am I supposed to focus on Captain Penderton's closet-case story, or Alison's depression, or Private Williams' stalking? I feel they're meant to be intertwined and show the interconnectedness humans rely on or something deep like that, but it doesn't work nearly as well as McCullers has accomplished in her other work.
What saved it, of course, is her writing. Clear and beautiful as ever, it's really the redeeming quality of the novel.
What saved it, of course, is her writing. Clear and beautiful as ever, it's really the redeeming quality of the novel.
lydj's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
marianabpeso's review against another edition
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
merixien's review against another edition
3.0
3,5/5
Güney Amerika'daki bir kampta; sosyal izolasyon, yalnızlık, tutku, nefret, bastırılmış duygular ve cinsel yönelim ekseninde dönen altı karakterin hikayesini anlatıyor. Hikayenin en başından neler olacağını biliyorsunuz ama bu sizi hikayeden koparmıyor bence. Kitabın en güzel yönüyse her ne kadar 20. yüzyıl hikayesi olsa da okurken gayet güncel bir kitabı okuyormuşsunuz gibi zamansız oluşu.
Güney Amerika'daki bir kampta; sosyal izolasyon, yalnızlık, tutku, nefret, bastırılmış duygular ve cinsel yönelim ekseninde dönen altı karakterin hikayesini anlatıyor. Hikayenin en başından neler olacağını biliyorsunuz ama bu sizi hikayeden koparmıyor bence. Kitabın en güzel yönüyse her ne kadar 20. yüzyıl hikayesi olsa da okurken gayet güncel bir kitabı okuyormuşsunuz gibi zamansız oluşu.
esraway's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Dark. Messy. Compelling. Made me yell at the ending.
msand3's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars. Well, after such high praise for [b:The Member of the Wedding|330244|The Member of the Wedding|Carson McCullers|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1403187223s/330244.jpg|604941], I found myself faced with another McCullers work that was melodramatic and moody. It's hard for me to explain why I just can't get into her work, especially since it seems right up my alley: Southern gothic themes, alienated characters, controversial subject matter, etc. As with every other McCullers work I've read other than Wedding, it felt plodding and sterile, despite the lurid plot.
levitybooks's review against another edition
4.0
I think something is wrong with me because I like Carson McCullers, and she likes making her characters nightmarishly sad. While many write sorrow or grief, I have seen noone do both as simply as McCullers.
Nice to see a foreword by Tennessee Williams, although I'd disagree that this trumps The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter. This novella, and The Ballad of the Sad Cafe, both have the same ambience as The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, but seem to have more one-dimensional characters, a steadier plot pace and fewer subplots—they're almost too focused and direct in a way which makes the plot seem believable or varied. Little disappointed by the ending but otherwise consistently harrowing.
Nice to see a foreword by Tennessee Williams, although I'd disagree that this trumps The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter. This novella, and The Ballad of the Sad Cafe, both have the same ambience as The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, but seem to have more one-dimensional characters, a steadier plot pace and fewer subplots—they're almost too focused and direct in a way which makes the plot seem believable or varied. Little disappointed by the ending but otherwise consistently harrowing.
eunicez's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
tajiboy's review against another edition
3.0
Después de leer El Corazón es un Corazón Solitario, tenía grandes expectativas de este libro, pero sentí que le faltaba algo, la historia es buena y un momento intrigante, los personajes mantienen sus personalidades y el misterio que flota alrededor de ellos me logró atraer. La narrativa tiende a ser bella y cuidada pero yo de McCullers me esperaba mucho más.