Posted by Sterling on 18/5/2012, 18:22:13, in reply to "Re: C by Tom McCarthy"
99.42.132.179
I feel like it is "bad form" to link to another reviewer. The point of RL.com is for us to share our own opinions and perceptions. Nevertheless, this linked review from the New York Times by the estimable Jennifer Egan (who won about every literary prize there is last year) makes a very strong case for the virtues of C. I think it's worth reading:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/books/review/Egan-t.html?ref=bookreviews
PS - Verne is very popular in the anglo world, or at least he was when I was a kid. Everybody know at least 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
PPS - You mention Tintin, which McCarthy included in his list of his favorite books "about nothing." Tintin seems to be a character who is popular everywhere in the world except the US.
--Previous Message--
: OK, after finishing the novel, I will moderate my
: enthusiasm. I did like it, and enjoyed reading it, but
: some considerations come to my mind as afterthoughts:
:
: 1. Throughout the development of the story, I was
: reminded of Jules Verne. I don't know how much Verne
: was read in the Anglo-saxon world, but I read him a
: lot as a child, and Serge's adventures and the bits of
: scientific/technical information reminded me of him,
: BUT, without the humor and precise, deft
: characterization of the French writer.
:
: 2. It's true: Serge is barely got into at all, I mean
: emotionally. The story lacks a deeply portrayed
: character.
:
: 3. There is no plot: it seems that McCarthy wanted to
: share with us a series of vignettes united by a common
: character, but he had no story to tell. It's like
: Tintin and the school for deaf, Tintin and the
: silkworms... and the radio... and World War I... and
: airplanes... and so on.
:
: 4. Some characters deserved more development,
: including Serge's family and friends. I thought it was
: going to be a grand fresco of an eccentric family in
: the first quarter of the XX Century, an exciting
: period in history if there ever was any.
:
: So, I'm still captain of the approving side, but the
: euphoria of the plane ride has washed out a bit...
:
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