 | |
 View Larger |
The Emperor's Children (Vintage) By Claire Messud ( Vintage )
Release Date: 2007-06-26
Average Customer Rating:
List Price: $14.95
Price: $10.17
Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
|  Add to Cart |
|
|
Product Description
The Emperor’s Children is a richly drawn, brilliantly observed novel of fate and fortune—about the intersections in the lives of three friends, now on the cusp of their thirties, making their way--and not-- in New York City. In this tour de force, the celebrated author Claire Messud brings to life a city, a generation, and the way we live in this moment.
|
|
 Intelligent and sophisticated ( williamina )
I really can't understand the many negative reviews this intelligent and challenging book has received. I have never lived in New York, but I imagine that at least some of the critical opinions might arise from the unease and discomfort caused by Messud's too vivid, warts-and-all portraits of its denizens.
For me, "The Emperor's Children" was one of the best books I read this year. While comparing it to Edith Wharton's fiction might be going too far, it certainly has wonderful character development - it's peopled with many-dimensional, idiosyncratic, complex persons - and the fact that they are often unlikeable makes them even more realistic. We all know people like Murray Thwaite, for example. Even the minor characters, such as David or Randy, are wonderfully drawn and believable.
I would perhaps have enjoyed more insight into Julius, the gay, half-Vietnamese journalist with the complicated love life, who among the main characters receives the least attention. A sinister aura builds slowly but steadily around Ludovic Seeley, portending some evil deed that in the end inexplicably fails to materialize. Also, ***SMALL SPOILER HERE***, I felt that Murray's behavior at Danielle's apartment in the aftermath of 9/11 was insufficiently explained/analyzed, as was the behavior of his (otherwise smart) wife Annabel when he comes back home. But these are all minor flaws. The novel is really enjoyable.
When one compares Messud's elegant, ambitious and psychologically astute novel with efforts by other contemporary novelists I have read recently (such as Ayelet Waldman or Binnie Kirshenbaum, for example), Messud's writing seems much more serious, mature and confident - the work of a fine novelist at the height of her creative powers. I haven't read her other books, but something tells me I'll be buying them soon!
|
 Bad!
I was ready to love this book and was soon disappointed. It was so slow and so boring at times. I was just waiting for something to happen (which finally does but just at the very end of the book). It took me a while to finish it too because I would fall asleep after reading just 2 pages. It is one of those books where you just don't care about the characters. I did not care too much for the style of writing and the one paragraph sentences that I found hard to follow at times. I am sooo glad I finally finished it. Don't waist your time reading this book when there a so many good ones out there!
|
Thank goodness the beach was nice, because the book was miserable! ( cabushka )
I took this book with me to the beach. I'd never have finished it except for the fact that I had little else to read and it rained for two days. I agree that this book is overwritten drivel. There's really no point to it. Everyone's at the same place in their lives at the end as at the beginning. The characters are all extremely shallow. For all the wordiness they're not very well developed. Surprisingly bad considering the glowing reviews and blurbs inside the jacket. I threw this book in the trash can after reading so as to not inflict it on anyone else or take up room in my luggage.
|
disappointed
This book was very disappointing for an award winning book. It may have been presented as a comedy of manners but this tale lacks even that. When I read a book I am spending time with the characters in the novel. I felt I wasted my time with the characters, they were immoral and clueless. It was not funny and the ending left you with a very void feeling. There may have been a few witty phrases in the early chapters, but I would not recommend this book to anyone, I rarely say this about a book. Even my younger acquaintances residing in New York City had similar opinions.
|
 seriously overwritten ( tjenkins33 )
I bought this book largely on the basis of its strong NYT review (a huge mistake!). While there might be a sly novella hiding somewhere in this behemoth of a book, it's not worth the slog to discover it. Satire of this type--and length--needs to be propelled by a dynamite plot, yet THE EMPEROR'S CHILDREN is largely 450 pages of precious characterization. It's amusing for 30 pages and then quickly grows wearisome.
|
|
|
Addiction
