Comments on: The Believers, by Zoë Heller

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Fri, 28 May 2010 19:03:20 +0000

Lija: I would not say I found the characters unlikable — “not very interesting” would be a better summation of my response. And that meant that I did struggle with keepings various story lines straight as the book went on. The result was a read that was enjoyable, but not particularly memorable.

By: Lija

Lija — Fri, 28 May 2010 18:27:50 +0000

I’m still on the fence about whether I’ll end up reading this or not. Another blogger I read mentioned that she had trouble with this because she found the characters utterly unlikeable – is that part of what made you stop caring, or did you not mind that so much?

By: Max Cairnduff

Max Cairnduff — Wed, 12 May 2010 12:21:19 +0000

I’m underread on both James and Wharton, I shall use this as an exhortation and reminder to read more of them Kevin.

Frankly, exhortations and reminders to read more James and Wharton are always valuable.

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Tue, 11 May 2010 16:19:21 +0000

Max: This one is certainly a candidate for passing. The only recommendation that I could make is that, since I know you are reading Proust, there are elements here which show how social convention plays out a century later. Alas, Heller does not do it very well — using Wharton or James as a contrast to Proust is a much better option.

By: Max Cairnduff

Max Cairnduff — Tue, 11 May 2010 11:42:50 +0000

I don’t think I’ve read a single simply positive review of this one. It attracts caveats.

Part of the problem seems to be that when you’re in territory as well trodden as this you really do need to be very good indeed. As it is, it sounds entertaining but little more, and to revisit this kind of material I’d personally want more.

Sometimes interesting just isn’t enough.

Anyway, thanks Kevin, I think I’ll pass but it was an interesting review and I value reviews that help me pass on a book just as much (sometimes more) as those that help convince me to read one.

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Fri, 07 May 2010 23:14:26 +0000

Hi Shawna: Thanks for coming out of the virtual shadows. I not only have not read any Chaim Potok, I had to google him as I did not recognize the name. And have to admit that I did not recognize any of his works when I did, although he obviously sold quite a few books. Thanks for alerting me to him.

By: Shawna

Shawna — Fri, 07 May 2010 22:09:02 +0000

Hi Kevin, I decided it might be time to stop in leave a comment. I’ve been lurking on your blog for months now and have enjoyed every minute. Especially since, it seems, we share very similar reading tastes – although your knowledge is much more expansive than mine. I hope you are doing well! Have you read much by Chaim Potok?

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Thu, 06 May 2010 19:17:28 +0000

Tom: I’d say trying the library is a good idea — if you don’t like the first 50 pages, I’m pretty sure you won’t like the rest of the book. In many ways, I think it is more ambitious than Notes for a Scandal, which might explain my ambiguous response. I don’t think Heller succeeds quite as well in filling out her story (or characters) in this one. Still, she is an accomplished writer and it is a worthwhile read — I always have a problem with books that I think should have achieved more than they do, even when what has been published is quite acceptable.

By: Tom Cunliffe

Tom Cunliffe — Thu, 06 May 2010 19:12:41 +0000

I must get hold of this one. I thought Notes from a Scandal was excellent – and raised more questions than it answered – and yes, as Lisa says, the film was as good as the book.

You are obviously slightly equivocal about it – yes, its not good to find the first act is the best one. I think I’ll go and reserve it at my local library rather than purchasing it!

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Thu, 06 May 2010 15:31:23 +0000

Lisa: While I think I liked this novel better than you did, I kept hoping throughout it that it would make that turn into “terrific” territory. Alas, it never did — I don’t feel that I wasted my time, the characters are interesting, but it seems it would have been easy to make them so much better. And I did feel the plot twist towards the end was a copout, which I didn’t want to mention in the review.