 "Great Book, Awful Kindle Conversion" | 2009-10-04 |
| - Reviewed By User: AIJTHN1GDZQ49 |
| The Kindle conversion of this masterpiece is almost unreadable. Paragraphs stream together, dialog gets confusing about who's speaking. |
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 "30% Great. 70% Good, But Less Filling" | 2009-09-20 |
| - Reviewed By capcuervo |
I was spellbound for the 30% of the book set in New York. The culture clash between Tom Wingo, the main character, and the New Yawkas was fascinating. Loved Dr. Lowenstein, Bernard, grown-up Savanah, the whole Manhattan crowd.
The 70% of the book set in Carolina, not so much. A grim telling and retelling of myriad dark incidents in a seriously dysfunctional family. Not quite as dysfunctional as the Child Called It family, but close.
Much of the language is overly ornate, contrived; much of the rhetoric repetitive. [I was like, "Okay, you've explained to me for the 30th time that you are a person of the South Carolina low country. It's in your blood, your heart, your soul. I get it."] But when you can write like this, about New York, all is forgiven:
"In the falling light, the window became both mirror and fabulous portrait of a darkening city. The huge buildings of the lower city turned sapphire and rose in the descendent retreat of sunlight, then began to answer back with their own interior light. The city was laid out before me in a forest of transfigured architecture, devotional and splendid. The sun, exhausted, caught one building whole in its last sight and imparted the hues of a coral reef in a thousand grateful windows, then slid down that building from window to window, losing itself halfway down as the whole city rose like a firebird into the singing night. The city shook off the last foils of sunset and in a thrown-back, overreaching ecstasy transformed itself into an amazing candelabrum of asymmetrical light. From where I sat, in complete darkness now, the city looked as if it were formed from glass votive candles, lightning, and glowing embers. In the beauty of those rising geometrics and fabulous metamorphosed shapes, it seemed to enlarge the sunset, improve upon it."
Grade: B, overall. |
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 "I loved it despite some quibbles" | 2009-09-16 |
| - Reviewed By sb-lynn |
First, brief summary, no spoilers in this review.
This is the story of the three Wingo siblings, twins Tom and Savannah, and their older brother Luke - all born and raised in a small coastal town in South Carolina. At the start of the story we know that Tom is heading off to New York to visit his sister Savannah. She has become a famous poet, and has just made (another) attempt to commit suicide. Before he leaves, Tom's wife tell him that she is having an affair because Tom has become so distant from her.
When he gets to New York, Tom meets up with Savannah's psychiartrist, Susan Lowenstein. It is in her office that he tells her the story of their lives, and their horrifying childhood.
In criticism, at times the book can make its heroes and villains a little too stereotypical and predictable, in particular to characters outside the family. There is melodrama aplenty, and there was also a furry 4 legged character that strained credibility for me,
Despite these things, and even though the language at times can almost be too flowery, this was just a joy to read. There are some passages that just sing and Conroy at his best is just a beautiful, evocative writer.
Conroy is just one of the best storytellers around, in every sense of that word. I had trouble putting the book down and couldn't wait to get back to it when I did. I was very interested in what happened to the Wingo siblings, and Conroy sets up the foreshadowing just wonderfully. And it pays off.
I also think that many of us will identify with one character or another - in particular if you've had a tough time with either parent growing up. It's obvious that Conroy did, and he expresses that kind of conflict and turmoil in a way that might have you shaking your head in empathy and understanding.
Above all, as in his most recent book South of Broad, this novel is a paean to the South. Conroy loves his hometown of South Carolina, and the love he feels both for it and his characters is palpable and lovely. Like author Richard Russo, Conroy, he makes us love his characters too.
Highly recommended. A great read from start to finish. |
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| "Southern Living" | 2009-09-14 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3KVQGWBYNYBEN |
| I had to read this for a lit class of mine and it was a lot better than most of the feminist books they make us read. It's about the many hardships and problems surrounding a Southern family in South Carolina. The writing style relies heavily on flashback which is both annoying and cool. Some of the family stories I could care less about, but most of the dull moments seems to have an overall purpose in the chapters that follow. The author's writing is descriptive to the point of exhaustion. I'm all for imagery, but Conroy will drown you in a sea of language that soon has you forgetting what the current storyline is supposed to be about. The plot is good, my professor says it is exceptional because its character driven rather than plot driven. This means the stories reflect the personalities of the characters instead of the characters being forced into prescripted plots. I agree with her because the characters have made an impression on me that I will probably remember years from now. That's how you know it's a good book or not. Something will happen in your life and it will remind you of a character or a powerful event that occurred in a book. The Prince of Tides has many of these. |
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| "Been years since I've read, but one of my favorites" | 2009-08-01 |
| - Reviewed By User: A15S0KA6FRXBOX |
| This is one of my favorite books of all time. Loved the writing, characters, story, and style. Couldn't put it down. One of those books that keeps you up until 3:00 in the morning reading. |
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| "good southern book" | 2009-07-31 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3NFP78MGDC6ZC |
i think being from the south makes this book what it is. i suppose that most of the lower ratings are from non southerners. they just don't get the experiences that are in this book. several reviewers said the humorous espisodes were over the top. one must have southern family members to relate.
the depression is somewhat intense. most of my southern relatives do not have time to dwell on themselves and to analyze each thought and action . they refuse to believe that they need help because they are too busy helping others. going to get a new hairdo is their therapy. dwelling on the need for therapy as a given arrived with the influx of people arriving from outside the south.
loved this book.
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