From the Bookshelf of Constant Reader…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
*
The Schedule for January through June 2025
By Lynn · 18 posts · 54 views
By Lynn · 18 posts · 54 views
last updated Mar 21, 2025 02:03PM
*
The Schedule for July through Dec. 2024
By Lynn · 2 posts · 42 views
By Lynn · 2 posts · 42 views
last updated Jul 15, 2024 08:53PM
showing 6 of 6 topics
view all »
Other topics mentioning this book

By Sherry , Doyenne · 348 posts · 176 views
last updated Oct 01, 2010 07:54AM
Schedule for January-June 2011
By Sherry , Doyenne · 23 posts · 371 views
By Sherry , Doyenne · 23 posts · 371 views
last updated Mar 15, 2011 10:08AM

By Sherry , Doyenne · 296 posts · 172 views
last updated Feb 01, 2011 12:18PM

By Sherry , Doyenne · 320 posts · 150 views
last updated Mar 01, 2011 04:42AM
What Members Thought

First sentence:
“This is the saddest story I have ever heard.�
This is story narrated by John Dowell and his wife Florence and their relationship with another couple of friends, Edward (the good soldier) and Leonora Ashburnham.
The plot is narrated in a flashback style and in a non-cronogically way.
This novel was where Jeremy Brett acted as Edward Ashburnham.
...more
“This is the saddest story I have ever heard.�
This is story narrated by John Dowell and his wife Florence and their relationship with another couple of friends, Edward (the good soldier) and Leonora Ashburnham.
The plot is narrated in a flashback style and in a non-cronogically way.
This novel was where Jeremy Brett acted as Edward Ashburnham.


A unique book in many ways. It reminded me a bit of Turn of the Screw in the way that what is real versus invented is never fully clear and so much turns on the unreliability and, indeed, incredible naïveté of the narrator - John Dowell.
Two couples, one American and one British meet at a German spa. Both marriages are loveless and the novel charts the eventual destruction of both relationships and, in one way or another of the individuals and most of those drawn into their orbit.
Themes of real ...more
Two couples, one American and one British meet at a German spa. Both marriages are loveless and the novel charts the eventual destruction of both relationships and, in one way or another of the individuals and most of those drawn into their orbit.
Themes of real ...more

Oct 28, 2013
for-much-deliberation ...
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
classics
Well I guess, yes, you can call this tale sad but its actually quite depressing... The tale enters the lives of two couples over a period of time then explores varied events affecting them giving the eventual depressing results.

Haven't met such a group of unpleasant characters since I read Gone Girl, another well written book that made me want to take a shower.
...more

Reading for Rockville Book Club - and using as a "classic" in my 2010 Book Challenge (52 Books this year -- to include 7 classics)
...more

This psychological study with an unreliable narrator didn't work for me. I didn't give a rat's ass about any of the characters as another reader put it.
...more

Aug 17, 2008
Al
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
recent-favorites,
2011-books
I can now understand why Modern Library put this high on its 100 Best Novels list. I thought it was so well done and fascinating. A wonderful look at marriage around WWI.


Jan 26, 2011
Lindsey
marked it as to-read

Feb 05, 2011
Sharon
marked it as to-read

Feb 09, 2012
Erika
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
england,
20th-century

Sep 25, 2012
Kristina
marked it as to-read

Jun 11, 2013
Kai Coates
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
modern-library-100,
world-war-i-fiction

Jul 26, 2022
Paige
marked it as to-read