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I made it to page 110 but have lost interest and can't get back into it ):

Ilona wrote: "I made it to page 110 but have lost interest and can't get back into it ):"

Yeah I know that feeling

Was it just the writing style that made it unexciting?

That could be actually, yes.

Ah. I've only read one book by Mr. Barrie before (the supposed prequel to this one), and from what I remember it was chock full of that classic 18th century English style that can make almost anything seem either droll or just merely whimsical-- but not very strong of feeling. He doesn't really give himself much room to create any feelings of wonder or mystery in his audience-- his writing is too detached.

Yes wow you expressed perfectly how I'm feeling about this book!

I find that that happens in a lot of books written in that era (and I have read a number of them, so I have had a lot of time to think about it). Even if it is detached though, the writing style itself can be rather addicting (and simultaneously hard and easy to read through).

I think the French do a better job of capturing character in their classics-- at least, I recall Stendhal doing a marvelous job of it in 'The Red and The Black' (that book is pretty much all passion-- trust the French!)

Zane wrote: "I find that that happens in a lot of books written in that era (and I have read a number of them, so I have had a lot of time to think about it). Even if it is detached though, the writing style it..."

Yes I agree, most (British) classics I've read have that detached feelingto it. That's why so many struggle to finish them.
Never even heard of it but thanks for the recommendation. I'll check it out :)

Kai wrote: "Zane wrote: "I find that that happens in a lot of books written in that era (and I have read a number of them, so I have had a lot of time to think about it). Even if it is detached though, the wri..."

What can I say, it's in our blood to be ever so slightly detached. Rather funny, really, since we can be ridiculously passionate on points of honour, but ah well. That's national character for you.
(Then again, a lot of the Russian classics I have read-- such as Tolstoy and Turgenev-- have that same sense of decidedly English detachment wrapped in a generally pastoral setting-- which I find funny seeing as the impression I get from those novels is that Russians at that time emulated the French more than anybody).

From general consensus everyone says nice things about Stendhal, but I still consider that book to be the foremost of his work and a much-underrated classic. I really enjoyed it when I read it, and I've been thinking of doing a reread. Certainly worth reading once though, in my opinion (and if not, there are plenty of film versions floating around).

And of course Alexandre Dumas (in my humble opinion) also does a good job of making his books with exciting-sounding plots actually exciting. Jules Verne, however, leaves something to be desired (in my experience, anyway).