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Taylor's Reviews > A Home at the End of the World
A Home at the End of the World
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Taylor's review
bookshelves: fiction, the-power-of-love, made-for-the-screen, not-my-thing, country-mouse, lgbtqia
Jun 20, 2007
bookshelves: fiction, the-power-of-love, made-for-the-screen, not-my-thing, country-mouse, lgbtqia
I only sort of liked this, so I honestly don't have too much to say about it. It wasn't remarkable, but it wasn't awful.
It basically follows a set of three friends - one women, two men - and examines their relationships, both with each other, and with people from the outside world (mothers, fathers, girlfriends, boyfriends).
It reads almost a little blandly. I suppose you could say it's more of a character study and less about the plot. But then I couldn't say that it was very successful, because I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. They had their moments, but the things they felt and experienced weren't enough to move me emotionally - and I'm a pretty big sap. Even this was a little too sappy and unnecessarily dramatic for me. There's not a lot of joy in this book, so after awhile it feels like the characters are just holding on to each other out of history and obligation. They seem almost afraid to meet new people. Or maybe just lazy.
If you're determined to read it, borrow it. Or buy it used. But if you want a better examination of the dynamic between two men and one woman, read The Adventures of Kavalier & Clay.
Also, has anyone read any of Cunningham's other works? I kind of want to read The Hours, but this makes me a little wary.
It basically follows a set of three friends - one women, two men - and examines their relationships, both with each other, and with people from the outside world (mothers, fathers, girlfriends, boyfriends).
It reads almost a little blandly. I suppose you could say it's more of a character study and less about the plot. But then I couldn't say that it was very successful, because I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. They had their moments, but the things they felt and experienced weren't enough to move me emotionally - and I'm a pretty big sap. Even this was a little too sappy and unnecessarily dramatic for me. There's not a lot of joy in this book, so after awhile it feels like the characters are just holding on to each other out of history and obligation. They seem almost afraid to meet new people. Or maybe just lazy.
If you're determined to read it, borrow it. Or buy it used. But if you want a better examination of the dynamic between two men and one woman, read The Adventures of Kavalier & Clay.
Also, has anyone read any of Cunningham's other works? I kind of want to read The Hours, but this makes me a little wary.
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Reading Progress
Started Reading
October 1, 2006
–
Finished Reading
June 20, 2007
– Shelved
June 20, 2007
– Shelved as:
fiction
September 6, 2008
– Shelved as:
the-power-of-love
November 3, 2014
– Shelved as:
made-for-the-screen
November 4, 2014
– Shelved as:
not-my-thing
November 6, 2014
– Shelved as:
country-mouse
December 12, 2016
– Shelved as:
lgbtqia
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[deleted user]
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Jan 02, 2011 10:08PM
This is exactly how I feel about this book. Your review is from a while ago -- hopefully you took the plunge with The Hours which is amazing and well worth the read.
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I haven't, yet, Sharon, but thanks for the input! Glad to know The Hours is worth it.
I enjoyed it a lot more than you did but I liked some of his other books much more, especially The Hours and Flesh and Blood.
I鈥檓 halfway through and trying to figure out where it鈥檚 going... like when is the baby coming in? I read his book Specimen Days and loved it. This one is falling short...
I feel the same way about this book. Your review really hits on all the same points I have after reading it.
I agree with you about this novel lacking the real emotion heft I expected or wanted from it -- and that Kavalier & Clay is a more powerful exploration of this kind of love / friendship triangle. Having said that, let me encourage you to read Cunningham's The Hours, if you haven't done so yet! It's such a different book -- taut and compact where this one is more sprawling and leisurely in its pace. At the same time, the characters and their struggles feel almost visceral. I highly recommend it, over and above A Home at the End of the World.
Good to know, thanks!
