I’ve been reading too many “it was ok” books this year. I partially blame my absence from the blogging world that hasn’t expertly guided my choices, but I also need to convince myself once and for all that 2009 was a once-in-a-lifetime year. After all, you can only discover Dorothy Dunnett, Gone with the Wind, The Hunger Games and The Queen’s Thief for the first time once. And listening for the first time to Stephen Fry reading the Harry Potter series… 2009 was my perfect literary storm.
Still, 2014 has had some unexpected good surprises, with Washington Square standing out. When I picked it up I was bracing myself for the tragedies and thick language of The Portrait of a Lady, The Wings of the Dove and The Turn of the Screw but ended up with something closer in style to Jane Austen.
Henry’s characters in Washington Square are not new: the naïve and plain heiress, the handsome opportunistic cad, the neglecting and cynical father, the dramatic and silly aunt.
I loved none of them, but could eat popcorn reading their stories, I was so entertained! It was wicked of me really, because some of the characters really suffer, but James has such a sharp sense of humor, such a clever sense of inequalities in society and between man and woman that I couldn’t help it. I laughed several times as James sarcastically pokes fun at his own characters.
The language is clear and witty, very unlike the other of his books I’ve read. He probably regretted this step away from a dignified intricacy, because he tried to remove Washington Square from a collection of his works.
Washington Square was a book where I’ve fallen for the style more than the story. There’s lots of room for deeper analysis of the plot, characters, society, gender, marriage, etc, etc, but my lasting impression of it will be: I had fun!
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Other thoughts: 17th Street, Nishita’s Rants and Raves, Eclectic Indulgence, The Allure of Books (yours?)
11 comments
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November 12, 2014 at 7:53 pm
heavenali
I haven’t read Henry James for years. He can be hard going but I know I liked this one and have been meaning to re-read it.
November 13, 2014 at 9:46 am
Alex
I also found his others hard going, and only picked this one up because I was visiting NY. it was worth it!
November 12, 2014 at 9:55 pm
Helen
I still haven’t read anything by Henry James so I wonder if this would be a good place to start? It sounds a lot more appealing to me than most of his other books!
November 13, 2014 at 9:46 am
Alex
Yes, definitely! Start here!
November 13, 2014 at 2:17 am
Trisha
I’m currently reading (and hating) Turn of the Screw, my first James. I’m only about 30 pages in and I have to force myself to pick it up.
November 13, 2014 at 9:47 am
Alex
I know how you feel. It’s so… unnecessary convoluted? Washington Square is completely different.
November 13, 2014 at 6:41 pm
Jay
I actually read Washington Square “out of momentum” back when an old book club of mine read Turn of the Screw and my copy was “The Turn of the Screw and other Stories.” I ended up liking WS more than the other.
There was a film version of Washington Square (starring Jennifer Jason Leigh of all people) that actually wasn’t that bad.
WS also makes an appearance as one of the Western Lit books that are read/discussed in “Reading Lolita in Tehran” (which I don’t recommend, btw) 🙂
November 17, 2014 at 10:38 am
Alex
I have to see the film – do they change the ending? I bet they do…
November 17, 2014 at 10:00 am
Charlotte Reads Classics
I’ve loved Henry James whenever I’ve read one of his books but this is one I have yet to try – will keep an eye out for it!
November 17, 2014 at 10:39 am
Alex
Looking forward to know what a usual James fan would make of WS!
December 31, 2014 at 12:03 pm
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