Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Flashes of wonderful genius, but no page-turner, 9 Aug 2006
Having read no Joyce before other than 'The Dubliners', which underwhelmed me slightly, I was not really expecting to enjoy 'Portrait...' madly. However, I was pleasantly surprised, and if it was a little hard going at times, the passages where Joyce really turns it on make 'Portrait' a decidedly worthwhile read.
The autobiographical novel consists of a number of disconnected episodes from the hero Stephen Dedalus' life, presented in chronological order. Though written in the third person, we are treated to an extremely personal account of Dedalus' late childhood, adolescence, and early manhood. He goes through several psychological phases as he comes to terms with the conflict between Catholicism and his own desires; as a young man myself (though not a Catholic), I certainly found a good deal to identify with.
Joyce's writing is strange. It is not obviously and consistently brilliant, as (for instance) Hemmingway or Fitzgerald. For pages, one feels a little bored as he describes grim Irish life with little attempt at entertainment or insight, but then suddenly he changes gear and nails you with something unsurpassably brilliant. As an example, I'll quote the last paragraph of chapter two - it's quite long, but should give you the idea.
"With a sudden movement she bowed his head and joined her lips to his and he read the meaning of her movements in her frank uplifted eyes. It was too much for him. He closed his eyes, surrendering himself to her, body and mind, conscious of nothing in the world but the dark pressure of her soflty parting lips. They pressed upon his brain as upon his lips as though they were the vehicle of a vague speech; and between them he felt an unknown and timid pressure, darker than the swoon of sin, softer than sound or odour."
If you don't like this stuff, then I strongly advise you not to bother with 'Portrait'. Personally, I think it's about as good as anything I've read - I love the brain stuff and the last two phrases are very beautiful indeed.
In sum then, if you're after an unputdownable classic, look elsewhere: Joyce is no Dickens. If, however, you're willing to wade through some less-than-thrilling writing in order to be rewarded by moments of sparkling genius, then please give 'Portrait' a bash. It is unlikely to become a favourite, but the gems are sufficiently frequent and sufficiently brilliant to make it an excellent use of your time.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A personal, patchy work, 1 April 2006
Strange, clever book. Strong themes, realism, relevance: turmoil of young men seeking their own truth and expression of freedoms. Pride. Perspectives, influences. Intellectual discussions heavy. A personal book.Some brilliant insights and expressive language.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Out of 'darkness' comes illumination, 24 Jun 2007
I also really struggled with this book. It's very static. The subject and content overall is very limited and thus the reader's imagination is not stretched.
Certainly no page-turner, this book took me weeks on end of bite-sized sittings. Strangely, nothing enthused me about the book - however, like other reviewers, I was attracted to the emotional grasp and wonderful choice/usage of language/words in this challenging piece of work. Very much a work of art, full of bland narrative hiding behind some beautiful strokes of genius.
The autobiographical work draws attention to a young man growing up in Ireland - highlighting his struggles with his peers, Catholicism and worldly desires that lie within. This is a truly reflective book of a great artist as a boy, adolescent and man. It is very personal and expressive. A clear metamorphosis can be seen from childhood through to adulthood - almost from a caterpillar developing into a butterfly with the freedom of flight.
The last pages of this book spoke to me in a very personal and upfront way - that within the 'darkness' of everday life, an individual should have a free, clear and expressive mind to make his or her ambitions in life and not be governed by others.
Hit-and-miss, not everyone's cup of camomile.
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