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mwichita's review against another edition
Read this over three days on a train headed East. On purpose.
moyerholly's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
On a technical and narrative level, excellent writing — this novel is compelling on multiple levels. Greene comes to paint all his characters as archetypes, even stereotypes, but continuously pokes at these types, showing that even those bound by their “nature” or society’s rules/conditioning have moments of human chaos and nuance, never fully remaining one thing or the other.
The story itself is also not quite a mystery, but you can never fully see what’s coming around the corner, either, which certainly kept me engaged.
Ultimately, though, the book is anti-Semitic in Greene’s perpetuation of certain stereotypes and tropes, even as he criticizes overt violence against Jewish people. Would not recommend other people reading this book without significant critical distance.
The story itself is also not quite a mystery, but you can never fully see what’s coming around the corner, either, which certainly kept me engaged.
Ultimately, though, the book is anti-Semitic in Greene’s perpetuation of certain stereotypes and tropes, even as he criticizes overt violence against Jewish people. Would not recommend other people reading this book without significant critical distance.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism
allerro's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
wahistorian's review against another edition
3.0
I almost always enjoy Graham Greene as an extremely erudite and astute observer of the human condition, but this book was slow going for the first quarter of the book. As Christopher Hitchens pointed out in the forward, this is not the romantic expedition of on-the-train novels like 'Murder on the Orient Express' and 'The Lady Vanishes.' It is instead almost a modern novel of manners with a bit of international politics thrown in. Greene's emphasis is on the characters and the ways in which they come to understand one another, rather than plot. The characters include a Jewish importer--with the anti-semitism of Greene's period--a murderer on the run, a showgirl on her way to a job in Constantinople, but hoping for a meal ticket out, and a middle-aged spinster (read: lesbian) coming to terms with the loss of her companion.
There is something so cinematic about Greene's vision here, which is fascinating for a book written in 1931. But don't look for sustained suspense or moral tension, the hallmarks of Greene's best work--they're not here.
There is something so cinematic about Greene's vision here, which is fascinating for a book written in 1931. But don't look for sustained suspense or moral tension, the hallmarks of Greene's best work--they're not here.
blakeisgreene's review against another edition
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sarabeagle's review against another edition
5.0
Very entertaining read and the characters were interesting and maybe even a little ahead of the time.
sarahe's review against another edition
4.0
Read again, this time when I failed to get on a (from-)Stamboul Train (basically it's now a bus, well into Bulgaria, until the lines are upgraded). Liked it even better this time, for the subtlety of the interior voices - so gave it an extra star.
eliethedreamer's review against another edition
4.0
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Olan kıza oldu resmen -_-
Olan kıza oldu resmen -_-