The Golden Gate (FF Classics) |
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Vikram Seth
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Pages: 320 (Paperback)
ISBN: 0571200389
Pub: Faber and Faber
Pub date: 1999-04-05
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 145960
Reader Reviews:
Brilliant and entertaining (5/5 people found this helpful)
An astonishing 300 pages of rhyming verse recount the story of a group of young Californians as they strive to make sense of their lives and loves. The text is rich in philosophical musings and carried along by a developing series of relationships between the protagonists. But the crowning glory is the verse, full of laugh-out-loud rhymes and verbal pyrotechnics. You know you are in for a treat when even the acknowledgements, dedication and contents pages are in verse. From then on, it just gets better.
One downside: for a novel, the central story is a bit thin. As a whole, though, The Golden Gate leaves the reader gasping with pleasure and admiration.
It's all true (4/4 people found this helpful)
I can only add my agreement to what has been said before. This is undoubtedly one of the finest books written in the past fifty years. An amazing achievement.
IT'LL NEVER WORK! (to the tune of Baddiel&Skinner unplanned) (17/17 people found this helpful)
A novel written in sonnets; Well it worked for Pushkin and it most definitely works for Vikram Seth.
I first discovered Vikram Seth, when i was sent a copy of his first (travel) book 'From Heaven's Lake' to review. This book was brilliant and I boldly described it as one of the greatest travel books which would ever be written. Nearly twenty-five years later, I have not changed my opinion about that book one iota.
I approached 'Golden Gate' however, with hesitancy. It all seemed a bit gimmicky and although I was a big fan of Pushkin's 'Eugene Onegin', also written in sonnets, I felt that Seth's book would be, at best, an anachronism. How wrong I was! This book is truly one of THE great works of modern literature and cannot be praised highly enough. It is quite simply, beautiful.
Vikram Seth has now found international fame as a result of the bestselling 'A Suitable Boy', but, in my opinion, this is his greatest work. It's just a shame I won't be around in a hundred years to remind everyone of how perceptive I was! (and humble; we mustn't forget humble)
After this amazing book, you will think in iambic tetrameter (19/19 people found this helpful)
This book, written complete in sonnet verse is simply amazing. When you open the cover and discover that not only, the main text, but the Acknowlegments, Table of Contents, Dedication, and "About The Authour" are also written in sonnet form, you'll know that Seth means business.
The entire book is written in Iambic Tetrameter (with strict rhyming to boot), yet though I thought this would be forboding, it really wasn't, and is amazingly readable. You'll even find yourself, having put the book down, thinking and talking in the line length that the authour uses!
The book itself, details the lives of a close knit group of Californians, initially centering about a programmer (though the omnisient narrator darts around a bit) and his life, relationships, and the waxing and waning of his friendships. Seth achieves this with utmost brilliance as the protagonist falls in and out of love, even venturing into brief promiscuity.
The Golden Gate ends with a few broken hearts, and is indeed vaguely depressing towards its finale. Seth's style, however, is true to the end, and indeed it is a well recommended read (even if just for the experience!). Just pick it up and be immersed - you won't be able to put it down.
An absolute joy (18/21 people found this helpful)
I have read this book out loud to myself and to friends (and relatives!) about five times. I have given about eight copies away. It is a total, unparalleled pleasure to wallow in the seductive cadences of Seth's poetic novel, and to marvel at the no-doubt obsessive and somewhat twisted brain which has come up with the words, rhymes, and humor in this book.
In the style of long, long ago, this book is the only one that I have ever read which brings poetry totally and absolutely to life. It's poetry which details AND-gates, talks about punk rock bands, and watches love come and go.
This is a great book and a great experience. Enjoy.
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Categories
Amazon.co.uk places this book into the following categories:
Books -> Subjects -> Fiction -> General
Books -> Subjects -> Fiction -> Contemporary Fiction: 1970 Onwards -> Literary Fiction
Books -> Refinements -> Language (feature_browse-bin) -> English
Books -> Refinements -> Age (feature_two_browse-bin)
Books -> Refinements -> Format (binding_browse-bin) -> Paperback