The Golden Gate (FF Classics)

I was tickled to come across this book again recently, which I first read over 15 years ago. If you enjoy good writing, you'll love this book. If you enjoy poetry, you'll love this book doubly. I'm no fan of poetry, yet I found myself marvelling at the verse here. An entire novel written in rhyme is impressive enough; engaging the reader emotionally in the lives of its characters along the way only adds to the genius of it. I read and re-read passages upon passages of this book simply to revel in the sheer beauty and wit of the language. Storytelling doesn't get more sublime than this. Seth is unparalleled in what he has achieved here.

The Golden, Great Vikram Seth (0/0 people found this helpful)

Since I got a little - ok, a lot - carried away with my review, I thought I'd begin with my concluding paragraph so that you don't have to wade through my ravings (unless you'd like to, of course!):

What could so easily have been an "exercise de style"; an indulgent challenge for a talented and versatile writer, succeeds on every level. From a complex, classic verse form, Seth has crafted a contemporary novel which is both comic and poignant: an astounding achievement and a wonderful read.

I stumbled upon this book in the early 1990s, at a book warehouse sale, where everything was priced at £1. Having read the blurb on the back and noted that it was published by faber and faber, I decided to make this minor investment. Very thankful am I to that fateful discovery for what quickly became one of my very favourite books.

It induced in me that most common response having just finished a book I adore: grab people and tell them they must read it too. Whilst eulogising to one particular friend about The Golden Gate, and explaining that it was a whole novel written entirely in sonnet form verse, her reaction was, "Oh, why?!" If this is your reaction to that fact, perhaps this book is not for you. If, however, your response is "Oh, WOW!", get ye a copy and prepare to be blown away.

Seth is best known for his prose, especially An Equal Music and, most of all, A Suitable Boy. But he is also an accomplished poet, who is just a wonderful writer, whatever the genre (travel writing, short stories, biography). The sonnet is a long way from the sweeping epic narrative of A Suitable Boy - deemed too long to win the Booker. My first reading of The Golden Gate happened to coincide with the first year of my A' level courses, and in English Literature, we were studying Keats, and the sonnet in general. In an attempt to get us better to appreciate the skill involved in composing a sonnet, we were made to write one ourselves - or, at least, to attempt to so do. If it were not already clear, it soon became apparent that it's a complex form, requiring great talent to make it work.

The Golden Gate is set, obviously, in California, and concerns itself with the lives of a group of twenty-somethings as they look for love and purpose in their lives. Some of the verses are gentle and moving:

7.1

"When fear grows too intense to handle.
We shrink into a private smile,
Surpursie when here and there a candle
Drives back the dark a little while,
A little space, before it gutters;
Or in the madness a voice utters
Words full of calm that to us seem
To bear the dry light of a dream
And stain our waking with more sorrow.
The night of hate that covers earth,
The generous country of our birth,
The single land from which we borrow
All that is ours - air, insight, tears,
Our fragile lives - for a few years,"

Others are more playful; fizzing as they move the plot along:

11.20

"Liz burst into astonished laughter.
Phil watched her with uncertain eyes.
She wiped her streaming tears, and after
A sneeze or two asked, "Is that wise?"
"Wise?" "Sure, Phil - we don't love each other!
To borrow wisdom from my mother,
It's love that makes the world go round!"
"That's bullshit!" grunted Phil. "I've found
That love's a pretty poor forecaster.
I loved a woman - and was dropped.
I loved a man - and that too flopped.
Passion's a prelude to disaster.
It's something else that makes me sure.
Our bond can last five decades more."

At times one forgets one is reading verse, and just enjoys what is a delightful story, at others one is startled by the poetical beauty. Combined, the power of these two elements, make Seth's first novel a real achievement, and more importantly, a joy and a delight to read.

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)

The Golden Gate (FF Classics)

Vikram Seth

Reader Reviews:

Stupendously magical (0/0 people found this helpful)

The Golden, Great Vikram Seth (0/0 people found this helpful)

Brilliant and entertaining (5/5 people found this helpful)

It's all true (4/4 people found this helpful)

IT'LL NEVER WORK! (to the tune of Baddiel&Skinner unplanned) (17/17 people found this helpful)

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