Rating: 
Summary: Unusual Political Novel
Review: This is James's only overtly political novel. Before reading I wondered how a man of his background could write about working class political conspirators. He does so by making his protagonist an exquisitely sensitive young bookbinder who becomes involved in a political movement he only dimly comprehends. The bookbinder, Hyacinth, is befriended by the Princess Casamissima, a charming, completely self-absorbed young beauty who is trying to find herself in radical political activity. The plot is, therefore, more of a fairy tale than a realistic portait of "typical" working class revolutionaries, but on its own terms it is plausible enough. The style is leisurely and fairly complex, but not nearly as convoluted as James's last works. The great value of this book lies in its nuanced characterizations. All of the characters are wholly rounded and believable, and while they are all flawed in some way, not one of them is wholly unsympathetic. The Princess is the most interesting of all; through her James shows how bored, unsatisfied aristocrats can dabble in radical politics with disasterous results. He does so, however, without reducing her to a caricature.
Rating:
Summary: Casamassatastic
Review: This is my favorite book over 500 pages. I haven't finished it yet, but when I do, I think I'll like it even more than I do now. Hyacinth is funny. He gets to ride around with rich people all day and work for the anarchists when he wants to. I think it's sad that he had to be given up because his parents were in trouble with the law. If he had the right upbringing, he probably wouldn't have gotten into the trouble he gets into. I think that James wants readers to realize how important it is to have a good family. Without proper parents, you might end up in trouble like Hyacinth. Also, the Princess is beautiful.
Rating:
Summary: Casamassatastic
Review: This is my favorite book over 500 pages. I haven't finished it yet, but when I do, I think I'll like it even more than I do now. Hyacinth is funny. He gets to ride around with rich people all day and work for the anarchists when he wants to. I think it's sad that he had to be given up because his parents were in trouble with the law. If he had the right upbringing, he probably wouldn't have gotten into the trouble he gets into. I think that James wants readers to realize how important it is to have a good family. Without proper parents, you might end up in trouble like Hyacinth. Also, the Princess is beautiful.
Rating: 
Summary: Dickensian!
Review: This novel, like all of James' novels, is about upper class [cultured] people and of their inner drives and outer experiences (in relation to each other). This particular book seems confused to me. James does not have much interest/knowledge in the lower orders and it shows here. He does not have the Dickens/Gissing/Thackery touch and as a consequence this book, which concerns itself with the plight of the working classes, features educated and cultured persons only - regardless of their station in life [i.e. Pynsart and "the fiddler"]. James even goes as far as to have his only legitimate lower class character [Muniment] receive visits from a black-sheep-of-the-family Lady. He just can't help himself; he must have ladies and the like to write about or he is lost. A less satisfying effort from James.
Rating:
Summary: Confused
Review: This novel, like all of James' novels, is about upper class [cultured] people and of their inner drives and outer experiences (in relation to each other). This particular book seems confused to me. James does not have much interest/knowledge in the lower orders and it shows here. He does not have the Dickens/Gissing/Thackery touch and as a consequence this book, which concerns itself with the plight of the working classes, features educated and cultured persons only - regardless of their station in life [i.e. Pynsart and "the fiddler"]. James even goes as far as to have his only legitimate lower class character [Muniment] receive visits from a black-sheep-of-the-family Lady. He just can't help himself; he must have ladies and the like to write about or he is lost. A less satisfying effort from James.
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