Rating: 
Summary: Lukewarm
Review: ... I expected more. Almost no one is calling this book a "romance," perhaps to keep it from being discounted as a mere genre effort, but it is basically a romance, and not a particularly inspired one at that. As a novel of young infatuation and love, of sexual and intellectual awakening, it succeeds. Brownrigg's characterization of Flannery plays with sincerity--but there was nothing particularly profound. I felt I had read this story before and I took away nothing new. As a coming out novel with an exploration of sexual identity it plays quite poorly compared to those much maligned "romance" novels. Frankly, the lesbian romance writers are delivering these complicated themes with power and passion that Brownrigg doesn't come close to. Even the quoted section on this page reminded me of a similar scene by a lesbian romance writer where a young woman watches a much older woman she yearns after ironing clothes. Every time I see an iron I remember the writer's evocation of the older woman's hands smoothing and caressing the fabric. Brownrigg's description of the way Anne's lips are touching the coffee gives me nothing nearly that evocative and I doubt I'll remember it months from now, let alone years. This novel isn't strong enough to stand up to its hype and therefore disappointed me. It's an enjoyable read, but not a highly diverting one, sometimes thought-provoking, but when I was done I promptly forgot most of it. When a novel really works for me I'll think about it for days, recall scenes vividly, and wish it had never ended. Pages for You didn't do that for me. It left me lukewarm at best.
Rating: 
Summary: Steamy On-Campus Language & Love
Review: Anyone who's ever had a crush on a T.A., or fallen for an older woman for her beauty and her mind will find something to enjoy in Brownrigg's Pages For You. It's a lesbian love story, that like the best of Winterson, transcends the "lesbian love story" genre.
Rating: 
Summary: rare exuberance and effervescence
Review: Captures with astute insight and gifted language the evanescence of youthful love. After reading the review in the London Times I sought this out. An important book for young people because it articulates the swirling emotions of first encounters and the discoveries of sexuality; an important book for people willing to revisit their own memories of discovery. Reset my own internal clock to recall the power of hope and fear of loss. Brownrigg's keen sense of detail, of gesture, of phrase illuminates each brief scene like a Vermeer. Light and humanity abound.
Rating:
Summary: A glorious exultation of love
Review: Flannery is a college freshman, new to the East Coast, to college, to the intense attraction she feels to an older woman. When she encounters the woman (Anne) in one of her classes, Flannery spins out of control, and ultimately cannot escape the power of the mutual attraction when Anne and Flannery meet a few weeks later. The two embark on a beautiful affair filled with poetic bliss and patient devourings. As the months pass, Flannery notices a space within Anne that she cannot touch, and finding out what fills that space dissolves the glamour of their love. And yet what they gave each other lingers. Brownrigg's delicious tale is fully akin to such lesbian classics as Violette Leduc's "Thérèse and Isabelle" and Dorothy Bussy's "Olivia" (I could certainly name others). It is without a doubt a glorious exultation of love that will leave the reader luxuriously heavy with love.
Rating:
Summary: first love and power
Review: From the first moment I was hooked. How could I not be? We all have, somewhere in our past or present, a love story we keep hidden behind a closed door, the kind of story we just wish we could change the ending. And when a book is so promising in its first words, it?s difficult to not anticipate a let down. We can just hope that the story will unfold in front of our eyes, beautiful and inspiring. That we might lose ourselves and our souls in it, that these pages might be the ones we would have liked to write. And where we might have failed, Sylvia Brownrigg succeeds. We find ourselves breathing in sync to the rythm of the words. The words she chose for us. But maybe what?s really amazing is the intimity she manages to create and ultimatly the feelings that emerge as we read. For all of us who fell in love with someone who was out of reach, for what could have been and what could never be. A beautiful read
Rating:
Summary: first love and power
Review: From the first moment I was hooked. How could I not be? We all have, somewhere in our past or present, a love story we keep hidden behind a closed door, the kind of story we just wish we could change the ending. And when a book is so promising in its first words, itÕs difficult to not anticipate a let down. We can just hope that the story will unfold in front of our eyes, beautiful and inspiring. That we might lose ourselves and our souls in it, that these pages might be the ones we would have liked to write. And where we might have failed, Sylvia Brownrigg succeeds. We find ourselves breathing in sync to the rythm of the words. The words she chose for us. But maybe whatÕs really amazing is the intimity she manages to create and ultimatly the feelings that emerge as we read. For all of us who fell in love with someone who was out of reach, for what could have been and what could never be. A beautiful read
Rating:
Summary: One of the most poetic and sensitive books I've read
Review: I am only half way thru this book and it is already one of my favorites. I have highlighted many lines of sheer poetry, the words are intense, packed full of life, and in a short amount of space- so much is described, revealed. This book is about a female college student falling in love with a female teacher but that description does not even come close to describing what the book is about. It is about longing, love, desire, beauty and passion so strong it seems to transcend the "normal" boundaries. I love this book and will be reading again and again.
Rating:
Summary: Good; Not Great
Review: I came to this book with perhaps higher expectations than I ought to. After a provacative review on National Public Radio and the enthusiastic reviews here, I expected this book to be great. The reviews prepared me for a book that was more than a superficial lesbian romance, perhaps an understanding of lesbian culture or something unique knowledge only a member of the community might know. Unfortunately, I was disappointed because this book isn't any of those things. It is a simple romance, not any different than the usual formulaic plot typical of this genre. Ann, the near-30 graduate student could have just as easily been "Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome" and the book would have been surprisingly little changed. Still, this isn't a bad book; it's written well and has competant character development and plot. The world, however, isn't significantly changed by the book's publication and the world won't be affected when the book fades from any short-term success it may see. If the reader is prepared for a little mindless romantic brain-candy upon approaching this book, they won't be disappointed. If you're expecting insightful, artistic, award-winning-capable literature, you should look elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: "...Now here are your pages"
Review: I couldn't help but enjoy this book immensely, despite its supposed flaws. As a romance novel with an admirable plot, it is quite successful, but as the story of Flannery going through the pains of realizing herself as a lesbian and coming out, it fails. However, I'm not convinced that Brownrigg was attempting to focus on the "coming out" issue anyway. This may or may not really be perceived as a flaw. In our time, it would be silly to think that Flannery's realization wouldn't have a huge impact on her life, and nearly impossible to side-step it, but perhaps Brownrigg wanted her book to focus on the romance instead. It's hard to say what would be preferable. Maybe what might be perceived as Brownrigg's oversight can be the beginning of a change in our culture that would make the realization of homosexuality not so weighty, so writers can concentrate on the relationships, not the tolerance issues. The writing is intense and vivid, and I felt I could relate to Flannery's frustration immensely. Anyone who has ever appreciated literature, been a confused 17-year-old in college, or fallen in love with an older and more experienced person can relate to the conflicts here. I really feel that it can be a kind of therapy for those who have had the feelings Flannery experiences for an older woman but have never been fortunate (or unfortunate--whatever the case may be) enough to act on them. I think the resolution is satisfying, and the old but ever-important reminder that life goes on is taught well.
Rating:
Summary: "...Now here are your pages"
Review: I couldn't help but enjoy this book immensely, despite its supposed flaws. As a romance novel with an admirable plot, it is quite successful, but as the story of Flannery going through the pains of realizing herself as a lesbian and coming out, it fails. However, I'm not convinced that Brownrigg was attempting to focus on the "coming out" issue anyway. This may or may not really be perceived as a flaw. In our time, it would be silly to think that Flannery's realization wouldn't have a huge impact on her life, and nearly impossible to side-step it, but perhaps Brownrigg wanted her book to focus on the romance instead. It's hard to say what would be preferable. Maybe what might be perceived as Brownrigg's oversight can be the beginning of a change in our culture that would make the realization of homosexuality not so weighty, so writers can concentrate on the relationships, not the tolerance issues. The writing is intense and vivid, and I felt I could relate to Flannery's frustration immensely. Anyone who has ever appreciated literature, been a confused 17-year-old in college, or fallen in love with an older and more experienced person can relate to the conflicts here. I really feel that it can be a kind of therapy for those who have had the feelings Flannery experiences for an older woman but have never been fortunate (or unfortunate--whatever the case may be) enough to act on them. I think the resolution is satisfying, and the old but ever-important reminder that life goes on is taught well.
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