<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Less Desirable and more pursuit
Review: I've spent the last 2 weeks trying to finish this book and without any success. No wonder no one has read this book.This story tells of Nicolas Crabbe, a loner author, who meets with Zildo, a breast-less girl, when her town is struck with an earthquake. She refuses to leave him since he did save her. They eventually find their way to Venice where she becomes his servant. No longer is she a female, but dressed in drag as a male. Crabbe who is a semi-famous author is not only known for writing but for making enemy. Some how he finds himself in debt and falling in love for Zildo.
At least that's what I think the story is about. This is one of the worse novels I have ever read. The writing is confusing, especially the numerous unnecessary characters. It is written in old English, but with one fatal flaw. The writing is a bit aimless in its pursuit of furthering the plot. The beginning tries to be philosophical in its definition of love, according to Plato. But the entire story moves from a baby's crawl and a snail's slow day. The story was dull. The writing does not express the inner turmoil as much as would be expected because that is, as I suspect, the main conflict. In all honesty, I have not finish this novel and I really don't plan to. There have been only a handful of novels I haven't finished. This is one of them I probably don't even consider to finish. I gave it an extra star because the concept is original. Which is; it is an act of homosexuality when you love a female that embodies the ideal male?
Rating: 
Summary: well worth the effort
Review: This is certainly not the novel for those seeking the formulaic rubbish that passes for moden fiction.The beauty of this work is in the writing with the story, fascinating though it is, being secondary. Frederick Rolfe aka Baron Corvo was a strange individual who lived an altogether tragic life - largely because of his own character. Rolfe is almost legendary for his bitterness, cynicism and a shocking willingness to bite the hands that fed ( and generally helped) him. He failed in his ambition to be a priest and often signed his name 'Fr. Rolfe" in an effort to be mistaken for a member of the Clergy.There is an unmistakable fug of the lithurgical in much of his writing as a result.
His personality permeates every sentence of his writing and thus affords something of an insight into the author. Read this book if you are willing to allow yourself to enter his strange world view...otherwise it may well seem like a ponderous exercise. This is by far his best work ( in my humble view) but it is worth tracking down a copy of his other book "Hadrian" if you find youself aching for more of his unique writing.
<< 1 >>
| 
