The Passion

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Summary: Winterson's mastery of language in The Passion
Review: I have yet to read a writer that impresses and excites me as much as Winterson does. She is the absolute goddess of contemporary fiction as far as I'm concerned. Her other books are all fantastic, but none play with language and image the way The Passion does!

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Summary: Heartstopping paragraphs on every page
Review: "Perhaps all romance is like that; not a contract between equal parties but an explosion of dreams and desires that can find no outlet in everyday life. Only a drama will do and while the fireworks last the sky is a different colour." -Jeanette Winterson

Henri, a poor country boy joins the French military to follow his passion: Bonaparte. His tour of duty takes him on Napoleon's marches, and one is treated to an inside of look at being a soldier in Bonaparte's army. Napoleon's passion for fighting has him take his armies into Moscow. Concurrently, a woman gives birth to a child in Venice. The child's father is a Boatman, and those children, according to legend, can walk on water. The child turns out to be a girl, but is nonetheless a Boatman's Daughter. She has a passion for gambling, and meets the love of her life and finds another passion, in the process losing her heart. After her heart has been broken, she marries a cruel, fat Frenchman and exults in his passion for debasing her. Her destiny takes her to Moscow, where she meets Henri. Henri's passion for the Boatman's daughter proves to be no small thing in his own destiny.

Set in magical, eternal cities, encompassing a time which captivates the imagination, and written in beautiful prose, this work is emminently readable, and entirely riveting. There are beautiful heart-stopping phrases worth quoting on every page -- words which, by their beauty, make this spellbinding tale a lyrical journey of discovery. There are many kinds of passions in this piece, and following each to its end, and savoring each as it comes, is a bittersweet and very poignant experience. Do it! Highly Recommended!

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Summary: The Passion tells how obsessions can rule one's life.
Review: The Passion is a tale that follows the life of Henri, a chicken-wringer in Napoleon's army. His passion for Napoleon causes him to live his life in the army, fighting a war that he sees no meaning in. The second part of the novel introduces Villanelle, a Venetian whose passion for gambling causes her to lose her heart to a married woman. Henri and Villanelle's lives eventually intertwine, and soon, Villanelle becomes Henri's unattainable passion. With her lush, rich writing, Jeanette Winterson weaves a powerful story of passion and magic on the background of late nineteenth century Europe.

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Summary: JW opens the readers' eyes to the magic of storytelling.
Review: The Passion is a work of true art in that it highlights the subtle angles of love and realtionships. So often in this world, we rush by the simple things, we mock the unusual, and we ignore beauty. Winterson's novel makes you take each sliver of the plot and apply it to your own life. If you're looking for a book that will entertain and educate, The Passion is for you.

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Summary: I can't understand the praise for this book
Review: I read The Passion on the recommendation of a friend. I was sadly disappointed. For a book of only 160 pages, it sure dragged on. I had little sympathy for either the male or the female main characters. I learned little about love or passion from this boring tale. The writing was frankly painful. Winterson seems to let her pen drool on the page, and then ends a meandering and repetitive pararagraph with short half-sentences. She seems to think these little "staccato" blurbs are somehow pithy. I found them painfully vapid.

- "Future. Crossed out. That's what war does."

This is powerful writing? It's annoyingly vapid to me. Or how about this one, in a paragraph all by itself:

- "Mother. Father. I love you."

Yeesh. This is supposed to be moving? I'm sure everyone is supposed to feel moved by a child loving his parents. How bold a notion! How '90s! But spelling it out like that instead of building any kind of believable bond is really nauseating.

This is not great literature folks. I think it is sad that such prose garners praise from the masses.

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Summary: To the reader from Kingston:
Review: It is sad to see that you let your prejudice deprive you of a wonderful reading experience. The Passion tells a great story and, yes, the women are strong, independent and passionate. But is this enough to make it a book about feminism? Does a writer have to describe his/her women as weak and medival to make the readers see beyond the feminist perspective? (I have to correct myself: "medival" -Winterson sertently lets us know that independence and strenght can be present at any given time in history!)

A belief in the love you feel, and the passion that surrounds us is crucial in this book. Let the allconsuming story capture you, without judging it's politics.

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Summary: Excellent and beautifully written
Review: The previous reader from Kingston must like Tom Clancy or similar. This book isn't for those who like simple sentences or straightforward exposition. But for those who enjoy exquisitely written prose and thought-provoking philosophical questions wrapped around what is in its essence a simple but enchanting story, this book is one to read.

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Summary: awful pointless dribble
Review: This book is not good because it deals with feminism and it becomes very one sided in its ignorant views. The character are non-likeable and Winterson's words fail to flow smoothly and as a result this is a poor reading experience.

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Summary: fantastic!
Review: the one book that changed the way i look at love, relationships, religion, vice, life in general.

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Summary: Fantastic Voyage!
Review: JW is an exceptional writer capable of transporting the reader into worlds that makes a mockery of traditional concepts of space and time. As one follows the evolution of the caracters, the author's words transcend homily to reveal the beauty and danger one will encounter when one attempts to truly live.