Stone's Fall: Ian Pears
May. 20th, 2012 02:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poliphiloA very clever book full of superficial verisimilitude- including much arcane but entertaining stuff about finance.
Our financier hero- I'm trying not to give too much away here- manipulates everyone who swims around him- including the leaders of the nations of Europe - into enabling his complicated business plans, whilst remaining largely uncorrupted by his wealth and power. His greatest sting- though hugely elaborate- never once stubs its toes against the cussedness of things in general or the unpredictability of the human animal.
I finished it and thought, "That's almost a great novel" and then thought again and riposted, "But it's a complete pack of lies."
Our financier hero- I'm trying not to give too much away here- manipulates everyone who swims around him- including the leaders of the nations of Europe - into enabling his complicated business plans, whilst remaining largely uncorrupted by his wealth and power. His greatest sting- though hugely elaborate- never once stubs its toes against the cussedness of things in general or the unpredictability of the human animal.
I finished it and thought, "That's almost a great novel" and then thought again and riposted, "But it's a complete pack of lies."
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Date: 2012-05-20 02:23 pm (UTC)Novels should be true, I think, or else they're worthless.
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Date: 2012-05-20 05:28 pm (UTC)What are true novels for you?
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Date: 2012-05-20 08:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-21 10:42 am (UTC)There's a related discussion, on romance, that's been much on my mind of late.
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Date: 2012-05-21 11:07 am (UTC)I'd be interested to have your thoughts on romance
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Date: 2012-05-22 10:02 am (UTC)