xennicole's Reviews (2.27k)

This collection of five Short Stories focused on the possibility of defeat up till the last paragraph, you are unsure if the protagonist is going to fulfill their dream or fail miserably. Stories are a typical Fitzgerald standard of tight writing: every word counts and moves the story forward to its conclusion. Two short stories were written before The Great Gatsby and the other three afterwords, but you see underlying themes and plot devices that he perfected in TGG throughout all of the stories: Light, water and the American Dream.

It started out strong and I was really engaged and about half-way through the writing, I thought, got sloppy and wordy. I began having a hard time keeping focused. I am disappointed that I didn't like the novel more because I really like The Satanic Verses.

So much fun! I LOVED THe Parasol Protectorate and I was not disappointed with the spin off series because you see the original characters in their offspring, but a good handful of the original make a ever so quick appearance. I was worried because I am not liking the Finishing School series, they are good but I do not enjoy them as much as Parasol and Custard.

Fun read. Quick read. I read in a few hours on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Entertaining and a quick read.

Nothing new, but an interesting way to writing it.

The back of the 1954 hardcover edition (I copy I have) has a review by Newsweek, "TLOTC is written with the skill and clinical accuracy that is deeply tinged with pity." True, DP is able to always been astute when it comes to her observations and typically to her observations to her own sex, which are honest and sometimes harsh. It was moving play, which I could see why it was so popular on Broadway in 1953. It was a honest, funny and heartbreaking look into the lives of women who have lost it all and trying to regain what they can.

Also, the play read more of a short story of DP than your standard play. The stage directions read more of prose than directions, which is helpful to the stage and the actors. I was completely absorbed in the directions and got annoyed went characters were speaking, which I forgave because they were witty.

I am going to rate it 5 stars. My only gripe it is specifically geared for young people or it was marketed that way. There is no way a teenager is going to read this unless they are already fascinated with the subject. I thought it was a well-researched book, and I really like the premise. It is a dense book with 100 pages of footnotes at the end. I would recommend it, for adults or excerpts for High School students. Also has a lot of photos and maps. This book is one of the best about the time period and using Shostakovitch as a point of view was a genius decision.