The Liar by Stephen Fry Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $5.80 You Save: $8.20 (59%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The Liar
Book Review: Auto-biographic novel proves enlightning, disapointment.
Summary: 3 Stars
Upon my initial perusal of Stephen Fry's first novel , The Liar, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the pithy wit of his newspaper columns and television appearances had not been lost during his purchase of "serious novelist" stature. The details of the plot and characters are well documented in several of the other reviews on this forum, so I shan't waste the ink. The writing style crackles with energy and the trademark Fry shock value humor, and certainly goes a long way to solidifying Mr. Fry's burgeoning reputation as the new Oscar Wilde. If the protagonists are not engaging in franzied homosexual sex or smoking cannabis oil, then they are engaged in schemes so brillaint, they are deserving of books of their own. "Imagine the mind who comes up with all of this", one remarks to anyone in earshot at the time of reading.With all this said, I have to say that I was somewhat disapointed when, having read Mr. Fry's autobiography 'Moab is my Washpot' I found that almost the entire story is autobiographical. In fact, the two books were so similar that I almost requested a refund on one or the other. I am quite willing to accept that many people find the verbatim transciption of an authors life in the form of a fictional novel to be quite exceptable, but personally, I was left with the feeling that I had been somehow cheated. Mr Fry's hyper-intellectual prose and brilliant imagination deserves more of a showcase than thinking up psydonyms to protect the real life people who appear in the story.
Or maybe he's lying!
Book Review: Brilliant - but he's just lifted the contents of his autobio
Summary: 3 Stars
I have to agree with one of your other reviewers. Fry is clearly a genius and a highly entertaining and provoking read - but "The Liar" is so similar in content and characters to his autobiography "Moab is my Washpot" that one cannot help but be disappointed to a degree. Come on lad - think of something new!Book Review: Brilliant debut novel from the British actor/playwright!
Summary: 5 Stars
Stephen Fry is mainly known in the United States for his television roles (Jeeves & Wooster, Black Adder; both on PBS), and lately for a few film roles (Peter's Friends, I.Q.) Gifted as he is for acting, Stephen Fry is also known in his native England for his astute observations of society and the world we live in. He had his own column in the London Daily Telegraph, and was contracted to rewrite the play Me & My Gal. "The Liar" is his first novel. Reading this book, you come to appreciate how knowledgeable Fry is about culture--especially literature and music. Poetic imagery abounds in his descriptions of otherwise mundane things. Laced throughout is the characteristic wit (call it "Fry Dry" wit!) which will keep a smile on your face from start to finish. The story is about Adrian, a young man who fabricates most of what he says (hence, the Liar) and, pathological as he is (or is he?), he is still the hero and you want to know in what situation he will find himself next. This book may not be a page-turner, but it is definitely a fun read. Take it with you on your next vacation! This book won't embarrass you on the beach. Everyone that I have recommended this book to has loved it, and ended up buying Fry's follow-up novel, "The Hippopotamus," which has just been released in trade paperback format. That too, is a great read, but that is another review altogetherBook Review: Can't miss
Summary: 5 Stars
This is such a cleverly and well written book, you would be doing yourself a disservice by not reading it. If you have any interest in reading a Stephen Fry novel, I highly recommend this book. I have read all his books and enjoyed this one the most (although "Paperweight" is quite enjoyable as well). I bought this book because I was a fan of Stephen Fry, the actor. My appreciation of his abilities doubled.
Book Review: Charismatically Witty
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is fantastic! For an intellectual read with a sociopathic twist this book is great.