Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Winter's Tale
Book Review: Too Many Curlicues
Summary: 3 Stars
Winters Tale: 3 stars. Great Author, not great novel.
I am a fan of Mark Helprin: I loved "Refiner's Fire" and "A Soldier of the Great War." In this novel, for which I had high hopes, based on the reviews and "critical acclaim," he loses me. I find that I am not enjoying it and it is like slogging through thigh-deep snow. I keep thinking, in a few more pages, he'll hook me. It isn't happening at page 130 of 673. (I once read 3/4 of the way through an acclaimed Rushdie book, waiting for the story to begin and found nothing but style. I resolved to never do that again.)
This book is far too self-consciously artistic and stylish for me. All the fancy words really get in the way of the story. All of his books that I have read involve some "fantastic" writing - flight of fancy in a fantasy realm. And I love it, in small, measured doses. Here, it is the basic structure of the novel, and it's way too much. The semi-magical protagonist of bizarre origin is here, like his other books. The wild and woolly life of adventure, the sexual encounters, the interesting characters are all here - but burdened with far too much fancy, flowery prose.
"Too many words, Mozart, too many words!"
Critics seem to always gush over this stuff. Is this because they all, in their deepest hearts, wish they were poets instead? I love poetry. I love prose. If they get too mixed up together, it becomes dreck, for me at least. Clearly, this book is beautiful in the eyes of some of those beholding it.
Here's a perfect example. You may love this sort of thing, and, if so, here's your book. I can only take this in very small doses before I lose interest:
"And then he saw the a strange white cloud moving across the now golden face of the city's cliffs in the sunset. It changed shape and form as it flew about the towers like a whimsical ghost. He realized what it was - pigeons, millions of pigeons, in a cloud electrified by reflection. They wheeled across the skyline like particles of smoke in Brownian motion, caught brilliantly in a dark chamber by a clear stroke of light reverberating between a sky and a floor of yellow brass. Next to the bodies of the buildings they were like mites, or snow, or confetti, or dust ... and yet they were one single flight, rising like a plume in the wind. Peter Lake knew from this that the city would take care, for it was a magical gate through which those who entered passed in innocent longing, taking every hope, showing touching courage - and for good reason. The city would take care. There was no choice but to trust the architect's dream that was spread before him as compact as an engine, solid and sure, shimmering over the glinting ice. He lay back, resigned until he saw her again not to know the color of her eyes." [pp. 127, 128]
--- And then, like a mist rising from a northern lake, caressing and embracing the spires of the fir trees ringing it, rising again to point north like the great V of spring geese, like Tyco Brahe's quadrant of hard, glinting, bronze, hammered by monks in faraway Denmark, lit with the first trembling crack of the flowering mother-of-pearl dawn --- I realized that I couldn't read one more page of this rot! Stopping at page 130. Again, I am a fan of Helprin. This book just doesn't do it. I am very glad that he got "it" back with "Soldier of the Great War."
Book Review: One of my top ten books
Summary: 5 Stars
I'll keep this review short or I'll be at risk of repeating what other reviewers have already said, and said well. This is one of my favorite books. I came across the title several times, and though intrigued, I'd never committed to it--the synopsis on the paperback's back cover hadn't won me over. Finally, when I was desperate for a book I picked it up again. I read it in two days--with hardly a break. It is a stunning book. I really did laugh out loud and sob when it was finished. Helprin's imaginary New York City is epic, vast, and so full of life. Within three pages I was completely enraptured.
It does remind me a bit of Dickens--in terms of description, characters, and some of the time frame. And while their style and plotlines are completely different, I had the same reaction to Helprin's Winter's Tale as I had to John Irving's World According to Garp and Son of the Circus. Both authors weave humor, pain, longing, and love so seamlessly. I feel like a traitor suggesting that Helprin is a superior author, but it may be so.
If you are interested in this book, I'd actually save it for when the temperature drops, as it was such a pleasure to read during winter--really evocative. A great novel for a chilly November or December. Grab some mulled wine and a comfy chair.
Book Review: Beautifully written, yet empty
Summary: 4 Stars
Helprin is a talented writer. His prose approaches poetry in its lush detail and lyricism. It draws the reader into a long complex tale with well developed characters. It has a big complex plot that progresses to an anticipated triumphal ending - yet despite a fast pased fiery ending, philosophically it goes out with a whimper. The book's main themes - the human soul, the power of love, the struggle of good and evil - have been well covered by thousands of writers throughout history. In light of this, what Helprin has to say rings platitudinous and ultimately fails to add anything that hasn't already been said by others.
The writing alone makes this novel worth reading, highly entertaining but it is not a life changing book and the ending ultimately disappoints.
Book Review: Lyrical, Beautiful writing, but not quite magical
Summary: 4 Stars
Like many reviewers, I loved the first half of the book much more than the last half. When reality seemed to slip away without explanation, I began to lose touch with the author's tale, particularly at the end. However, I could not stop reading it. No words of mine can begin to describe the beautiful style of writing. Helprin is one of the greatest American authors in any century!Book Review: Walking in A Winter Wonderland.....
Summary: 5 Stars
Rarely do I try to rephrase what has already been said in previous reviews. But then again, rarely does a reviewer get to talk about something so monumental as Mark Helprin's Winter's Tale. For any potential readers who might be looking at this page, please read my little commentary, and if you are about to stop reading my little commentary- just go and read this book.
Winter's Tale violates all boundaries of normal fiction. Everything you are used to, the consistancy of time and location, history and even characters, gets rearranged for something incredible.
The story spans about a century in New York City, and the descriptions of the city and a particular suburb are sweeping and yet delicate, capturing the skyline yet also the starry splendor of the ceiling of Grand Central Terminal. The characters are interwoven throughout the story, and the reader is always amazed to find this man and that girl or this boy and that horse showing up and then disappearing again. It is the flow of characters and locations that give such an epic feel to Mark Helprin's story.
Another aspect that either turns people to or away Winter's Tale is the subtle hints of the fantastical that interrupt the ordinary world. When first reading the story (and if you do read it, you will go back for more and more and more...) you find yourself in history. Helprin's events and times are very accurate, and you appear to be in New York City at the turn of the century, and that is that. When (what can only be described as) magical things begin occuring periodically throughout the novel, the entire atmosphere changes, and you never know what or when characters and time and locations can break the bonds of normal thinking. This fantastical touch to a historical setting is rare, and the fact that Helprin uses it as a key tool in painting his dramatic picture makes it one of the most gripping parts of the novel.
Some people say that they never get into Helprin's world, and that they get lost along the way and never enjoy Winter's Tale. The official page-count is 688. I am not going to lie to you. I am a very strong reader, and Winter's Tale took me a month and a half of pretty steady reading. It honestly feels like the pages go into the upper thousands. BUT. I read it to savor every word. When each description is so vivid and every word has a purpose in this great picture, I revelled in every moment that I was stuck in Helprin's world. The best reading of this book is an involved reading, because anything less and a reader can very easily burn out in the beginning.
Anything else before i wrap it up----
I was given this book as a birthday present from an uncle, who gave me John Fowles' The Magus at the same time. At the time, I thought it was a pretty mediocre gift, and the two thick tomes sat on my shelf for half a year. I decided to pick up The Magus first, and immediately fell in love (and if you dont have that one, especially if you like Winter's Tale, get it) and so I figured that Winter's Tale couldn't be too bad. I have since then realized that my uncle gave me the best birthday present of my life. After working my way through this, I immediately relayed the news to a close friend who often shares good titles with me. He has joined the Mark Helprin fan club along with me, and together we really exalt in the excellence of this work.
That was my little personal interest story. All I can say now is, Helprin's Winter's Tale is a beautiful story of truly epic proportions. It was given to me as a present, and the best I can do is try to relay the message. Read Winter's Tale. Thank you.