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Liked It “Very poignant narrative of a young boy's first brush with the gentry & being treated as a grown-up before he knew how to handle either.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“Recommended by Dana on Slate's Culture Gabfest”
cynicalseth wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Very poignant narrative of a young boy's first brush with the gentry & being treated as a grown-up before he knew how to handle either.”
Rosereader wrote this review Tuesday, January 22, 2013. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Started... will finish another time”
Jesse H wrote this review Thursday, May 17, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“My Monthly classic read for March”
Josie B wrote this review Wednesday, March 14, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This story follows a dangerous game of deceit and desire in Edwardian times.”
Learning Resource Centres at Doncaster College wrote this review Friday, March 2, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I fancied something from my 'should have read it long ago' list and was not sorry that I picked The Go-Between. I loved the fact that, although the plot was so simple, and virtually enclosed in one long hot summer holiday, the book was full of intrigue with so many emotions bubbling between such a bevy of vivid characters. Hartley so skilfully had me inside the head of the thirteen year old Leo that I felt his awkwardness at being slightly out of place in the grandeur of Marcus's family home; his confusion over his feelings for Marcus's elder sister and then his growing dismay as he gets embroiled in her tangled affairs. To cut an over lengthy review short, to anyone who hasn't read it yet, I would recommend not leaving The Go Between on the 'to read' shelf for ever, but to take it down, dust it off and enjoy.”
Sue Uden wrote this review Tuesday, January 31, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I first read this way back in college and it being a book I HAD to read made it less enjoyable. For some reason now, I have the compulsion to read it again as I feel I'm at an age to appreciate it better. From what I can remember it was a good story - will update my review once re-read.”
Jaime Louise Lightbowne wrote this review Friday, April 1, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This book ticked two of my boxes of books that I generally adore: 1. it's about the British upper-class (think waugh or mitford) and 2. it is from a child's perspective (kind of). I did enjoy reading it - it's very well written and loaded with symbolism - but I though some parts of the story frustrating. It is set mid-twentieth century when an elderly man finds his childhood diary and remembers a summer where he acted as a "go-between" for an ill-fated, illicit love affair between the prim daughter of the local gentry and a farmer. It ends tragically and the boy is traumatised and somewhat damaged for life. Nostalgia, innocence of childhood and class are dominating themes. I liked how we see the story unfold from a child's eyes but then there is another layer of wisdom as the character is now remembering form his mid-sixties.”
Tanith wrote this review Sunday, March 20, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“A forgotten classic”
KAY W wrote this review Friday, February 25, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Tanith said: 3 stars
1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die Shelf wrote this review Tuesday, May 29, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
This book ticked two of my boxes of books that I generally adore: 1. it's about the British upper-class (think waugh or mitford) and 2. it is from a child's perspective (kind of). I did enjoy reading it - it's very well written and loaded with symbolism - but I though some parts of the story frustrating. It is set mid-twentieth century when an elderly man finds his childhood diary and remembers a summer where he acted as a "go-between" for an ill-fated, illicit love affair between the prim daughter of the local gentry and a farmer. It ends tragically and the boy is traumatised and somewhat damaged for life. Nostalgia, innocence of childhood and class are dominating themes. I liked how we see the story unfold from a child's eyes but then there is another layer of wisdom as the character is now remembering form his mid-sixties.”
