"Perfect" Novels
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"Perfect" Novels
By perfect, I mean in a subjective way. Have you ever read a novel that just blows you away, that you finish and go 'wow, oh, wow, that was incredible'? For me, a "perfect novel" is one that leaves me with that sensation and that I feel is beautifully crafted, where all the elements of plot and style are married almost seamlessly.
Everyone's list will be totally subjective, and for me, a number of my favourites do not make the cut. I only have four:
Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen
Wuthering Heights- Emily Bronte
Rebecca- Daphne du Maurier
The Man Who Loved Children- Christina Stead
Does anyone else have books that they feel would make their own list????
Everyone's list will be totally subjective, and for me, a number of my favourites do not make the cut. I only have four:
Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen
Wuthering Heights- Emily Bronte
Rebecca- Daphne du Maurier
The Man Who Loved Children- Christina Stead
Does anyone else have books that they feel would make their own list????
Currently composing a sprawling family saga set in 19th century England
The world may be divided into people that read, people that write, people that think, and fox-hunters.'- William Shenstone,
The world may be divided into people that read, people that write, people that think, and fox-hunters.'- William Shenstone,
Re: "Perfect" Novels
Until I started writing I just either loved a book or didn't love a book. I never thought of it in terms of "perfect" or not.
But now that I'm writing . . . well, I still don't. What I do, though, is I read a book and become completely envious of an author's ability. For J.K. Rowling it was her descriptions. There's something very wondrous about her descriptions which I absolutely fail to capture when I write. For Neil Gaiman, it was his creative and action packed plots. You get the picture.
So, for me, it's more that I read a great book and am utterly jealous at the end of it b/c, man, did those people know what they were doing, and I sure wish I knew what I was doing. But I think that sort of book only gives me more to strive toward, so I suppose it's all good in the end.
But now that I'm writing . . . well, I still don't. What I do, though, is I read a book and become completely envious of an author's ability. For J.K. Rowling it was her descriptions. There's something very wondrous about her descriptions which I absolutely fail to capture when I write. For Neil Gaiman, it was his creative and action packed plots. You get the picture.
So, for me, it's more that I read a great book and am utterly jealous at the end of it b/c, man, did those people know what they were doing, and I sure wish I knew what I was doing. But I think that sort of book only gives me more to strive toward, so I suppose it's all good in the end.
"Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much." - J.K. Rowling (an awesome opening line)
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Re: "Perfect" Novels
I think there has been only one perfect book (in my opinion):
Marcus Zsuzak's THE BOOK THEIF
How he was able to work the narration, and the dry humor, and pack SUCH an emotional punch? The book is hands down, amazing. And to me, perfect.
Marcus Zsuzak's THE BOOK THEIF
How he was able to work the narration, and the dry humor, and pack SUCH an emotional punch? The book is hands down, amazing. And to me, perfect.
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Re: "Perfect" Novels
I will agree with this assessment completely. The Book Thief is a perfect book.trixie wrote:I think there has been only one perfect book (in my opinion):
Marcus Zsuzak's THE BOOK THEIF
How he was able to work the narration, and the dry humor, and pack SUCH an emotional punch? The book is hands down, amazing. And to me, perfect.
I would also say that The Storyteller by Antonia Michaelis is a perfectly written and narrated book.
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Re: "Perfect" Novels
Definitely feel that way about The Wife of Martin Guerre by Janet Lewis. Just sort of the textbook novel - can't imagine adding anything, can't imagine taking anything out.
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Re: "Perfect" Novels
I agree too But I've never been able to bring myself to read it more than once. I read it a while ago and I'm STILL reeling from that emotional punch.trixie wrote:I think there has been only one perfect book (in my opinion):
Marcus Zsuzak's THE BOOK THEIF
How he was able to work the narration, and the dry humor, and pack SUCH an emotional punch? The book is hands down, amazing. And to me, perfect.
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Re: "Perfect" Novels
Orphan's Triumph by Robert Buettner
It's book 5 in a 5-book military SF series. The series hit some highs and lows and the final book had a very interesting feel to it -- after a lifetime of having his world (physical world and metaphorical world) destroyed by the enemy, Jason Wander is tired of war and tired of fighting. There was a resignation to the novel, the character was done with it all.
The last fifty pages totally and absolutely blew me away. It took an excellent book and turned it into the best book I've ever read, almost nothing else comes close. It changed the whole book -- and the whole series -- for me. It even went so far as to leave me astounded for about a week and a half -- I couldn't get it out of my head, I kept talking about it, and I just walked around feeling kind of stunned. It's an ending I hope to someday achieve (in my sci-fi writing, not my gay romance writing).
The next closest book is actually non-fiction, not a novel -- An Imperfect Offering by James Orbinski -- as it is the only novel that has ever had me crying. I've used passages in it for public speaking engagements on social justice issues (and promptly had some of my audience crying). It is a piece of art and incredibly moving.
Another excellent one is Scorpia Rising by Anthony Horowitz -- it's the 5th in a 9-book YA series about a teenage British spy. This entry in the series had an incredible emotional maturity and amazing character development.
But, still, Orphan's Triumph rises above it all.
It's book 5 in a 5-book military SF series. The series hit some highs and lows and the final book had a very interesting feel to it -- after a lifetime of having his world (physical world and metaphorical world) destroyed by the enemy, Jason Wander is tired of war and tired of fighting. There was a resignation to the novel, the character was done with it all.
The last fifty pages totally and absolutely blew me away. It took an excellent book and turned it into the best book I've ever read, almost nothing else comes close. It changed the whole book -- and the whole series -- for me. It even went so far as to leave me astounded for about a week and a half -- I couldn't get it out of my head, I kept talking about it, and I just walked around feeling kind of stunned. It's an ending I hope to someday achieve (in my sci-fi writing, not my gay romance writing).
The next closest book is actually non-fiction, not a novel -- An Imperfect Offering by James Orbinski -- as it is the only novel that has ever had me crying. I've used passages in it for public speaking engagements on social justice issues (and promptly had some of my audience crying). It is a piece of art and incredibly moving.
Another excellent one is Scorpia Rising by Anthony Horowitz -- it's the 5th in a 9-book YA series about a teenage British spy. This entry in the series had an incredible emotional maturity and amazing character development.
But, still, Orphan's Triumph rises above it all.
Re: "Perfect" Novels
For me, it's M.M. Kaye's The Far Pavilions. Absolutely breathtaking!
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