James Scudamore
Autore di Heliopolis
Sull'Autore
Opere di James Scudamore
Etichette
Informazioni generali
- Nome canonico
- Scudamore, James
- Data di nascita
- 1976-05-19
- Sesso
- male
- Nazionalità
- UK
- Luogo di residenza
- England
Japan
Brazil
Hong Kong - Istruzione
- Oxford University (Christ Church)
University of East Anglia - Attività lavorative
- Professor (City University of Hong Kong)
author - Relazioni
- Grimond, Jo (grandfather-in-law)
Utenti
Recensioni
1 
nosajeel | 9 altre recensioni | Jun 21, 2014 |
nosajeel | 9 altre recensioni | Jun 21, 2014 | 
Excellent book. Thoughtfully crafted post-modern plotting. Cool characters and settings. Excellent use of misdirection to create surprising plot twists. Important social context.
Although I devoured this in a 24 hour holiday frenzy, the plot has several flaws ranging from unbelieveable coincidences to crude conveniences. The author's intentions are also too bold, trying to commentate on memory, Brazilian modernisation, wealth disparity, community, family, hope and hopelessness.
Yet it would be wrong to assume I didn't enjoy it. It was a fun and alluring holiday read and my appetite was whet after visiting Brazil and briefly touring some of Rio's favelas in 2009.
Yet it would be wrong to assume I didn't enjoy it. It was a fun and alluring holiday read and my appetite was whet after visiting Brazil and briefly touring some of Rio's favelas in 2009.
One of the quotes on the back of James Scudamore's Heliopolis compares it to Great Expectations, which is usually a good reason to go back and actually read Great Expectations instead of the particular book in question.
Heliopolis didn't just fall short of Great Expectations, it also fell short of the rave review in the Washington Post that drew me to it in the first place.
The novel is reasonably good but doesn't come close to great and can be flawed and clunky at times. It is a black comedy tinged with bits of melodrama and thriller that tells the story of Ludo dos Santos who was adopted into the family of a wealthy supermarket magnate who travels everywhere by helicopter. Ludo is having an affair with his adopted sister, working in an absurd advertising agency that is promoting his adopted father's new "budget" supermarket chain for the favelas, and going through a sometimes reckless exploration of these favelas.
The novel alternates between a few compressed, eventful days in the present and extensive flashbacks to the past, as well as between comedy and tragedy.
It is hard to say what was so disappointing, but the alternations never seemed to work and the disjointed jumble of genres and actions didn't make psychological sense and made the book a little less appealing.
I would, however, read Scudamore's next novel... but in the meantime will re-read Great Expectations.… (altro)
Heliopolis didn't just fall short of Great Expectations, it also fell short of the rave review in the Washington Post that drew me to it in the first place.
The novel is reasonably good but doesn't come close to great and can be flawed and clunky at times. It is a black comedy tinged with bits of melodrama and thriller that tells the story of Ludo dos Santos who was adopted into the family of a wealthy supermarket magnate who travels everywhere by helicopter. Ludo is having an affair with his adopted sister, working in an absurd advertising agency that is promoting his adopted father's new "budget" supermarket chain for the favelas, and going through a sometimes reckless exploration of these favelas.
The novel alternates between a few compressed, eventful days in the present and extensive flashbacks to the past, as well as between comedy and tragedy.
It is hard to say what was so disappointing, but the alternations never seemed to work and the disjointed jumble of genres and actions didn't make psychological sense and made the book a little less appealing.
I would, however, read Scudamore's next novel... but in the meantime will re-read Great Expectations.… (altro)
Liste
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Statistiche
- Opere
- 4
- Utenti
- 325
- Popolarità
- #72,884
- Voto
- 3.4
- Recensioni
- 13
- ISBN
- 32
- Lingue
- 3
Heliopolis didn't just fall short of Great Expectations, it also fell short of the rave review in the Washington Post that drew me to it in the first place.
The novel is reasonably good but doesn't come close to great and can be flawed and clunky at times. It is a black comedy tinged with bits of melodrama and thriller that tells the story of Ludo dos Santos who was adopted into the family of a wealthy supermarket magnate who travels everywhere by helicopter. Ludo is having an affair with his adopted sister, working in an absurd advertising agency that is promoting his adopted father's new "budget" supermarket chain for the favelas, and going through a sometimes reckless exploration of these favelas.
The novel alternates between a few compressed, eventful days in the present and extensive flashbacks to the past, as well as between comedy and tragedy.
It is hard to say what was so disappointing, but the alternations never seemed to work and the disjointed jumble of genres and actions didn't make psychological sense and made the book a little less appealing.
I would, however, read Scudamore's next novel... but in the meantime will re-read Great Expectations.… (altro)