I'm not even sure where to start with this -- if I could give parts of it one star and parts of it five stars, I would, but I guess I'll settle with an average three star rating for the book. It won me over, but it took quite a while for me to relax into the intensity of the characters (my friend Daniel's suggestion to imagine them as Edward Gorey characters really helped). I was amused to find that the naked male wrestling in front of a fireplace from the Ken Russel movie version actually happens in the book! Also, some very weird sexual plant action. It's long. It's a little difficult. But, ultimately, this is one that just has to be experienced for yourself. I liked it way way better than Lady Chatterley's Lover .

If I didn't have to read this for a class, I probably wouldn't have finished it. A friend of mine put it perfectly when she said, "Every time I pick up this book and read a little, I want to throw it against the wall." That pretty much sums it up. Lawrence's hero, Birkin, is about as irritating as a man can be. When he gets clobbered over the head with the paperweight, I wished it was me doing the clobbering. (I doubt I'm spoiling anything, because most people probably shouldn't read it, and if you do, you'll probably agree.)

I did end up loving it in the end. I have no idea why. Birkin is a shit, almost every line he has in the book is lifted from Freud or Baudelaire. His buddy Gerald is worse, a privileged heir to a coal mining fortune. Where Birkin moralizes, Gerald is amoral. The women are practically absent, even though this is their sequel and the title makes one think, "Hey, this'll be about women in love." It's not. It's about two men who are in love and the women who tolerate them.

Possibly, I loved this book because it is a fairly effective parody of British society romances, such as Pride and Prejudice. I don't know. Maybe it's because I love to hate the Modernist movement, and this is possibly the apex of British Modernism.

This gets a star for two reasons. One: I can't give it zero stars. Two: the love Birkin & Crich was written beautifully. Almost everything else, especially the women, was unsympathetic crap.

I had a hard time really getting into this book, but did enjoy some parts of it, although mild curiosity was my primary reason for finishing it. There are good ideas in the book, but the repetitive description of the characters and their mannerisms detracts from the value of the underlying principles expressed in their conversations(in my perception).

No one can accuse Lawrence of coming to a point, but u sure can accuse him of being gr8

A tragic story about the impossibility of true love. Lawrence focuses on two couples, partly using protagonists from his previous novel [b:The Rainbow|31491|The Rainbow|D.H. Lawrence|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388193710l/31491._SY75_.jpg|2337578]. Birkin and Ursula seem to have a successful relationship, though not completely, Gerald and Ursula fail. I found this book very rich in content, and offering a more coherent story than 'Rainbow'. Lawrence offers beautiful introspections into woman/manhood. But, as always with him, he can walk strange side paths.

well, i didn't see any of that coming.

in all fairness, i read this book not knowing it's technically a sequel, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment. i didn't read the first book of the series (and i don't think i ever will, unless a copy magically lands in front of me for free) but this book can be enjoyed without much backstory in my opinion. the two sisters (ursula & gudrun) come from the first book and are probably more explored in the first book, so maybe don't skip it if you don't want their background first.

there are a few twists in this book that i hadn't seen coming. in fact, one of the big plot points went completely over my head and when i realised it, i couldn't believe that i hadn't noticed earlier. there were some parts of the book that moved slow while the action occurred rather quickly and curtly, which can be painful for some people, so i would avoid this if you hate that kind of movement. but, either way, it unfolds well and is a good read overall.

full review to come on the blog.

Critical, exploratory, opulent! What a treat to have and hold this book. Reading it took me literally years, but I am so glad I savoured every part and truly understood every moral argument and temperament that was laid out.

I loved it and I completely understand if anyone hates it for being so chewy and hard to read. It answered and started so many questions around why we love and how we act in partnerships, friendships etc. Time to watch the movie and hopefully not ruin this special feeling I have.