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A review by bucket
Talking It Over by Julian Barnes
3.0
Maybe my problem here was that I read [b:Love, Etc.|45370|Love, Etc.|Julian Barnes|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320471718l/45370._SY75_.jpg|2426293] first, but both books stand alone quite well. Talking it Over just wasn't quite up to it's sequel though.
Here Stuart, Oliver and Gillian are all younger and less wise. All 3 were annoying in their way. Stuart is like a worshipful puppy until he isn't. Gillian is like the stereotypical attractive girl who lets things happen to her so she doesn't have to lift a finger (or take the blame). Oliver is just all-around annoying, pompous and self-obsessed. In Love, Etc. all this has tempered. My interest here was held, though, by seeing that arc of development that led to the deeper, more grounded people in Love, Etc.
The central love metaphor here is love is like money: it's an economic exchange. Not nearly as interesting or fruitful as the focus of Love, Etc. (there's love and there's etc. (everything else) - which fuels you?)
Well, I've basically compared the two novels and found this one lacking in every way. Is that fair? Probably not - but it's what I was thinking the whole time I read.
Here Stuart, Oliver and Gillian are all younger and less wise. All 3 were annoying in their way. Stuart is like a worshipful puppy until he isn't. Gillian is like the stereotypical attractive girl who lets things happen to her so she doesn't have to lift a finger (or take the blame). Oliver is just all-around annoying, pompous and self-obsessed. In Love, Etc. all this has tempered. My interest here was held, though, by seeing that arc of development that led to the deeper, more grounded people in Love, Etc.
The central love metaphor here is love is like money: it's an economic exchange. Not nearly as interesting or fruitful as the focus of Love, Etc. (there's love and there's etc. (everything else) - which fuels you?)
Well, I've basically compared the two novels and found this one lacking in every way. Is that fair? Probably not - but it's what I was thinking the whole time I read.