Larry's Party

Rating:
Summary: It's no "Stone Diaries"
Review: Perhaps my expectations were unreasonable, since I was expecting something comparable to "The Stone Diaries." Larry is a puzzling character, consisting of several unexpected twists and turns, much like his mazes. Although I enjoyed Shields' thoughtful character development, I found the repetition of detail to be tiresome and boring at times. I did, however, need to keep reading to the end, which held the most pleasant surprise, much like one of Larry's mazes.

Rating:
Summary: Life Happens to Larry
Review: Can we possibly be this dull? This passive? Reading through Larry's life is, what?, boring? This is my first book by Shields, and while she certainly has her own style, the subject material for Larry's Party is not compelling. It's like reviewing some of the blander lives at my high school reunion. As a result, I doubt that I'll get into the Stone Diaries.

Rating:
Summary: great insight into men
Review: surprisingly interesting life story of an ordinary man from youth through midddle age...and written by a woman, no less

Rating:
Summary: A novel filled with keen observation
Review: While many writers concentrate on plot, Carol Shields creates a distinctive style which utilises intense, exacting detail and well-constructed characters. Larry's mazes, rather than just being an interesting point of detail or a distinguishing hobby, are a metaphor for the book, and for life.

Rating:
Summary: Typical Outstanding Carol Shields' Novel
Review: If you prefer character development, Carol Shields is the modern author of choice. If you prefer plot, look somewhere else. This novel employs the literary devices that she has used before and that familiar clean and light writing style. Perfect for me! This novel, though, attempts something few female authors try (successfully): a leading male character. It's interesting to see what she believed Larry would and would not think about. The only reason for a "9" rating instead of a "10" was the ending -- it was a surprise and seemed rushed, like she had to make a printer deadline. Otherwise, it was a "typical" novel for Ms. Shields -- outstanding, and the best modern character development author out there.

Rating:
Summary: The twists and turns of fate
Review: Larry's Party is not a novel as much as a collection of short stories. And isn't that what a life (anyone's life) really is? In these fifteen "stories" (chapters) spanning twenty years in one man's life, Carol Shields gives us a strong sense of the serendipitous quality that guides most major decision making and also provides us with a fascinating theory for the personal or professional limitations we all discover at some point. (We don't have the words required to think about some things!) Larry Weller is a very Shieldian character, non-reflectively immersed in his personality, professionally gifted and, all in all, lucky. As Larry matures from an unambitious twenty-six year old from Winnipeg who suddenly receives tangible (and slightly terrifying!) evidence of a world he never knew existed (an expensive, leather and silk accented wool jacket falls into his hands), to an urbane citizen of the world providing a rarified service to the wealthy, we stay close to him through the interior dialogue Shields provides. We are kept abreast of what surprises Larry, what confuses him (his love for his son, for one thing) and to Shield's credit these are also the things that surprise and confuse us. The final chapter in the life of Larry Weller, highly acclaimed maze designer, is the eponymous dinner party. Here readers are finally ejected from the labyrinth that has been Larry's life--after all the sun and shadow meanderings through family crisis, love affairs and professional honors, we are suddenly thrust into the bright light of resolution. It is somewhat of a surprise, but Carol Shields prepares us for our exit with one of her all-in-a-jumble, who's talking to who? rushes of dialogue between the (never before) assembled characters. And although all loose ends seem to be tied up in Larry's life, we know that knots can always be unraveled.

Rating:
Summary: Poignant insight to a regular guy growing into the 90's
Review: This is a beautifully written novel about a man, Larry Weller, and his friends and family through the years 1977-1997. Everyone knows a Larry; maybe they are your husband, brother, or father. Shields spins her usual magic buy making the ordinary extraordinary. With chapters like "Larry's Penis" and "Larry's Threads", you'll be entranced from start to end. The final chapter, "Larry's Party", was the most memorable and touching end I've read for years. The minute I finshed this book, I wanted to pass it on to someone else.

Rating:
Summary: Get it from the library
Review: This is a good book to read when you expect interruptions. Shields begins each new chapter with a summary of what's happened thus far in Larry's passive life, so you never have to worry about remembering characters' names or the latest in the uncomplicated plot. Of course, there aren't that many characters to begin with, nor much of a plot, so it's an odd convention to apply. The writing is good in places, especially for people interesting in gardening. He & wife #2 take an around-the-world Guggenheim-sponsored tour of famous mazes, which would make a much more interesting story! In other places, the writing is just so passive that it's hard to feel any personal interest in this guy's life. Interestingly, the writing style changes completely in the last chapter ("Larry's Party") to replicate typical dinner-party dialogue. Shields captures perfectly the confusion of 9-way conversation (a question is asked, someone interrupts with another topic entirely, and you don't find out who the baby's father is until pages later), but it's a strange departure from the rest of the narrative.

Rating:
Summary: Larry the lethargic
Review: For most of this novel I wanted to pick Larry up and shake him! Is Larry supposed to represent Modern Man? Confused, bewildered, and emotionally impotent? Surely not. He seems to sit center stage while people and events bend and shift him to one position or another.Has he any depth of conviction, or intellect, or feeling? (Other than with mazes - a clever analogy, I suppose). Considering the level of irritation with the character, I must acknowledge the skill of the writing.

Rating:
Summary: not her best
Review: very disapointing. pretty much a strange story about a man who goes through life completly lost.his fascination towards mazes emphasize his mere existence in the world.his two failed marriages are a joke. not really a very good book, considering the author.