The Crimson Petal and the White

Rating:
Summary: Harrowing but worthwhile
Review: There's a lot I can say about this book....it was certainly one of the most harrowing books I had ever read. Apart from the fact that it is +800 pages, and in hard cover form weighed several more pounds than I wished to carry around with me. The book hurt my hands and arms to read and there appeared to be no convienent way to hold it.

It was however a terrific novel, truly spectacular. The main characters are impeccably developed, even the lesser characters have a homey feel to them. The book took me several weeks to read which is uncommon for me and at times I felt so wrapped up in the book it was almost emotionally draining.

It really was a good book, as long as you don't expect to tear through it, and you take your time to enjoy it....it's a fantastic novel.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: This book got such rave reviews and sounded so intriguing, I immediately picked it up. I couldn't even finish it. I'm so glad to see other reviews that matched how I felt about the book.
The first chapters suck you in and Faber's descriptions are brilliant. But nothing ever happens! Filthy details does not a story make. (Not a book for the easily offended.) It just drags on and on. I flipped ahead to see if it got any more exciting and when it was obvious that it never did, I gave up. There's too many other books to read--and better historical fiction--to waste your time with this.

Rating:
Summary: The Crimson Petal and The White
Review: First of all, despite it's multi-layered entendre--flowers, colors, etc.--the title is terrible.

That said, the book is a tremendous disappointment. It's promising start, with it's perspective and intricate sensory detail, quickly vanishes. We are left with endless repetition; boring, and often repulsive, sexual scenes; and a host of characters who are cliches.

This is a long, long book. It has no ending. It just stops. The editing is atrocious (Was there any editing?)The idea that the author has set us up for a sequel is enough to make one relinquish one's lunch in the most Faberesque manner.

Rating:
Summary: Detailed, flowing period piece
Review: Michael Faber's well researched The Crimson Petal and the White turns the Victorian romance novel on its head. His unflinching, detail oriented writing pulls 19th Century England out of realm of soft-focus sentimentality and shines a harsh light on the hard life of the novel's hero, of a class-hopping prostitute named Sugar.

Faber's unique narrative style pulls the reader breezily through the first part of the novel; the action hops from character to characters as they cross paths in an intricate weave that comes together elegantly as the story unfolds.

This is a period piece, and Faber does a good job of looking at the era from various angles. He captures the flirtatious sexuality of the prostitutes in their elaborate dresses gossiping in Trafalgar Square while licking sugary cakes out of paper cones, then moves seamlessly into the damp confines of their boardinghouse rooms. These scenes are seedy and flatly lit, a world of chamber pots, barbaric contraception, and boorish, dangerous clients. Faber avoids wallowing in the lurid, but the novel harbors no illusions that the story of a prostitute can be written without some ugliness, some of it quite grim.

Faber spent twenty years writing The Crimson Petal and the White. Faber's meticulous attention to detail creates a sense of authority and authenticity; the downside to this is that the novel at times feels more like a laboriously crafted project than an inspired work of literature. The characters are bright, interesting, and well drawn, but as the narrative unfolded I got the feeling that Faber couldn't quite figure out what to do with some of his creations (an excellent example being Henry Rackham, a complex and compelling character whom Faber takes out of the action before he gets the chance to do anything interesting.)

In my opinion the novel's most significant flaw dealt with the development of the main character, Sugar. She's likeable, believable, and sympathetic, and I was pulled through the novel's 850 pages out of genuine interest in what was going to happen next in her adventure. Looking back, however, I realize that I knew little more about her at the novel's conclusion than I knew when her character was first introduced. We learn nothing of why this unique woman, forced into prostitution at the age of 13, has developed such a remarkable intellect. What is the root of her sophisticated appreciation of literature? Why is she able to absorb and master the concepts of economics and business negotiation merely by flipping through some accounting ledgers? These things are never explained; we're just expected to accept them. We learn a little about what makes Sugar tick through her increasingly codependent relationship with William, and she displays the potential to love through her interaction with Sophie, but at the core she remains a mystery.

These points notwithstanding, the sense of timing in the novel's main narrative thread is perfect. This is an expansive, entertaining, intelligent novel that largely succeeds in its ambitions.

Rating:
Summary: I'm glad I read it, but...
Review: ... there are other books I would recommend before this one. On a good note, the author did a wonderful job at setting the time and place, and the descriptions and writing were masterful. I was eager to read this each night to see what would happen to the characters. The problem was that nothing really ever did. I neither liked nor disliked the characters, nor felt they were good or bad people. I just felt sorry for them all. In the end, I'm glad I read it, but this one will sit on my bookshelf rather than being passed around to family and friends.

Rating:
Summary: Characters with no motivation
Review: The reason you keep reading this novel is because you keep looking for the meat. You get no real sense of any of the characters, why they are doing what they are doing, etc. An event takes place, or a new feeling is expressed, and you've had no inkling, and cannot figure out why this character did or felt what they did. Scenes do not build. We start over with each character with each scene.

Rating:
Summary: Sex and the City--The Prequel
Review: I was soooo disappointed by this book. It changes voices, reaches no satisfying conclusion, and seems to rely on sexual titilation to carry the reader through. It may have worked with real Victorians, but sex isn't novel anymore. Don't bother.

Rating:
Summary: Crimson Petal & the White
Review: This book was good, though I have to agree with the two main criticisms: a) There was a little too much gritty reality (farting, pooping, the consistency of spunk, etc.), and b) I felt as though the ending totally left me hanging.

The story and the writing style had me hooked, though. I enjoyed this work as a modern take on the Victorian tale. I read it in only five days, which is not an easy task for an 800+ page book. I would recommend this book to those that I feel would appreciate historical fiction, but not to everybody I know. (As I would other books that I loved.)

Rating:
Summary: Perfect ending
Review: Before reading this book, I read many reviews that "prepared" everyone for a rather weak ending. I myself must say that I disagree with those reviews and think the ending was perfect.

Overall the story was interesting, yet long at times.
The author skillfully keeps the reader completely surrounded by the sounds, smells, tastes and emotional interactions of both characters and the city they dwell.

If you like historical fiction I think you will enjoy The Crismson Petal and the White.

Rating:
Summary: Relaxing Read
Review: I think this book is beach reading with some interesting historical notes. I think this will be a sleeper in the literary world, though. I appreciated the incredible research and detail in the story. I found the introduction a little awkward, but somewhat effective... my one major complaint is that I was left wondering about the demise of one of the significant characters whom I won't name here and ruin the plot.

But I enjoyed the book and, sequel or no, I think it stands on its own. It is not a pat little tale, but an intriguing and intricate story of the rise and fall of one particular man. Try it... you'll like it. But don't expect an earth-shattering read, just a pleasant one.