MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Literary The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith

gmw · 10-04-2018, 04:09 AM

I read this back in February, sometime after it had been nominated (but not selected) for the New Leaf book club. Reading in a modern context there was nothing shocking, or even that surprising, about it - though I can certainly imagine it being received differently back in the 1950s.

I found it a pleasant story with well portrayed characters. The inexperienced and insecure Therese and the older and much more reserved Carol, of course, stand out. But even the minor parts I found quite convincing and succinctly painted. Same goes for the settings, each placed me there with the characters very effectively. Therese grows noticeably and believably through the story so that by the end of it the largely unchanged (to my eye) Carol actually appears quite different to Therese - and this is a good thing, the greater equality offers them better hope for the future (it seems to me).

There is not a whole lot to the story, but it's not all that long either, so I think it was well judged and constructed. I think it worked well, but I can't say that there is much in it that would attract me back to re-read it (which is largely how I judge books these days).

I have not seen the film, Carol, yet, but Cate Blanchett seems like an excellent match for Carol as seen in my eye while reading. I don't know Rooney Mara from any other productions so cannot comment on that match.

I'd love to say that the story was so far out of date that it was merely speaking of prejudices long since overwhelmed, but no one here would believe me even if I did. However, the book is no longer speaking to the same audience and that reduces the impact that it must once have had.

10-04-2018, 04:09 AM	#13
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,818 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	I read this back in February, sometime after it had been nominated (but not selected) for the New Leaf book club. Reading in a modern context there was nothing shocking, or even that surprising, about it - though I can certainly imagine it being received differently back in the 1950s. I found it a pleasant story with well portrayed characters. The inexperienced and insecure Therese and the older and much more reserved Carol, of course, stand out. But even the minor parts I found quite convincing and succinctly painted. Same goes for the settings, each placed me there with the characters very effectively. Therese grows noticeably and believably through the story so that by the end of it the largely unchanged (to my eye) Carol actually appears quite different to Therese - and this is a good thing, the greater equality offers them better hope for the future (it seems to me). There is not a whole lot to the story, but it's not all that long either, so I think it was well judged and constructed. I think it worked well, but I can't say that there is much in it that would attract me back to re-read it (which is largely how I judge books these days). I have not seen the film, Carol, yet, but Cate Blanchett seems like an excellent match for Carol as seen in my eye while reading. I don't know Rooney Mara from any other productions so cannot comment on that match. I'd love to say that the story was so far out of date that it was merely speaking of prejudices long since overwhelmed, but no one here would believe me even if I did. However, the book is no longer speaking to the same audience and that reduces the impact that it must once have had.