BDB Review: Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin

[@clifmason2252]

Very happy that I discovered your review! It was recommended on the Facebook Winter's Tale page. Your review is nicely done and touches on some of the most important elements of the novel. Like you, I am ambivalent about the movie adaptation. This book needs a long Netflix-style adaptation of many episodes. I agree with you completely about Mark Helprin's prose style. It is inimitably lyrical and a source of constant wonderment. Winter's Tale has been one of my five or six favorite novels (along with Love in the Time of Cholera, The Famished Road, Beloved, The Charterhouse of Parma, Under the Volcano, and a few other more typical English major titles) since I first read it the winter after it was published (appropriate timing, no?). I had the good fortune to teach it later a few times in a course I created on Magical Realism. Like one of Helprin's other BDBs, A Soldier of the Great War, this book should still find be finding new readers in a century or two or three.

[@HBHBluestocking]

Ever since I read Winter's Tale, I've slowly been collecting all of Helprin's works. I have a copy of A Soldier of the Great War but have not tackled it yet. While not all his books are massive in length, his writing style in general does seem to be perfectly suited for winter days / nights curled up inside. I hope to have similar videos on more of his works here in the near future. Thanks for your comment!

[@booksandquirks]

I'm so glad I happened upon this video of yours. I've had this book for a while and finally just started reading it. I couldn't find any other KZbin reviews of this book. I'm now excited to plow through this one :)

[@HBHBluestocking]

Good luck! If you've seen the movie adaptation, it's a little different from the book but I did love Colin Farrell's portrayal of Peter. The book is not always the fastest moving story in terms of plot, but I really loved Helprin's way of creating environments. I remember my momentum slowed a bit in the middle of the book but I'm glad I stayed with it because I got sucked up again into the drama that goes down near the story's end! I think I have a copy of his book Sunlight & Shadow (I think that's the name of it) around here somewhere. Another chunker, but one I hope to do a BDB vid on one of these days!

[@CarolynsReadingRamblings]

I just found this so very late watching and commenting. First, let me say, brilliant review! I sort of did things backward with this story. I saw the trailer for this back in 2013 and was immediately hooked because I love Jessica Brown Findlay, Colin Farrell, period films, and love stories. I completely loved the movie and bought the book that night. However, I was then immediately intimidated by the book's size so it took me 6 years and a second try but I finally started the book the day before Valentine's Day and finished it a few hours ago. First, about the book, I think we had mostly similar opinions, I think the way he crafts sentences is GORGEOUS BUT in my Goodreads review I compared it to eating too much cake, it's great but after a while, you get a bit weary of it. That also really slowed it done for me because I feel like he just took so long to describe one thing sometimes merely to make it as beautiful as possible and I thought "there is such thing as overdoing it". My only other issue with the book itself was 2 aspects of the ending (which I won't say here for those who have yet to read it). These 2 things didn't ruin the ending for me but they did leave me a bit disappointed in the ending. I do agree that the spirit of the magic is better in the book because while I did enjoy how it was done in the film, that is because that is likely how I would personally see things but with the book, it leaves it all up for interpretation based on what the reader does or doesn't believe. I rewatched the film just now right after finishing the book and I think I can see them as different enough to still love both separately. I completely love Colin Farrell and Jessica Brown Findlay in these roles and honestly now could see anyone else playing these characters at the point (and I know you said they made the cast and specifically Peter sexier and I agree BUT the haircut he has for the majority of the film did tone down the attractiveness for me which made the character feel more down to earth). I also love most of the other casting but I do agree Will Smith was an odd choice for Lucifer, I do think he did a good job but still think he was miscast. I do want to say more about my thoughts on the film but I realize I would be getting into spoiler territory for those who haven't seen the film or read the book. I will say though, that while there were things I really wish they had kept in and I wish it had been longer, there were a few changes done in the film that I actually liked better. Ok, sorry for this novel-length response to this video but this was a wonderful review!

[@HBHBluestocking]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I agree, Helprin can definitely craft a seriously gorgeous sentence, but a lot of him at once can be fatiguing to read sometimes. I have a few other of his books on my shelf that I picked up because I loved this one so much, but at the same time I put them off because I remember when I read this, like you I had to sort of pace it out to get through it...I loved the atmosphere of the book, but his writing does take a good bit of concentration to fully take in (at least for me). I guess he's one to consider for when one is in the mood for a project book!

[@marijuspikelis2406]

Thank You for the video! Wanted to know what people think about the book :) First seen the movie back in 2014 and since then, favorite movie ever! :D Read the book and it felt about 90% different from the film, I think they stand on their own and are both worth it :) Again, thanks for an enjoyable video :)

[@HBHBluestocking]

Thanks for watching! There are some pretty noticeable differences between the book and movie for sure but yeah, like you, I like both individually as they are :-)