The Collector by John Fowles (Book Review)

Hello everyone and welcome to my new book review, The Collector by John Fowles.
Okay, this is going to be one book that is now on my "BEST BOOKS EVER READ" list.
It's the book that inspired Silence of the Lambs. A book that immerses you into a creepy observation of someone, Clegg, who abducts a young woman with whom he falls in love and yet cannot see or understand the error of his way. You can tell that he is slowly morphing into someone who will become worse and yet for Miranda, the abductee, she journals about her art and life and goes through a personal transformation where she realises she wants to be a survivor.
It is an amazing book for a debut novel and one that sits with you a long time afterwards. I have recommended this book to my friends. When I do that, I know something will touch them about it too - as it did with me.
Some part of the video is not fit to screen. My apologies for this as I'm still learning the editing process. I promise my videos will improve with practice. Bear with me. Thanks for your patience.
Your thoughts?
#reading #bookreviews #literature #johnfowles #thecollector #lifelessons #lifelessonsinbooks

[@DefaultName-nt7tk]

Excellent review ❤. I read The Magus, equally creepy 😳. There is a movie (I can't remember the name) with a very similar story featuring a 'kind' neighbour abducting a young girl locking her up in his basement, possessing her as the collector does. It is best not to read this book at bedtime 😮.

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

I’ve heard of that book but I haven’t read it. (*Madly notes down to search in library). I don’t mind a scary book sometimes but not horror… creepy yes. Thank you for watching and giving me that recommendation!

[@Amanda-xi8df]

I finished The Magus as well, it was so different and I never forgot it. I’d love to discuss thoughts on both The Collector and The Magus. 👍

[@joycelatham6974]

Hello Hellen. I just finished “Strangers” by Anita Brookner. I really enjoyed it, especially the ending. Thanks. ❤

[@kurtfox4944]

Great book, one of my favorites, too. As a collector (side note: Nabokov was a butterfly collector), I wonder if there is an allusion to the basement as a sort of pupa / chrysalis / cocoon, in which both Miranda and Frederick metamorphize into another human. I thought Miranda was originally a bit of skin-deep beauty, but was rather ugly inside. Being inside her cocoon of the basement, her true nature seems to shine through. When she emerges from the basement, she is a different human. As a comparison with Nabokov (someone below), this book is reminiscent of _Lolita_ not only in themes, but also in word play. The idea of (some) readers finding sympathy for the creepy antagonist is also like Lolita.

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Thanks for this comment. I hadn't thought about the butterfly analogy but that makes perfect sense to me. I read Lolita many years ago but I need to reread it again to see if I have that same feeling you mentioned. There was a creepiness about The Collector which I loved because I felt some sympathy for him (but then had to stop myself because it felt wrong). I'm looking forward to reading more books by John Fowles and a reread of Lolita too is in order. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts. Appreciate it greatly as I hadn't known about this.

[@reaganwiles_art]

Yes now I want even more to read it, super stuff.

[@henrytjernlund]

There's a book which has been compared to The Collector and it is Let's Go Play at the Adams'. It's a psychological horror story. I just wrote a review of it. LGPATA was published in 1974 but went out of print for 40 years. It's now back in print and in a collection called Paperbacks From Hell.

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Thanks for letting me know about this. Horror is not my preferred genre although it is for my husband who has a great collection of it. I'll let him know about this Paperbacks series.

[@indigo_diary]

Enjoyed this review

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Thank you for watching and sharing this feedback. I appreciate it!

[@andyjones1899]

Brilliant review..ive just discovered Fowles..(and your channel) both brilliant.i think his best book is Daniel Martin. .i agree with your comment regarding those Vintage red spines..if you get time check out Stoner by Williams and Revolutionary Road by Yates..im sure you have already..love your reviews

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Thank you so much for this feedback. This means a lot to me so thank you for taking time to watch and share your recommendations. I haven’t heard of Daniel Martin nor Revolutionary Road so I’ve made a note of these. Thank you! I was very impressed with Fowles. The Collector was one of the best books I read in 2023 then went and bought his Magus (but not read yet). I’ll read that this year!

[@andyjones1899]

@@LifeLessonsFromBooks great stuff..am off to look for the Collector today..Revolutionary Road is fab..Will you review McEwans Lessons?.. great book too

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Fab! Mmm. I don't mind McEwan and have seen Lessons in the library that I could borrow....maybe I just might.....

[@chloeforman]

You should see the 1965 movie version.

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Rest assured, it’s on the To Watch list. 🤣

[@theemptyatom]

I enjoyed reading 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑀𝑎𝑔𝑢𝑠. During my island-hopping trip in Greece in 2002, I aimed to read numerous books, focusing on those by Greek authors like Nikos Kazantzakis (𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐿𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑇𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑍𝑜𝑟𝑏𝑎 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐺𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑘, etc.) or set in Greece, whether real or fictional. I discovered 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑀𝑎𝑔𝑢𝑠 on an island on my way to see the ruins on the little island of Delos (most of which has been carted of to various museums).

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Love it! Now I have to move this up on my list. I’m of Greek background and read all the books you mentioned except The Magus. Also I never got to Delos which I regret and that too, is on my list of places to go. Thank you!

[@theemptyatom]

@@LifeLessonsFromBooks I hope you have been to Santorini! Staying in a room on the cliffs facing the caldera (in the town of Oia) is impressive! I would only recommend going to Delos if it were on your path to somewhere else because most statues have been carted off to museums in Germany, England, and NY. You can tell, though, that it must have been an impressive sight to see in its day.

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Yep, been to Santorini and loved it too. In fact, I can't wait to get back to Greece....

[@priscillaperez9214]

I have not read anything in like 2 years . I’m trying to start back up.

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Wonderful! Please do. I’m intrigued as to what book you decide to start with. Most of all, I hope you love it so much that it makes you want to read more. Happy reading! Enjoy whatever book you choose! 😊

[@reaganwiles_art]

I have not read it but I have wanted to read it, I have read one book of long short-stories my Fowles, they were indeed brilliant. Many allusions to art and artists, myth, all kinds of allusions and analogies, deft wordplay, a little too deft, but not so much so to justify his wordyness, lol, not a magical beast like Nabokov, but a guy trying hard to be I thought. I forget the title. Now, let's see what you think of this one.

[@reaganwiles_art]

Isn't Miranda Prospero's daughter's name? I always took Caliban not as a monster but as a brown human being, simply a non-Aryan.

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

It was brilliant. I loved it. One of the best books I’ve read this year - and in my list of best books ever read. As for Nabokov, I ended up buying Pale Fire and I’ll get round to reading this soon. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

You're right! I hadn't read The Tempest so just looked it up. Thank you!

[@neilnewby1558]

French lieutenant woman worth a read. Film on it to

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Yeah I need to seek it out. I’ll look out for it in my channel surfing. I don’t watch a lot of television but I’ll watch movies of the books I read. (I’ll need to read French Lieutenants Woman first though!)

[@AlexAndreou2007]

Hi im making a film based on the Magus, can you read the script and review it? MAybe give me some suggestions and feedback>

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Thanks Alex, all the best with the script and the film. What a great creative endeavour. Unfortunately I haven’t read The Magus (I do have it in my collection to be read through). I don’t think I’d do your script justice if I haven’t read the original book. Feedback would be bland. Have you considered seeking feedback from other experienced film makers or script writers? They may give you more specific and industry relevant feedback that would be far better and more nuanced than mine.

[@AlexAndreou2007]

hi thx for replying, i think the more feedback i get the better, i could ask you as if you were a viewer who went to see a film at a cinema ...just a line or two of feedback or one suggestion would be great! @@LifeLessonsFromBooks

[@vriscorisco6257]

I like to see this reviews by the women perspective. Beacause I can se how they look at us, like weirdos. And that's verry offensive. I'm obsessed with this book,

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Thank you for watching and sharing your thoughts. The Collector was a thought provoking book I must say. One of the best books I've read so far this year. I too, like to watch reviews of books by people from other cultures and backgrounds for much of the same reason around differing perspectives. It just goes to show how fascinatingly different we all are.