protomattr reviewed The Gilded Age by Mark Twain (Modern Library classics)
Review of 'The Gilded Age' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
The Gilded Page? Twain's collaboration with Charles Dudley Warner is a somewhat interesting but ultimately unsatisfying book. Probably the chief takeaway is the remarkable contrast between Twain's singular style with that of a (I presume) typical Victorian-era author. Warner's prose is fine, and occasionally very good, but more often than not I wanted to get his chapter(s) over with so I could read Twain's words again.
The story follows the ups and downs of a few families in the growth period following the Civil War. Unfortunately, it's not very compelling, as there are many tired threads involving love triangles and other romantic frustrations. Not many of the characters stand out, with the exception of Colonel Sellers. But here again we observe a contrast between the authors, as in Warner's treatment, the Colonel is barely notable, but under Twain's pen he steals the show. The two female protagonists, Laura and Ruth, …
The Gilded Page? Twain's collaboration with Charles Dudley Warner is a somewhat interesting but ultimately unsatisfying book. Probably the chief takeaway is the remarkable contrast between Twain's singular style with that of a (I presume) typical Victorian-era author. Warner's prose is fine, and occasionally very good, but more often than not I wanted to get his chapter(s) over with so I could read Twain's words again.
The story follows the ups and downs of a few families in the growth period following the Civil War. Unfortunately, it's not very compelling, as there are many tired threads involving love triangles and other romantic frustrations. Not many of the characters stand out, with the exception of Colonel Sellers. But here again we observe a contrast between the authors, as in Warner's treatment, the Colonel is barely notable, but under Twain's pen he steals the show. The two female protagonists, Laura and Ruth, were also memorable, presenting two different and fascinating takes on 19th century feminism.
Every chapter is introduced with one or more quotes from world literature, most often in a foreign tongue. Many chapters also feature illustrations of key scenes. I found that these additions did little for the experience, and even detracted in many cases. Similarly, Warner's frequent bouts of pontification, while well-structured, made no profound points. It's like these things were tacked on to make the book appear better than it is, like a thin gold veneer hiding something cheaper. Whether this was intentional genius, a symbol of the age or a parody of its literature, I can't tell.
Maybe the problem for me was that the satirical nature of the book was too subtle. There is some good stuff, like the claim that Congress spends the first few months of every session indicting, but not punishing, the majority of its members for corruption. I also appreciated when the authors broke the fourth wall. In these respects, I was reminded of Don Quixote, but Cervantes integrated parody into his story much more successfully.
In the end, while I enjoyed much of this book, I can't recommend it unless you're trying to complete Twain's bibliography.