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Phil Shannon's avatar

Yes, Garner is in the elite class when it comes to wordsmithing but, like all our purported "elites", perception, growth and development of ideas utterly failed them in the hour of Covid.

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Dollyboy's avatar

God how do you get through this? I salute you. I've read Garner and yes, she can write but the sheer blindness to it all ... and by all I mean Covid, mostly. I'm glad her hourglass runs low.

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Karyne's avatar

She may be a gifted writer but that has its own limitations if one can’t or won’t see with discernment. She casts observations with little depth or wisdom. I’ll pass on the book. There are brilliant writers out there to choose from and she’s not one of them. But you are Phil.

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Phil Shannon's avatar

You flatter me!

I think Garner earned a warmish sort of review because her book, for all its flaws and, as you say, lack of real depth was still better than much of what else passes for readable fiction these days (low bar, and all that). The older I get, the more I am coming to appreciate the older classics.

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Karyne's avatar

Definitely!

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Christian's avatar

Wasn’t on my reading list but I very much enjoyed your review :) ...

More into the life and times Ghengis Khan types of books myself :)

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