Review Challenge Links: Three Reviews of Older Novels

Sorry for the lateness of this post, but I've been laid up with one of the worst sinus infections I've had in years.  Trying to stay awake for more than 3 hours proved to be too much of a challenge for most of the past two days.  Finally feeling well enough to post the first batch of what I hope will be several reviews written by others (and myself) of older works.

The first review link I received as part of this challenge was penned by Chad Hull of Fiction Is So Overrated.   He had recently written a review of John Fowles' The Collector and he forwarded me this link to it.  What I enjoyed about his review is how he approaches the characterizations of the novel in a way that shows not an understanding of his own reactions to the novel, but also how these characterizations can influence reader perception.  Very good review of the novel's strengths and weaknesses.

E.L. Fay of This Book and I Could Be Friends sent me links to two reviews that she's done recently of 1920s French novels.  The first review of hers that I read was Louis Aragon's Paris Peasant.  As I've found with several of her reviews over the past year or so, there is a nice mixture of analysis and personal reaction in this review.  Since I find surrealist works to be fascinating, chances are high that I'll explore this book in the near future.

Her second book reviewed was Philippe Soupault's Last Nights of Paris.  In contrast to the Aragon book she reviewed, she loved Soupault's work almost without reservation.  Based on how well she details the structure of the book, this certainly will  be one that I'll want to read myself in the near future.


So here are the first three review links I've received.  Feel free to submit your own (pre-1960s preferably, but willing to accept some from the 1960s, provided the work in question was published before you were born).  I plan on writing a few such reviews in the coming weeks, starting with an Alexandre Dumas novel.  Hopefully, that one will be up by next weekend, time/health permitting.