I don't always mind a sad ending but I was annoyed by the trick - it felt like a trick - of having Robbie's section and everything outside Briony's viewpoint revealed as just Briony-the-author's imagining of the events.
In similar fashion I said to Steve that upon finishing the book I felt cheated that Robbie's story in France was fictionalized by Briony -- that bothered me MUCH more than the revelation that Robbie and Cecilia never reunited. But he made the point that Briony carefully researched that time period, interviewed Robbie's friends who survived (I think?), and also had access to his letters, etc. But I'm not sure that makes me feel any better.
I thought Romola was excellent, but I'm sure she's getting less attention because her performance was understated. (As it should have been for a introverted writerly type.)
Thanks for reminding me that Benedict Cumberbatch was in Amazing Grace -- he looked SO damned familiar
( ... )
"I wish you could have been with us... but that would have been less like a date" - you have no idea how much this confused me until I figured out you meant soniag's date with her hubby.
Hee! Thanks for explaining! I'm such an old married that I didn't even think of our movie-going as a date. Instead I was thinking "did tinuviellen see it with her husband? does valancy have another sister?"
In similar fashion I said to Steve that upon finishing the book I felt cheated that Robbie's story in France was fictionalized by Briony -- that bothered me MUCH more than the revelation that Robbie and Cecilia never reunited. But he made the point that Briony carefully researched that time period, interviewed Robbie's friends who survived (I think?), and also had access to his letters, etc. But I'm not sure that makes me feel any better.
I thought Romola was excellent, but I'm sure she's getting less attention because her performance was understated. (As it should have been for a introverted writerly type.)
Thanks for reminding me that Benedict Cumberbatch was in Amazing Grace -- he looked SO damned familiar ( ... )
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On the other hand, that would have made it much less like a date! ;)
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Um, yes.
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