The Prince of Tides
Ratings29
Average rating4
15
Ratings29
Average rating4
PAT CONROY has created a huge, brash thunderstorm of a novel, stinging with honesty and resounding with drama. Spanning forty years, this is the story of turbulent Tom Wingo, his gifted and troubled twin sister Savannah, and their struggle to triumph over the dark and tragic legacy of the extraordinary family into which they were born.
Filled with the vanishing beauty of the South Carolina low country as well as the dusty glitter of New York City, The Prince of Tides is PAT CONROY at his very best.
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Reviews with the most likes.
★ ★ - ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (I explain below)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader, as part of The United States of Books project.
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The story of the Wingos is one of humor, grotesquerie, and tragedy. Tragedy predominates.
. . .parents were put on earth for the sole purpose of making their children miserable. It's one of God's most important laws. Now listen to me. Your job is to make me and Mama believe that you're doing and thinking everything we want you to. But you're really not. You're thinking you own thoughts and going out on secret missions. Because Mama and I are screwing you up. . . I know we're screwing you up a little bit every day. If we knew how we were doing it, we'd stop. We wouldn't do it ever again because we adore you. But we're parents and we can't help it. It's our job to screw you up.
Brown vs. Board of Ed
EW
“There's a difference between life and art, Savannah,” I said as we moved out into the Charleston Harbor.
“You're wrong,” she said. “You've always been wrong about that.”
clearly
Absurd.
I will certainly never read another book by Pat Conroy, but certainly will listen to one read by Frank Muller.
The book left me disappointed. It was a gratuitous exercise in eccentricity. Instead of delving into the psychology of his main character, Conroy transforms the whole story in a circus act. The climax of the book is so ludicrous and conceited, it made me roll my eyes. The ratio by which he went seems to have been “The weirder, the better.” He also seemed to think that more was more in terms of plot, which frankly he does not have a good grip on. There are still some wonderful scenes and great dialogues here in there in the book, but they can't make up for the lack of cohesion.
In the end, I found the whole book absurd and truly unrealistic. The Addams Family seems far more true than the Wingos.
I read this book decades ago, but it was mentioned at my writers' critique group the other day. I had forgotten I'd read it, but I remember how taken I was by the young man's plight in this story. So beautifully written. Again, this is one book that I should read again.
Very intensive book. Great writing style and ability. Read for the journey, not the destination.
