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The Queen of the Night
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Historical Fiction (2016)Lilliet Berne is a sensation of the Paris Opera, a legendary soprano with every accolade except an original role, every singer’s chance at immortality. When one is finally offered to her, she realizes with alarm that the libretto is based on a hidden piece of her past. Only four could have betrayed her: one is dead, one loves her, one wants to own her. And one, she hopes, never thinks of her at all. As she mines her memories for clues, she recalls her life as an orphan who left the American frontier for Europe and was swept up into the glitzy, gritty world of Second Empire Paris. In order to survive, she transformed herself from hippodrome rider to courtesan, from empress’s maid to debut singer, all the while weaving a complicated web of romance, obligation, and political intrigue.
Featuring a cast of characters drawn from history, The Queen of the Night follows Lilliet as she moves ever closer to the truth behind the mysterious opera and the role that could secure her reputation -- or destroy her with the secrets it reveals.
Featuring a cast of characters drawn from history, The Queen of the Night follows Lilliet as she moves ever closer to the truth behind the mysterious opera and the role that could secure her reputation -- or destroy her with the secrets it reveals.
561 pages, Hardcover
First published February 2, 2016
About the author
Alexander Chee
29 books1,801 followers"Alexander Chee is the best new novelist I've seen in some time. Edinburgh is moody, dramatic - and pure."--Edmund White
“A complex, sophisticated, elegant investigation of trauma and desire - like a white hot flame.”--Joyce Hackett, in The Guardian
“A coming-of-age novel in the grand Romantic tradition, where passions run high, Cupid stalks Psyche, and love shares the dance floor with death . . . A lovely, nuanced, never predictable portrait of a creative soul in the throes of becoming.”--Washington Post Book World
Alexander Chee was born in South Kingston, RI, and raised in South Korea, Guam, Truk and Maine. He attended Wesleyan University and the University of Iowa Writer's Workshop. He is the recipient of a Whiting Writers' Award, an NEA Fellowship in Fiction, fellowships from the MacDowell Colony and was the Visiting Writer at Amherst College from 2006-2010.
His first novel, Edinburgh, won the Michener, the AAWW Lit Award, the Lambda Editor's Choice Prize and was named a Booksense 76 Pick and a Publisher's Weekly Best Book of the Year. His second novel, The Queen of the Night, is forthcoming from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2011. He lives in New York City.
“A complex, sophisticated, elegant investigation of trauma and desire - like a white hot flame.”--Joyce Hackett, in The Guardian
“A coming-of-age novel in the grand Romantic tradition, where passions run high, Cupid stalks Psyche, and love shares the dance floor with death . . . A lovely, nuanced, never predictable portrait of a creative soul in the throes of becoming.”--Washington Post Book World
Alexander Chee was born in South Kingston, RI, and raised in South Korea, Guam, Truk and Maine. He attended Wesleyan University and the University of Iowa Writer's Workshop. He is the recipient of a Whiting Writers' Award, an NEA Fellowship in Fiction, fellowships from the MacDowell Colony and was the Visiting Writer at Amherst College from 2006-2010.
His first novel, Edinburgh, won the Michener, the AAWW Lit Award, the Lambda Editor's Choice Prize and was named a Booksense 76 Pick and a Publisher's Weekly Best Book of the Year. His second novel, The Queen of the Night, is forthcoming from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2011. He lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,044 reviews
June 9, 2016
Well.
That didn't go AT ALL like I was expecting it to.
I saw some reviews of this floating around on Goodreads a few weeks ago, and when I decided to look up a plot description, it sounded like everything I wanted from a novel. The story begins with Lilliet Berne, star soprano of the Paris Opera, being offered an original role in a new opera. But as she reads the story, she realizes that the opera is based on her own life, and exposes secrets from her past that she wants to stay buried. There are only four people who know Lilliet's secrets, and she decides to find out who's working behind the scenes to expose her. As she does, the reader follows her on her journey and learns how Lilliet went from orphan farm girl, to circus equestrian, to courtesan, to imperial spy, and ended as an opera singer.
Based on that description, this book should have been my absolute jam. Opera singers! Belle Epoque Paris! Intrigue! Affairs! Courtesans! These are all things that I love, yet I did not enjoy a single page of The Queen of the Night, and I still can't figure out why.
Nothing in this book worked for me. Other reviews praised Lilliet as an awesome heroine; I found her dull. Sure, it was impressive the way she was consistently wiggled her way out of one scrape after another (her best escape is stolen directly from The Count of Monte Cristo, and I'll forgive the absurdity of it because I love a good Dumas homage), but there didn't seem to be any spark to her - it was just five hundred pages of "oh, now I have to deal with this. Well, that was a close one." Maybe the problem was Chee's prose, which struck me as very dry and removed - I wanted narration that threw itself whole-heartedly into the fantastical aspects of this story, and was willing to have a little fun with it. Chee's writing takes itself way too seriously, and as a result, I couldn't commit myself to what should have been a melodramatic adventure story.
The other major problem was the antagonist. At the beginning of Lilliet's career as a courtesan, she is purchased (literally purchased) by a man she refers to only as "the tenor." But he might as well be named "the patriarchy" because his job is to remind the reader of how thoroughly it sucked to be a woman in the 19th century. Sure, fine, I can get behind a malevolent john character when Lilliet is starting out. But then the tenor refuses to go away. Every time Lilliet escapes him, he just reappears a few chapters later, and she's back where she started, and by the time this had happened three times, I was beyond bored with the tenor. He has nothing to redeem himself to the reader, but isn't evil enough to be a compelling villain. When Lilliet finally
But the biggest problem is Lilliet herself, and the role she plays in this story. It's disheartening that, in a 500-page novel, our supposed heroine never really gets to be anything other than a victim. She's a victim of the tenor, she's a victim of her employers - Lilliet is early Sansa Stark, and it was frustrating. Like, I get that this is 19th century France and we can't exactly have her charging around with pistols or whatever, but give her some goddamn agency, for Christ's sake! Lilliet is reactive rather than proactive, and it makes her a lame excuse for a heroine. She never really gets to be in control, in a book that is supposed to be her story. Instead, she just bounces from one terrible scenario to another, constantly being manipulated and controlled by others.
Oh! And I almost forgot to talk about the romance element, which elicited only eye-rolling from me. So when Lilliet is working as a servant (and spy) in the Emperor's household, she meets "the composer." (He gets a name later on, but not before I got my history mixed up and thought he was supposed to be Mozart, so for most of the book I was sitting there laughing and thinking did Chee really just...?) She sees him playing, they have A Moment, then they fuck in the garden and poof! It's true love.
I never, for one second, found this romance interesting or believable, and having to read about Lilliet mooning over the composer every few pages just made me resist it more. I never saw any reason for these two to be so in love, and had no idea why they liked each other so much, which made their affair boring and perplexing. Also a major time waste - why was Lilliet wasting her time sneaking around with the composer, I wondered, when we could be doing something more useful, like, I don't know, trying to escape her horrible circumstances or murdering the tenor? It also REALLY GRINDS MY GEARS, readers, that in a story where our heroine is constantly abused, raped, and victimized by men, the thing that finally motivates her to take control of her own life is the healing power of yet another man's love. Eye rolling for days.
(oh, and the opera that was going to reveal all of Lilliet's secrets and ruin her life? Total fucking MacGuffin. Thanks a lot, Chee.)
That didn't go AT ALL like I was expecting it to.
I saw some reviews of this floating around on Goodreads a few weeks ago, and when I decided to look up a plot description, it sounded like everything I wanted from a novel. The story begins with Lilliet Berne, star soprano of the Paris Opera, being offered an original role in a new opera. But as she reads the story, she realizes that the opera is based on her own life, and exposes secrets from her past that she wants to stay buried. There are only four people who know Lilliet's secrets, and she decides to find out who's working behind the scenes to expose her. As she does, the reader follows her on her journey and learns how Lilliet went from orphan farm girl, to circus equestrian, to courtesan, to imperial spy, and ended as an opera singer.
Based on that description, this book should have been my absolute jam. Opera singers! Belle Epoque Paris! Intrigue! Affairs! Courtesans! These are all things that I love, yet I did not enjoy a single page of The Queen of the Night, and I still can't figure out why.
Nothing in this book worked for me. Other reviews praised Lilliet as an awesome heroine; I found her dull. Sure, it was impressive the way she was consistently wiggled her way out of one scrape after another (her best escape is stolen directly from The Count of Monte Cristo, and I'll forgive the absurdity of it because I love a good Dumas homage), but there didn't seem to be any spark to her - it was just five hundred pages of "oh, now I have to deal with this. Well, that was a close one." Maybe the problem was Chee's prose, which struck me as very dry and removed - I wanted narration that threw itself whole-heartedly into the fantastical aspects of this story, and was willing to have a little fun with it. Chee's writing takes itself way too seriously, and as a result, I couldn't commit myself to what should have been a melodramatic adventure story.
The other major problem was the antagonist. At the beginning of Lilliet's career as a courtesan, she is purchased (literally purchased) by a man she refers to only as "the tenor." But he might as well be named "the patriarchy" because his job is to remind the reader of how thoroughly it sucked to be a woman in the 19th century. Sure, fine, I can get behind a malevolent john character when Lilliet is starting out. But then the tenor refuses to go away. Every time Lilliet escapes him, he just reappears a few chapters later, and she's back where she started, and by the time this had happened three times, I was beyond bored with the tenor. He has nothing to redeem himself to the reader, but isn't evil enough to be a compelling villain. When Lilliet finally
But the biggest problem is Lilliet herself, and the role she plays in this story. It's disheartening that, in a 500-page novel, our supposed heroine never really gets to be anything other than a victim. She's a victim of the tenor, she's a victim of her employers - Lilliet is early Sansa Stark, and it was frustrating. Like, I get that this is 19th century France and we can't exactly have her charging around with pistols or whatever, but give her some goddamn agency, for Christ's sake! Lilliet is reactive rather than proactive, and it makes her a lame excuse for a heroine. She never really gets to be in control, in a book that is supposed to be her story. Instead, she just bounces from one terrible scenario to another, constantly being manipulated and controlled by others.
Oh! And I almost forgot to talk about the romance element, which elicited only eye-rolling from me. So when Lilliet is working as a servant (and spy) in the Emperor's household, she meets "the composer." (He gets a name later on, but not before I got my history mixed up and thought he was supposed to be Mozart, so for most of the book I was sitting there laughing and thinking did Chee really just...?) She sees him playing, they have A Moment, then they fuck in the garden and poof! It's true love.
I never, for one second, found this romance interesting or believable, and having to read about Lilliet mooning over the composer every few pages just made me resist it more. I never saw any reason for these two to be so in love, and had no idea why they liked each other so much, which made their affair boring and perplexing. Also a major time waste - why was Lilliet wasting her time sneaking around with the composer, I wondered, when we could be doing something more useful, like, I don't know, trying to escape her horrible circumstances or murdering the tenor? It also REALLY GRINDS MY GEARS, readers, that in a story where our heroine is constantly abused, raped, and victimized by men, the thing that finally motivates her to take control of her own life is the healing power of yet another man's love. Eye rolling for days.
(oh, and the opera that was going to reveal all of Lilliet's secrets and ruin her life? Total fucking MacGuffin. Thanks a lot, Chee.)
February 11, 2016
This is a masterfully written book. Chee, just, is masterful. I loved this novel. I loved the density of the prose, and the almost obsessive attention to detail and the intricate plot that never stopped, even when the last line had been written.
I do think some of the recaps of the various operas was just a bridge too far, like, let's wrap it up, friend. These recaps, though full of interesting detail, made the otherwise lively story drag a bit but, I mean, still, this book is masterful.
Queen of the Night is operatic in all senses of the word. The drama is so very dramatic. The women are full of depth and humanity and archness and are so powerfully written. There is so much story here and I absorbed all of it, greedily.
I do think some of the recaps of the various operas was just a bridge too far, like, let's wrap it up, friend. These recaps, though full of interesting detail, made the otherwise lively story drag a bit but, I mean, still, this book is masterful.
Queen of the Night is operatic in all senses of the word. The drama is so very dramatic. The women are full of depth and humanity and archness and are so powerfully written. There is so much story here and I absorbed all of it, greedily.
April 19, 2017
Like a pretty courtesan trying to make a living, this novel tried desperately to seduce me. It flirted, it danced, it even sang for me.
But the seduction failed. I grew frustrated with this book and struggled to finish it.
First, I must state that The Queen of the Night is an ambitious work of historical fiction. Our heroine, Lilliet, is a famous opera singer in Paris in the 1880s, and she has a lot of secrets. Ever since she was orphaned in America, she's spent her life on the run. Her previous jobs include circus performer, courtesan, lady's maid, spy, and finally, a muse. She was often running away from one man, nicknamed the tenor, who tried to control her.
Lilliet was skilled at having men fall in love with her, and she was equally good at making her escapes. But she feels trapped when she's approached to star in a new opera, and she realizes the story is about her secret past. Only a few people know the truth about her, so she sets out to discover who is behind the plot.
I was interested in this novel because it has elements I typically like, such as a European setting, opera and artists, historical references, a rags-to-riches story, mystery and even romance. But something was off. This book became a tangled mess of plot contrivances, impossible coincidences, and bad dialogue. It also lacked any real depth of character -- the scenes and love affairs felt as fake as a theater set. And at 550+ pages, it dragged on way too long.
I can appreciate what the author was trying to do, and all the historical research he did on the period. I think it just needed more rehearsal time.
But the seduction failed. I grew frustrated with this book and struggled to finish it.
First, I must state that The Queen of the Night is an ambitious work of historical fiction. Our heroine, Lilliet, is a famous opera singer in Paris in the 1880s, and she has a lot of secrets. Ever since she was orphaned in America, she's spent her life on the run. Her previous jobs include circus performer, courtesan, lady's maid, spy, and finally, a muse. She was often running away from one man, nicknamed the tenor, who tried to control her.
Lilliet was skilled at having men fall in love with her, and she was equally good at making her escapes. But she feels trapped when she's approached to star in a new opera, and she realizes the story is about her secret past. Only a few people know the truth about her, so she sets out to discover who is behind the plot.
I was interested in this novel because it has elements I typically like, such as a European setting, opera and artists, historical references, a rags-to-riches story, mystery and even romance. But something was off. This book became a tangled mess of plot contrivances, impossible coincidences, and bad dialogue. It also lacked any real depth of character -- the scenes and love affairs felt as fake as a theater set. And at 550+ pages, it dragged on way too long.
I can appreciate what the author was trying to do, and all the historical research he did on the period. I think it just needed more rehearsal time.
March 4, 2019
Opera, circus, travel, a strong woman protagonist, passion, love -- author Chee tics every 'can't wait to read this book' box. Somehow, though, he often lost me. While Chee does a magnificent job of history and setting, the characters, especially the star, felt hollow and flat. Ditto for the audio reader's rendition. The book is 500 pages -- maybe if it had been trimmed way down, it wouldn't have felt so much like a soap opera? Despite the above flaws, it's a good book, just needs to be cut way back...
May 5, 2018
Lilliet Berne has secrets, many secrets hidden in her past and layered upon each other through time and circumstance. Now, she is a successful opera singer but, during a ball one night, a man brings a libretto to her attention that seems to be based on her life.
Only a few people know the truth behind the secrets, which one would have made that truth public? Lilliet is going to find out.
Along the way, the reader gets to experience the 18th century world from the American Midwest to the Paris Opera, Napoleon's Imperial Court and beyond.
The Queen of the Night is a glittering, epic historical fiction. It is reminiscent of Margaret George's style of storytelling in that Chee weaves actual historical figures throughout his story.
So, you're learning as you're entertaining yourself- two birds with one stone. I absolutely loved it.
Who is Lilliet? According to rumor: "I was innocent or I was the devil unleashed, I had nearly caused wars, I had kept them from happening. I was never in love, I had never loved, I was always in love. Each performance could be my last, each performance had been my last, the voice was true, the voice was a fraud. The voice, at least, was true." pg 7, ebook.
Though true, the voice was not free from rumor either: "There's a story told of my voice that says it was bought from a witch, the result of an occult surgery. ... I never corrected this. ... The real answer to where my voice came from is as ordinary as all of life. ... I wanted to eat so I learned to sing." pgs 65-66, ebook.
As a public figure, Lilliet profited from being a spectacle on and off the stage. She encourages the stories because her notoriety brought her opera parts, connections, and money.
Her true background, on the other hand, could ruin her.
The complexity of life in Paris: "Paris, which, when I looked close, was a vast 0péra-bouffe-féerie (opera with elements of comedy and magic in it)- and you did not know your role, I think, until it was too late, and the crowd was laughing at the joke you had uttered in all innocence." pg 99, ebook.
Alexander Chee explores many closed societies and the unwritten rules that are followed by them in The Queen of the Night. Among the many scenes examined are: the circus tent, the courtesan's house, the opera, the French court, the Bohemian music culture, and the couture dressmaker.
My favorite parts of this story were the glimpses into these, in some cases, defunct cultures and learning the expected behaviors, way of dress, even the preferred perfumes of those "in the know". The fun is in the details.
The Queen of the Night is also a love story: "When love comes this way, the first dream of it feels like a prophecy that has come true. I had never known this feeling until now- he was my first. And so I let myself dream of him again and believe it could be the future." pg 186, ebook.
Swoon...
"My theme here is love. Love and the gifts of love, love kept secret, love lost, love become hatred, war, a curse. Love become music. Love and those who died for love. Love- and, especially, first love. My first love, the one I could not keep and could never, will never, lose." pg 215, ebook. Do you think he could have fit more "love" in there? :)
At one point, Lilliet says she feels like she has gotten "Fate's attention": "It is a peculiar thing to reach this conclusion, that a god has taken your life in hand. The sensation is not what people might imagine; it is not magic, nor is it a haunting, nor is it a miracle- there's no storm of roses, no whistle that can put a raging ocean to sleep, no figure in the mirror besides your own." pg 240, ebook.
When I read that, I thought that Chee was going to break down the fourth wall. But, he didn't. He kept the story flowing but I felt like he winked at me. "Where am I going to take Lilliet now?", he seemed to say. I didn't have any idea, but I was definitely along for the ride.
Recommended for readers who want a detailed, slightly (sometimes very) scandalous romp and mystery throughout the 18th century. If you're into classical music, then it may be an even better fit.
Some reads that you may want to explore after this one: The Dream Lover: A Novel of George Sand by Elizabeth Berg (same time period, same country), In the Company of the CourtesanSarah Dunant (different time period and country, some similar themes), and Before Versailles: A Novel of Louis XIV by Karleen Koen (different time period, French court).
Only a few people know the truth behind the secrets, which one would have made that truth public? Lilliet is going to find out.
Along the way, the reader gets to experience the 18th century world from the American Midwest to the Paris Opera, Napoleon's Imperial Court and beyond.
The Queen of the Night is a glittering, epic historical fiction. It is reminiscent of Margaret George's style of storytelling in that Chee weaves actual historical figures throughout his story.
So, you're learning as you're entertaining yourself- two birds with one stone. I absolutely loved it.
Who is Lilliet? According to rumor: "I was innocent or I was the devil unleashed, I had nearly caused wars, I had kept them from happening. I was never in love, I had never loved, I was always in love. Each performance could be my last, each performance had been my last, the voice was true, the voice was a fraud. The voice, at least, was true." pg 7, ebook.
Though true, the voice was not free from rumor either: "There's a story told of my voice that says it was bought from a witch, the result of an occult surgery. ... I never corrected this. ... The real answer to where my voice came from is as ordinary as all of life. ... I wanted to eat so I learned to sing." pgs 65-66, ebook.
As a public figure, Lilliet profited from being a spectacle on and off the stage. She encourages the stories because her notoriety brought her opera parts, connections, and money.
Her true background, on the other hand, could ruin her.
The complexity of life in Paris: "Paris, which, when I looked close, was a vast 0péra-bouffe-féerie (opera with elements of comedy and magic in it)- and you did not know your role, I think, until it was too late, and the crowd was laughing at the joke you had uttered in all innocence." pg 99, ebook.
Alexander Chee explores many closed societies and the unwritten rules that are followed by them in The Queen of the Night. Among the many scenes examined are: the circus tent, the courtesan's house, the opera, the French court, the Bohemian music culture, and the couture dressmaker.
My favorite parts of this story were the glimpses into these, in some cases, defunct cultures and learning the expected behaviors, way of dress, even the preferred perfumes of those "in the know". The fun is in the details.
The Queen of the Night is also a love story: "When love comes this way, the first dream of it feels like a prophecy that has come true. I had never known this feeling until now- he was my first. And so I let myself dream of him again and believe it could be the future." pg 186, ebook.
Swoon...
"My theme here is love. Love and the gifts of love, love kept secret, love lost, love become hatred, war, a curse. Love become music. Love and those who died for love. Love- and, especially, first love. My first love, the one I could not keep and could never, will never, lose." pg 215, ebook. Do you think he could have fit more "love" in there? :)
At one point, Lilliet says she feels like she has gotten "Fate's attention": "It is a peculiar thing to reach this conclusion, that a god has taken your life in hand. The sensation is not what people might imagine; it is not magic, nor is it a haunting, nor is it a miracle- there's no storm of roses, no whistle that can put a raging ocean to sleep, no figure in the mirror besides your own." pg 240, ebook.
When I read that, I thought that Chee was going to break down the fourth wall. But, he didn't. He kept the story flowing but I felt like he winked at me. "Where am I going to take Lilliet now?", he seemed to say. I didn't have any idea, but I was definitely along for the ride.
Recommended for readers who want a detailed, slightly (sometimes very) scandalous romp and mystery throughout the 18th century. If you're into classical music, then it may be an even better fit.
Some reads that you may want to explore after this one: The Dream Lover: A Novel of George Sand by Elizabeth Berg (same time period, same country), In the Company of the CourtesanSarah Dunant (different time period and country, some similar themes), and Before Versailles: A Novel of Louis XIV by Karleen Koen (different time period, French court).
March 27, 2016
The fictional female character in "The Queen of the Night", is an American born
opera singer, whom if meant to resemble anyone .....( author Alexander Chee, says), is
Pamina, from "The Magic Flute"---this book is meant as a reinvention of the Mozart
opera as a novel.
In first person narration, the story begins:
"When it began, it began as an opera would begin, in a palace, at a ball, in an
encounter with a stranger who, you discover, has your fate in his hands. He is perhaps a demon or a god in disguise, offering you a chance at either the fulfillment of a dream or a trap for the soul. A comic element--the soprano arrives in the wrong
dress – –and it decides her fate."
"The year was 1882. The palace was the Luxembourg Palace; the ball, the Senat Bal,
at the beginning of autumn. It was still warm, and so the garden was used as well. I was the soprano."
"I was Lilliet Berne".
Lilliet is flabbergasted --horrified, to discover that this stranger has discovered
secrets about her which only a handful of people know.
The stranger invites her to star in a new opera -- but the words of a novel he shows her are of her life. An entire team is working on this opera --which came from a 'diary' found in a hotel the man was refurbishing. He has no idea it's of Lilliet's life.
Somebody does... Who? Lilliet does not let on to this stranger - either. Instead she is on a mission to find out who 'did' betray her.
We learn of Lilliet's life story....starting in Minnesota in a log cabin to the present time....a Grand Opera House in Paris.
This is a 600 'chubby' book is sitting next to me. ( page turning fantastic)....It's a sweeping historical epic --(a treasure)
The plot takes center stage. The plot being the mystery of who betrayed Lilliet's secrets, yet I enjoyed the 'entire' journey!!!
....a rags to riches story: an orphan to Lillett Berne, ( the name she comes to be known as in Paris),
....the history, the opera, the details of the musical training, the fashion, the friendships, the colorful characters, betrayal, twists and turns.....and a love story ...( a little complicated triangle, and a little sex)
There is an overall lush atmosphere, with so many lovely moments to simply smile.....
The writing was gorgeous:
"Her skin was slightly sallow, and she was not pretty, but she exerted a nearly violent need for your attention. Her cloud of hair was like smoke. She was wearing and enormous cancan skirt, the biggest I'd ever seen, filling the seats to either side of her on the bench as she slumped rakishly, her half-lidded eyes watching something directly ahead of her, something only she could see."
Part of why I bought this book is because I use to have season tickets with San Jose Opera .... having enjoyed the productions of "Carmen" and "The Magic Flute".... a couple times each. My daughter and I went to the Opera together. So... my memories were my
initial opening of interest: ( with plans to give her this book)...however, you don't need to have an ounce of interest in Opera to enjoy this story. It has a memoir 'feeling' to it .
Engaging storytelling with a steady pace!
I stumbled in a few parts.....( a little hindrance due to my lack of French comprehension) But more often than not I was completely drawn into the story.
I think this is a Fabulous Book ....( worthy of these 600 pages!)
5+ stars!!!
opera singer, whom if meant to resemble anyone .....( author Alexander Chee, says), is
Pamina, from "The Magic Flute"---this book is meant as a reinvention of the Mozart
opera as a novel.
In first person narration, the story begins:
"When it began, it began as an opera would begin, in a palace, at a ball, in an
encounter with a stranger who, you discover, has your fate in his hands. He is perhaps a demon or a god in disguise, offering you a chance at either the fulfillment of a dream or a trap for the soul. A comic element--the soprano arrives in the wrong
dress – –and it decides her fate."
"The year was 1882. The palace was the Luxembourg Palace; the ball, the Senat Bal,
at the beginning of autumn. It was still warm, and so the garden was used as well. I was the soprano."
"I was Lilliet Berne".
Lilliet is flabbergasted --horrified, to discover that this stranger has discovered
secrets about her which only a handful of people know.
The stranger invites her to star in a new opera -- but the words of a novel he shows her are of her life. An entire team is working on this opera --which came from a 'diary' found in a hotel the man was refurbishing. He has no idea it's of Lilliet's life.
Somebody does... Who? Lilliet does not let on to this stranger - either. Instead she is on a mission to find out who 'did' betray her.
We learn of Lilliet's life story....starting in Minnesota in a log cabin to the present time....a Grand Opera House in Paris.
This is a 600 'chubby' book is sitting next to me. ( page turning fantastic)....It's a sweeping historical epic --(a treasure)
The plot takes center stage. The plot being the mystery of who betrayed Lilliet's secrets, yet I enjoyed the 'entire' journey!!!
....a rags to riches story: an orphan to Lillett Berne, ( the name she comes to be known as in Paris),
....the history, the opera, the details of the musical training, the fashion, the friendships, the colorful characters, betrayal, twists and turns.....and a love story ...( a little complicated triangle, and a little sex)
There is an overall lush atmosphere, with so many lovely moments to simply smile.....
The writing was gorgeous:
"Her skin was slightly sallow, and she was not pretty, but she exerted a nearly violent need for your attention. Her cloud of hair was like smoke. She was wearing and enormous cancan skirt, the biggest I'd ever seen, filling the seats to either side of her on the bench as she slumped rakishly, her half-lidded eyes watching something directly ahead of her, something only she could see."
Part of why I bought this book is because I use to have season tickets with San Jose Opera .... having enjoyed the productions of "Carmen" and "The Magic Flute".... a couple times each. My daughter and I went to the Opera together. So... my memories were my
initial opening of interest: ( with plans to give her this book)...however, you don't need to have an ounce of interest in Opera to enjoy this story. It has a memoir 'feeling' to it .
Engaging storytelling with a steady pace!
I stumbled in a few parts.....( a little hindrance due to my lack of French comprehension) But more often than not I was completely drawn into the story.
I think this is a Fabulous Book ....( worthy of these 600 pages!)
5+ stars!!!
September 16, 2018
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There's an author named "Jennifer Wilde" who wrote some of the trashiest, longest-winded bodice rippers I've ever encountered, always both lewd and boring, with heroines who go through hell and back and yet are somehow remarkably detached on an emotional level from anything happening to them, whether it's the death of a loved one or brutal rape at the hands of a captor. The stories are sometimes interesting, but virtually all of the voices of all of this author's heroines are interchangeable, because the only thing they lack more than agency is any kind of personality.
Jennifer Wilde is actually a man named T.E. Huff, and Jennifer Wilde is his bodice ripper pen name. He also had a gothic romance pen name, "Edwina Marlow." I've read two of his books recently, ONCE MORE, MIRANDA and ANGEL IN SCARLET, which were rags to riches tales similar to THE QUEEN OF THE NIGHT. Also like QUEEN OF THE NIGHT, both of these books were much longer than they needed to be and read as if they were written by someone who had never actually sat down and listened to a women regale the stories of her life before. I know how that sounds, and I'm sure Chee has talked to women, but man, the heroine of this book was bland AF and didn't seem to have any emotions at all. I've seen mirrors that were deeper than Lilliet Berne. And the book is written from her POV, so there is no escaping it.
I bring up Jennifer Wilde because that author is a prime example of a male author who has a good idea for a story starring a female hero, but who doesn't have the chops to back it up. There is no excuse for failing to make Lilliet Berne interesting. She lost her entire family to sickness, then went to work in a circus, then became a prostitute and then the servant to a noblewoman (or maybe vice-versa, I may be mixing up the order), and then she became the captive lover of an evil man, and then she escaped and became an opera singer-slash-courtesan in her own right. With a colorful tapestry like that at the backstory, I should be scarfing this down like it's "all you can eat" Tuesday at the Bodice Ripper Bistro, and the entree of the day is Rosemary Rogers au gratuitous WTFERY. But this book was BORING. I didn't want to believe the people who were saying that this book was boring and slow - I thought to myself, "Well, maybe they don't appreciate a book that takes a while to build up its characters." Some people don't. But this was circuitous, with the heroine constantly telling things to us instead of showing them to us (as unemotionally as possible), and by the time I was 25% to the end I basically started skimming heavily and ignoring 85% of what I was reading. Something about a duel and a final showdown and I think someone gets doused in gasoline. I don't even care.
Apparently this book was many years in the making and it is well-researched and has some well-written passages and descriptions. The problem, I think, is that the author fell so in love with his own writing and grandiose ideas that he forgot all about the heroine. How else to explain why she feels like such an afterthought in her own narration? There are Phantom of the Opera vibes! Faust vibes! Memoirs of a Geisha vibes! HOW WAS THIS BAD? She had this terribad life that she was trying to keep secret for all these years - and then one day, someone presents her with a play that mirrors the secrets of her dark past? WHAT. That sounded amazing. How was this not amazing?? What dark and evil magics were afoot to make this so? I don't always agree with Goodreads At Large, but the critics were definitely right about this one: it was a huge disappointment. I barely finished.
1.5 to 2 stars
February 5, 2016
This book was like a vacation that has lasted a little too long -- it's great while it's happening, but you're glad when it's over and you can go home.
This really was a fascinating story, but man oh man...there were parts that I really struggled to get through because it was just plain boring. I'm sure someone who has an interest in opera would enjoy this book more than I did. I confess I was lost with a lot of the references to operas and all things music.
I did like the story, but the one phrase that I just feel sums up this book is tragic drama. This woman's life is just one turmoil after another. I enjoyed the historical aspects of the book, and the author is fantastic at setting the scene and creating the visual to put the reader in this time period. My critique, though, would be that sometimes overload just equals boredom. A little less rambling and descriptive prose would have made for a more compelling story for this reader.
I was trying to decide how many stars to give this and ultimately decided to go with three, which is my personal standard for a book that I enjoyed and I feel is worth the read, but that I wouldn't gush over. It IS a good story; just be warned that it is not a fast-paced one and it gets bogged down in parts.
(2016 reading challenge category: a book that is more than 500 pages)
This really was a fascinating story, but man oh man...there were parts that I really struggled to get through because it was just plain boring. I'm sure someone who has an interest in opera would enjoy this book more than I did. I confess I was lost with a lot of the references to operas and all things music.
I did like the story, but the one phrase that I just feel sums up this book is tragic drama. This woman's life is just one turmoil after another. I enjoyed the historical aspects of the book, and the author is fantastic at setting the scene and creating the visual to put the reader in this time period. My critique, though, would be that sometimes overload just equals boredom. A little less rambling and descriptive prose would have made for a more compelling story for this reader.
I was trying to decide how many stars to give this and ultimately decided to go with three, which is my personal standard for a book that I enjoyed and I feel is worth the read, but that I wouldn't gush over. It IS a good story; just be warned that it is not a fast-paced one and it gets bogged down in parts.
(2016 reading challenge category: a book that is more than 500 pages)
July 6, 2016
This is one of those books that takes you on such a journey that you feel kind of overwhelmed by the end of it. "The Queen of the Night" is a novel that deals with opera and identity, and it is set in several European countries, but mostly in Paris. It was refreshing to read about the opera, and even the way the novel is structured depicts the acts of an opera.
The main character, La Générale, La Muette, she has many names, is also the narrator, and she definitely makes her story intriguing to read. It was interesting to see how the lines between the past and the present are very blurry so that you sometimes find yourself questioning whether what you're reading has happened or is happening. The same goes for the dialogue throughout the whole novel which comes with absolutely no quotation marks. Once again, the lines between what is said and what is thought are blurry, but it works!
I'm definitely a fan of this novel because it takes you on an immense journey. My only complaint is that it does go on for quite a long while, and the story could have benefited from having ben cut down a bit, in My opinion. Other that that, I loved everything about this story, and it has kind of gotten me interested to go see an opera.
The main character, La Générale, La Muette, she has many names, is also the narrator, and she definitely makes her story intriguing to read. It was interesting to see how the lines between the past and the present are very blurry so that you sometimes find yourself questioning whether what you're reading has happened or is happening. The same goes for the dialogue throughout the whole novel which comes with absolutely no quotation marks. Once again, the lines between what is said and what is thought are blurry, but it works!
I'm definitely a fan of this novel because it takes you on an immense journey. My only complaint is that it does go on for quite a long while, and the story could have benefited from having ben cut down a bit, in My opinion. Other that that, I loved everything about this story, and it has kind of gotten me interested to go see an opera.
June 18, 2016
This book, much hyped and anticipated, has been on my radar for ages. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Opera…..divas…..scandal…..intrigue……what’s not to love? And indeed, it has all that and more. Actually, maybe a little too much “more.”
The plotline is basically this – it is narrated by a woman, who never provides her real name. Her life is a surreal series of episodes that take her from a farm in Minnesota to New York to Paris to London and back to America. She is a farm girl, an orphan, an equestrienne acrobat, a courtesan, a “grisette,” a courtesan again, a legendary soprano. Intrigue and treachery surround her. Plots and subplots abound. There are lovers aplenty, but of course, only one true love. It is a fairy tale, but a very adult and twisted one.
I have read this cover to cover twice. The book, like an opera, is divided into Acts. The first time I was totally into it until I got to the end of the Third Act. All of the sudden, I was lost. Huh? What happened? Did I miss something? I proceeded on cautiously, paying close attention and concentrating with all my might. The middle of the book was tough going. Too many players, too much intrigue and pulling of strings, who is controlling who? Repetitive…..seemed like it would never end. And then – it picked up and got interesting again, but by that time I was mentally exhausted and not really sure what was going on. When I finished, I sat and thought it about it a bit and realized I couldn’t recall how our narrator got from point A to B to C very easily so I went back and read it again. I enjoyed it more the second time and didn’t feel as lost, although I do feel justified in saying this book is unnecessarily weighted down by repetition and could have used tighter editing. I also didn’t love the affectation of writing without using quotation marks to denote dialogue. There were times I assumed I was reading straight narration when a conversation was actually taking place. I’d have to go back and re-read the paragraph to absorb the context. Frustrating, and added to the dense, weighty feeling of the book.
Still.
I loved the story as a living and breathing piece of historical fiction. I was drawn into the milieu of the French Third Republic just before the onset of La Belle Époque. Chee’s characters include Giuseppe Verdi, the Empress Eugénie de Montijo, Napoleon III, George Sand, Countess di Castiglione, Pauline Giardot-Garcia, Ivan Turgenev, Charles Garnier, Cora Pearl and more. If you don’t know who some of these people are, I didn’t either until I read this book and did some research afterwards. I had no idea most of Chee’s characters were real people. I also loved the connection of the storyline to various opera plots.
There are bits of pieces of lovely writing throughout:
"Why is it so loud when you cry from grief? Because it must be loud enough for the missing one to hear, though it can never be. Loud enough to scale the sky and the backs of angels, or to fall through the earth where they rest."
“Neither of us said anything more for a moment. I sat back again. There was only the unearthly sound of the crystal and silver set on all the tables ringing as we went, as if the train were a mystical bell of many parts. This strange concert was oddly comforting.”
Overall, although I wrestled with the book and how to rate it, I am awarding it a “4.” If you love historical fiction and are drawn at all to the arts, I recommend this to you. If you have the luxury of time, consider reading it twice to absorb the ambiance and make connections you may have missed in the first read-through. Although this is flawed, it is still beautiful and unique.
The plotline is basically this – it is narrated by a woman, who never provides her real name. Her life is a surreal series of episodes that take her from a farm in Minnesota to New York to Paris to London and back to America. She is a farm girl, an orphan, an equestrienne acrobat, a courtesan, a “grisette,” a courtesan again, a legendary soprano. Intrigue and treachery surround her. Plots and subplots abound. There are lovers aplenty, but of course, only one true love. It is a fairy tale, but a very adult and twisted one.
I have read this cover to cover twice. The book, like an opera, is divided into Acts. The first time I was totally into it until I got to the end of the Third Act. All of the sudden, I was lost. Huh? What happened? Did I miss something? I proceeded on cautiously, paying close attention and concentrating with all my might. The middle of the book was tough going. Too many players, too much intrigue and pulling of strings, who is controlling who? Repetitive…..seemed like it would never end. And then – it picked up and got interesting again, but by that time I was mentally exhausted and not really sure what was going on. When I finished, I sat and thought it about it a bit and realized I couldn’t recall how our narrator got from point A to B to C very easily so I went back and read it again. I enjoyed it more the second time and didn’t feel as lost, although I do feel justified in saying this book is unnecessarily weighted down by repetition and could have used tighter editing. I also didn’t love the affectation of writing without using quotation marks to denote dialogue. There were times I assumed I was reading straight narration when a conversation was actually taking place. I’d have to go back and re-read the paragraph to absorb the context. Frustrating, and added to the dense, weighty feeling of the book.
Still.
I loved the story as a living and breathing piece of historical fiction. I was drawn into the milieu of the French Third Republic just before the onset of La Belle Époque. Chee’s characters include Giuseppe Verdi, the Empress Eugénie de Montijo, Napoleon III, George Sand, Countess di Castiglione, Pauline Giardot-Garcia, Ivan Turgenev, Charles Garnier, Cora Pearl and more. If you don’t know who some of these people are, I didn’t either until I read this book and did some research afterwards. I had no idea most of Chee’s characters were real people. I also loved the connection of the storyline to various opera plots.
There are bits of pieces of lovely writing throughout:
"Why is it so loud when you cry from grief? Because it must be loud enough for the missing one to hear, though it can never be. Loud enough to scale the sky and the backs of angels, or to fall through the earth where they rest."
“Neither of us said anything more for a moment. I sat back again. There was only the unearthly sound of the crystal and silver set on all the tables ringing as we went, as if the train were a mystical bell of many parts. This strange concert was oddly comforting.”
Overall, although I wrestled with the book and how to rate it, I am awarding it a “4.” If you love historical fiction and are drawn at all to the arts, I recommend this to you. If you have the luxury of time, consider reading it twice to absorb the ambiance and make connections you may have missed in the first read-through. Although this is flawed, it is still beautiful and unique.
Read
January 19, 2016I’ve loved opera since I was a teenager, and most of the time I soak it in and drink it up by myself. But it’s okay, because Alexander Chee is here with the most operatic novel I’ve ever read about (wait for it) an *opera* singer whose secret past is the story of a new *opera.* Honestly, even if you aren’t much of an opera aficionado, if you like books with twisty plots, loads of intrigue, unexpected betrayals, and gorgeous dresses, you’ll enjoy the hell out of it. It’s kind of like The Count of Monte Cristo with more ladies. — Jessica Woodbury
from The Best Books We Read In December http://bookriot.com/2015/12/23/riot-r...
from The Best Books We Read In December http://bookriot.com/2015/12/23/riot-r...
November 6, 2017
I enjoyed this book but it did take some effort to get through for me, mostly because it's about 19th century French Opera and goes into a lot of detail about various performances that I personally didn't care for or felt added much to the story. Lilliet's story, however, was fascinating, and the parts that focused on her adventures and growth as a character were super interesting.
January 30, 2016
2.5 stars. Reads like a half-lucid fever dream. She keeps drifting among the same people and situations. Allegedly she is a famous singer, but that aspect is mostly told rather than shown. The whole feel of the book was like you were drifting through the story, just gathering surface details before moving on. I kept putting the book aside to read other books.
February 10, 2016
As the curtain opens, Lilliet Berne is a celebrity opera singer at the peak of her career. Her greatest worry is that her haute couture dress by Worth might be the tiniest bit out of sync with the fashion. However, when she's approached by a novelist with a proposition, suddenly a new concern arises. On the face of it, the proposition is extremely flattering: the writer is working with an up-and-coming composer to create an opera from his novel, and he'd like Lilliet to originate the starring role. The problem? The story mirrors Lilliet's own life in a disconcerting way - and Lilliet has skeletons in her closet that she thought long buried.
The story flashes back as Lilliet thinks back and gradually reveals those past secrets, wondering who might have discovered them and what their motivation might be. Threat? Blackmail? Or something more subtle and obscure?
Lilliet's storied and complex life is a rags-to-riches tale, from her humble beginnings as an orphaned American frontier girl, to even humbler stints as a 'working' girl... continuing on through any number of situations, as Lilliet's superlative voice, her theatrical talent, and her willingness to seize opportunity by the horns allow her to climb the social ladder more than once. Honestly, the story is more than a bit preposterous and utterly unbelievable. The melodrama of it all intentionally echoes an opera itself (the author says he was influenced by 'The Magic Flute,' although the connection is loose-to-tenuous). However, even in the sections that strain credulity (the balloon escape!), it's great fun. And although the plot events may not be grittily realistic, the book as a whole is wonderfully well-researched. The setting really comes to life, and it's chock-full of interesting tidbits of information about music, fashion, and life around the time of the French Revolution.
The pace is rather slow and deliberate, but although the book felt long, I also enjoyed every page of it, and was sorry when it was over.
Many thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinion is solely my own.
The story flashes back as Lilliet thinks back and gradually reveals those past secrets, wondering who might have discovered them and what their motivation might be. Threat? Blackmail? Or something more subtle and obscure?
Lilliet's storied and complex life is a rags-to-riches tale, from her humble beginnings as an orphaned American frontier girl, to even humbler stints as a 'working' girl... continuing on through any number of situations, as Lilliet's superlative voice, her theatrical talent, and her willingness to seize opportunity by the horns allow her to climb the social ladder more than once. Honestly, the story is more than a bit preposterous and utterly unbelievable. The melodrama of it all intentionally echoes an opera itself (the author says he was influenced by 'The Magic Flute,' although the connection is loose-to-tenuous). However, even in the sections that strain credulity (the balloon escape!), it's great fun. And although the plot events may not be grittily realistic, the book as a whole is wonderfully well-researched. The setting really comes to life, and it's chock-full of interesting tidbits of information about music, fashion, and life around the time of the French Revolution.
The pace is rather slow and deliberate, but although the book felt long, I also enjoyed every page of it, and was sorry when it was over.
Many thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinion is solely my own.
October 6, 2015
I received a free copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to like this book. I really, really did. I don't know if the final book will be printed like this, but the e-book did not use quotation marks when a character was speaking. This may not bother some readers, but this is my number one literary pet peeve. I felt it detracted from the plot and characters. I really don't think there is a valid reason not to include basic punctuation in the book.
The author is also a fan of long, metaphor-filled passages that don't do anything to advance the plot or help the reader get to know the character. This wouldn't be so bad if he did it occasionally, but it felt like most of the book's bulk comes from them. By the end, I found I really hadn't grown to care for any of the characters. I finished the book because I had to, not that I cared what happened in the end.
What started as a brilliant description and premise quickly becomes bogged down in too many long-winded descriptions and fluff designed to bolster the page count.
I wanted to like this book. I really, really did. I don't know if the final book will be printed like this, but the e-book did not use quotation marks when a character was speaking. This may not bother some readers, but this is my number one literary pet peeve. I felt it detracted from the plot and characters. I really don't think there is a valid reason not to include basic punctuation in the book.
The author is also a fan of long, metaphor-filled passages that don't do anything to advance the plot or help the reader get to know the character. This wouldn't be so bad if he did it occasionally, but it felt like most of the book's bulk comes from them. By the end, I found I really hadn't grown to care for any of the characters. I finished the book because I had to, not that I cared what happened in the end.
What started as a brilliant description and premise quickly becomes bogged down in too many long-winded descriptions and fluff designed to bolster the page count.
October 13, 2015
This is already my favorite book of 2016 and it's only 2015. Not bad.
July 1, 2017
Lillian Berne is a legendary soprano in the Opera, narrating her story. She's come to a point in her life where a book is being published about her history- a history where only four people know what actually happened. Which person was behind this book?
"Only four people could have betrayed her: one is dead, one loves her, one wants to own her, and one, she hopes, never thinks of her at all."
This quote perfectly describes the author's writing. Lillian goes back to each of these people, and as she does, she brings the reader with her to tell the secret story of her past and how she came to be La Generale. The writing is dense and this tome is nothing short of a saga. There were moments that I was in awe and couldn't stop turning the pages, these were followed by moments of setting the book down and not wanting to pick it back up again. I would have to go back and re-read previous sections because there was so much going on and the writing was dense. I also found that by the end of the book, I'm not even sure I "liked" any of the characters- they are real people- some hurtful, some malicious, some calculating. I appreciated the twists and wonder what ever will become of our famous Falcon.
I know this book has gotten a lot of acclaim this year- I couldn't recommend it to everyone, as the slow, dense writing will put some readers off. Those that appreciate the saga tale of someone's interesting life will appreciate the writing and take this book for what it is.
Side note: This book does not contain any quotations- which at first, drove me crazy! I got used to it, but I still found myself having to backtrack and re-adjust when I realized I was reading dialogue instead of prose. UGH why do authors feel the need to do this?
"Only four people could have betrayed her: one is dead, one loves her, one wants to own her, and one, she hopes, never thinks of her at all."
This quote perfectly describes the author's writing. Lillian goes back to each of these people, and as she does, she brings the reader with her to tell the secret story of her past and how she came to be La Generale. The writing is dense and this tome is nothing short of a saga. There were moments that I was in awe and couldn't stop turning the pages, these were followed by moments of setting the book down and not wanting to pick it back up again. I would have to go back and re-read previous sections because there was so much going on and the writing was dense. I also found that by the end of the book, I'm not even sure I "liked" any of the characters- they are real people- some hurtful, some malicious, some calculating. I appreciated the twists and wonder what ever will become of our famous Falcon.
I know this book has gotten a lot of acclaim this year- I couldn't recommend it to everyone, as the slow, dense writing will put some readers off. Those that appreciate the saga tale of someone's interesting life will appreciate the writing and take this book for what it is.
Side note: This book does not contain any quotations- which at first, drove me crazy! I got used to it, but I still found myself having to backtrack and re-adjust when I realized I was reading dialogue instead of prose. UGH why do authors feel the need to do this?
April 7, 2016
I so wanted to love this book! And I did for a while but... 1. It's so long 2. The same (but sort of different) events happen over and over 3. It got so damn boring that I stopped caring.
March 15, 2016
2½- stars for now.
i just don't know what happened here, but this book really went off the rails for me. this novel was one i had really been anticipating for months, though i did work to keep my expectations in check. but perhaps there is a case of it being built up too much in my head before reading it?
i will say that i found chee's prose rather elegant and formal. i'm not sold on whether or not that style fit the character of lilliet well, though in the circles she ended up traveling in, it wouldn't be out of keeping. but i did struggle with the voice a bit. for me, there was a conflict at the heart (and voice) of the story - between lilliet's coming of age tale (born into a homesteading family, living in minnesota), and the opulence of parisian opera life, and the time in-between when she was a prostitute, and a circus performer (!) - which never quite resolved. i think it didn't help that i felt distanced by lilliet (by chee's choices). 'lilliet' isn't even her true name, rather one she stole from a dead child while on the run, trying to reach an aunt in switzerland. assuming identities became a pattern for lilliet throughout the story. she never really knew herself, kept much a secret, and those around never really knew her. so it proved difficult for me to fully embrace her. (and unreliable narrators are something i tend to love a lot. so this is truly sad-making.)
apparently this book was about 15 years in the making. i get it, i think. at times it felt burdened by details - whether of clothing, jewels, an opera, a room, an apartment... there was a lot of description and, often, a lot of repetition. and there is a whole lot going on in this book (historical context, opera, coming of age, identity, love ...). perhaps too much?
the connection to opera is central to this novel. while i can't claim to be an opera lover or even super-knowledgable, i do know classical music and ballet, so feel i followed along without any trouble, and wasn't lost to the references. this book could be a tricky read if people come into it with no knowledge at all of classical music, or opera.
there were parts of the story i really did enjoy, but i do wonder if this could have been more engaging if it were tightened up a bit? i did feel parts really dragged, or lost their way among all the different storylines. (which is weird for me to say or consider because i LOVE a chunky novel.)
so... there you go. i am feeling a bit disappointed. i really wanted to love this book and be totally engrossed in it. i was hoping for lush and enveloping, and i got cold and distanced. i am really sorry i didn't love the story.
i just don't know what happened here, but this book really went off the rails for me. this novel was one i had really been anticipating for months, though i did work to keep my expectations in check. but perhaps there is a case of it being built up too much in my head before reading it?
i will say that i found chee's prose rather elegant and formal. i'm not sold on whether or not that style fit the character of lilliet well, though in the circles she ended up traveling in, it wouldn't be out of keeping. but i did struggle with the voice a bit. for me, there was a conflict at the heart (and voice) of the story - between lilliet's coming of age tale (born into a homesteading family, living in minnesota), and the opulence of parisian opera life, and the time in-between when she was a prostitute, and a circus performer (!) - which never quite resolved. i think it didn't help that i felt distanced by lilliet (by chee's choices). 'lilliet' isn't even her true name, rather one she stole from a dead child while on the run, trying to reach an aunt in switzerland. assuming identities became a pattern for lilliet throughout the story. she never really knew herself, kept much a secret, and those around never really knew her. so it proved difficult for me to fully embrace her. (and unreliable narrators are something i tend to love a lot. so this is truly sad-making.)
apparently this book was about 15 years in the making. i get it, i think. at times it felt burdened by details - whether of clothing, jewels, an opera, a room, an apartment... there was a lot of description and, often, a lot of repetition. and there is a whole lot going on in this book (historical context, opera, coming of age, identity, love ...). perhaps too much?
the connection to opera is central to this novel. while i can't claim to be an opera lover or even super-knowledgable, i do know classical music and ballet, so feel i followed along without any trouble, and wasn't lost to the references. this book could be a tricky read if people come into it with no knowledge at all of classical music, or opera.
there were parts of the story i really did enjoy, but i do wonder if this could have been more engaging if it were tightened up a bit? i did feel parts really dragged, or lost their way among all the different storylines. (which is weird for me to say or consider because i LOVE a chunky novel.)
so... there you go. i am feeling a bit disappointed. i really wanted to love this book and be totally engrossed in it. i was hoping for lush and enveloping, and i got cold and distanced. i am really sorry i didn't love the story.
December 16, 2015
I heard about this novel way back in the spring at Book Expo, but I don't really like historical fiction. Especially historical fiction featuring real people who are characters in the book. I know those are really popular now, but they aren't really my jam.
But I decided to give this book a try after I learned it was about opera and meeting Alexander Chee, who seemed like the kind of smart person who would write a smart book. It was a good decision.
I'm an opera lover, but you don't have to be one to enjoy this book, though it certainly enhances the experience. (And some of the operas in the novel were ones I was unfamiliar with.) The best readalike I have for this is THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, a reading experience that I always want to recreate. I have a suspicion this is on purpose, since Dumas' son makes a brief appearance in the novel. Lilliet Berne has the kind of life story you wouldn't believe, the stuff of fiction and opera. So perhaps it's fitting that after working hard to conceal who she is and where she came from, she finds there is soon to be an opera that is basically her life story.
Desperate to find out who has exposed her, the novel is made up of Lilliet confronting the few people who know her secrets and sharing her tale through flashbacks. There are big personalities, lots of intrigue, loads of betrayal, and a seriously epic scale. Like I said, normally this kind of long life story is not my thing, but I could not stop reading this book. It's addictive and, like my favorite operas, combines an over the top melodrama with real beauty.
But I decided to give this book a try after I learned it was about opera and meeting Alexander Chee, who seemed like the kind of smart person who would write a smart book. It was a good decision.
I'm an opera lover, but you don't have to be one to enjoy this book, though it certainly enhances the experience. (And some of the operas in the novel were ones I was unfamiliar with.) The best readalike I have for this is THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, a reading experience that I always want to recreate. I have a suspicion this is on purpose, since Dumas' son makes a brief appearance in the novel. Lilliet Berne has the kind of life story you wouldn't believe, the stuff of fiction and opera. So perhaps it's fitting that after working hard to conceal who she is and where she came from, she finds there is soon to be an opera that is basically her life story.
Desperate to find out who has exposed her, the novel is made up of Lilliet confronting the few people who know her secrets and sharing her tale through flashbacks. There are big personalities, lots of intrigue, loads of betrayal, and a seriously epic scale. Like I said, normally this kind of long life story is not my thing, but I could not stop reading this book. It's addictive and, like my favorite operas, combines an over the top melodrama with real beauty.
October 6, 2019
DNF.
I did like it at first. The book has a stunning cover and a great plot but I could not finish it because there are not any quotation marks and it was tough for me to tell whom was speaking when.
For people who do not mind that, they may like this. It is a very interesting Historical Mystery.
I however really struggled to get through it and wound up not finishing it due to the above mentioned issue. It was the first time I'd read a book without quotes.I guess some readers can do that but honestly I did have issues with it and struggled.
This is really the first book I have read like that. I loved the lush atmosphere and I found the story line utterly fascinating. I still have my copy so I may try again at a later point.
I did like it at first. The book has a stunning cover and a great plot but I could not finish it because there are not any quotation marks and it was tough for me to tell whom was speaking when.
For people who do not mind that, they may like this. It is a very interesting Historical Mystery.
I however really struggled to get through it and wound up not finishing it due to the above mentioned issue. It was the first time I'd read a book without quotes.I guess some readers can do that but honestly I did have issues with it and struggled.
This is really the first book I have read like that. I loved the lush atmosphere and I found the story line utterly fascinating. I still have my copy so I may try again at a later point.
October 30, 2019
There were aspects of this that I really enjoyed but it was ultimately not for me. I've admittedly never been to the opera, so maybe for opera fans this book is right on target. It's certainly very theatrical, very high drama. Plenty of jewels and lavish gowns. Lots of plotting, schemes within schemes within schemes, back stabbing, love, and betrayal. My main problem was the repetition and just the sheer length of it. But if you like long, sprawling, decadent novels you might enjoy this quite a bit!
February 11, 2016
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
The Queen of the Night takes opera for its inspiration, but not just because it tells the story of an opera singer. The very structure and form of the story are deeply influenced by opera, which by its nature is not a genre that relies on realism, but rather takes pride in the grand gestures and mythological dimensions of its stories. It’s a synthesis of the ridiculous and the sublime, where the beauty of the music and skill of the artists counterbalance the overwrought events to produce something that is difficult to describe.
I’m having the same difficulty in trying to describe why the book works as well as it does. I could give the basics of the plot in a few simple sentences and the story would sound absolutely ridiculous—too convoluted and dramatic to be anything other than 19th century novel pastiche. And yet it does work. In the same way that the music of an opera keeps the story from being absurd (mostly), Alexander Chee’s skill keeps Queen from devolving into histrionics (mostly).
The story is ostensibly a mystery, though it also proves to be a bildungsroman in many ways. Liliet Berne, in top 19th century novel form, is an orphan with a tragic past, left to survive a world that isn’t made for single young women. We know from the very beginning that she achieves fame as a diva soprano, but the journey there is positively byzantine, full of so much incident and reversal that it puts many opera plots to shame. Lilliet inhabits so many roles throughout her life—farm girl, circus performer, prostitute, courtesan, prisoner, servant, spy—it can be hard to believe she could have any energy left over for performing further roles on the stage, but it certainly prepared her to be very good at it.
Chee’s writing is evocative, both of the richly imagined setting and the complex psychology of his heroine, but also dispassionate in tone. This deliberate style puts us at a bit of an emotional remove from Lilliet, who narrates the story, which I think is actually a clever move on Chee’s part, since it allows the story to maintain equilibrium as the plot starts requiring more and more energy to suspend disbelief. If Lilliet were half as dramatic as her life story would seem to require from an actual 19th century heroine, she would be unbearable. But Chee limits the influences of 19th century style to setting and clothing (anyone who appreciates a good outfit will love this), giving us a much more modern, or even post-modern sense of inner life and psychology. Lilliet is often acutely aware of the limitations imposed on her by being a woman of her time and place, but her story is free from the moralizing and self-pity this could potentially invite. I often felt frustrated and angry with Lilliet’s world, but she rarely gives in to those feelings herself, but rather approaches most things like the realist and survivor that she is.
Despite finding Chee’s choice of tone a wise one, I find that there is still a price to be paid for the emotional distance it creates. While I was often swept up in the details—the sumptuous gowns, the elaborate intrigue, the famous cameos by the likes of Verdi—I was much rarely as deeply invested in Lilliet’s struggles. I root for her and feel frustrated on her behalf, and yet find myself oddly ambivalent. There is also the small matter of a love story that fails to convince me, but I can also chalk this up to Chee’s use of The Magic Flute as a direct influence and the failure of that work to convince anyone that love at first sight (or really before first sight) is at all believable. Chee spent more than a decade researching and writing The Queen of the Night, and it shows in nearly every scene. That I’m left with some ambivalence about Lilliet and her life actually feels intentional, even if it leaves me a little cold. It is not totally free of the clichés and tropes that are the usual fare in historical fiction, but Chee has succeeded in creating a story that, while it wears many of its influences on its sleeve, doesn’t sacrifice complexity to period piece window dressing.
(Cross-posted from Booklikes: http://atroskity.booklikes.com/post/1...)
July 5, 2016
Reading this book was like climbing Mt Everest except more time consuming & no one thinks you're a badass when you finish. This book got a lot of great reviews so, the problem was probably me. My basic problem with the book was nothing happened. It was so boring & it felt like a job reading it. I still have no clue what this book was about. I leave it up to you rather or not to read the book. You might like it.
January 7, 2020
They rarely publish novels like THE QUEEN of THE NIGHT anymore. Big, gorgeous, sweeping novels that echo the sagas of the 19th century (the setting for this story) just aren't as popular as they used to be, no doubt because in our digital world, we've been downgraded to digesting words in limited bytes. However, Alexander Chee daringly bucks the trend with his epic tale of Lilliet Berne, a mysterious soprano at the height of her career, who's approached to star in an opera created especially for her, a coveted achievement - only the libretto is based on her own secretive past and its revelations threaten to undo her enigmatic facade. As she seeks to discover which person from her past has betrayed her, she plunges into her reminiscence of the events that led her to this perilous crossroads, saturated with the foibles of the Second Empire.
From the American wilds to a traveling circus troupe, a Parisian house of courtesans, the intrigues of the opera stage, and servant accommodations in the Tuileries, Chee immerses us in this lost world - a time when an empress's dresses held unvoiced power and Paris teetered on the brink of the infamous 1870 Siege. As Lilliet makes her cunning way from high-class prostitution to worldwide acclaim for her unusual voice, she becomes the obsession of a manipulative tenor and a pawn in a beautiful Comtesse's machinations, even as she falls desperately in love with a wild-eyed composer who can never be truly hers. Opera aficionados (like me) will revel in the parallels Chee draws between the most famous operatic tragedies and Lilliet's personal struggles, but it's not necessary to love opera to enjoy his canvas. He paints a fascinating yet intimate portrait of an extraordinary woman caught up in an era of turmoil, weaving a mystery, a love story, and a feminist parable into his haunting evocation. It's a very long novel, yes, but once the reader is engaged, it's equally hard to put down.
Chee's choice to not use quotation marks for his dialogue throws a bit of a curve ball at first, but soon enough, the narrative sweeps us into Lilliet's memories in such a way that the presentation of the dialogue becomes innate. And while his deliberate mix of 19th century fictional tropes with a post-modern approach could fall awry in lesser hands, he knows exactly what he is doing here.
My sole quibble is that at times, it's difficult to penetrate Lilliet's inner heart. She can seem a bit of cipher even as she unfolds her story in layers, much like the gargantuan gowns she must bring to the empress during one of her numerous life changes. However, this, too, fits the story Chee is telling: Lilliet doesn't really know who she is, having been forced to don so many masks to protect herself; and as she fights to become the titular Queen of the Night, she must also come to terms with the choices she's made, before her house of cards comes crumbling down.
This isn't the kind of historical novel I write, though I know its era well. It is the kind of historical novel I love to read. With grandeur, squalor, and everything in-between, Mr Chee has penned a homage to 19th century Paris and the indomitable women at its tumultuous heart. While not an easy read or a simple one, for the intrepid among us, it's a journey well-worth taking.
From the American wilds to a traveling circus troupe, a Parisian house of courtesans, the intrigues of the opera stage, and servant accommodations in the Tuileries, Chee immerses us in this lost world - a time when an empress's dresses held unvoiced power and Paris teetered on the brink of the infamous 1870 Siege. As Lilliet makes her cunning way from high-class prostitution to worldwide acclaim for her unusual voice, she becomes the obsession of a manipulative tenor and a pawn in a beautiful Comtesse's machinations, even as she falls desperately in love with a wild-eyed composer who can never be truly hers. Opera aficionados (like me) will revel in the parallels Chee draws between the most famous operatic tragedies and Lilliet's personal struggles, but it's not necessary to love opera to enjoy his canvas. He paints a fascinating yet intimate portrait of an extraordinary woman caught up in an era of turmoil, weaving a mystery, a love story, and a feminist parable into his haunting evocation. It's a very long novel, yes, but once the reader is engaged, it's equally hard to put down.
Chee's choice to not use quotation marks for his dialogue throws a bit of a curve ball at first, but soon enough, the narrative sweeps us into Lilliet's memories in such a way that the presentation of the dialogue becomes innate. And while his deliberate mix of 19th century fictional tropes with a post-modern approach could fall awry in lesser hands, he knows exactly what he is doing here.
My sole quibble is that at times, it's difficult to penetrate Lilliet's inner heart. She can seem a bit of cipher even as she unfolds her story in layers, much like the gargantuan gowns she must bring to the empress during one of her numerous life changes. However, this, too, fits the story Chee is telling: Lilliet doesn't really know who she is, having been forced to don so many masks to protect herself; and as she fights to become the titular Queen of the Night, she must also come to terms with the choices she's made, before her house of cards comes crumbling down.
This isn't the kind of historical novel I write, though I know its era well. It is the kind of historical novel I love to read. With grandeur, squalor, and everything in-between, Mr Chee has penned a homage to 19th century Paris and the indomitable women at its tumultuous heart. While not an easy read or a simple one, for the intrepid among us, it's a journey well-worth taking.
June 22, 2016
I have really struggled with this book - both the reading of it and the rating of it. It's certainly an achievement and I understand completely why so many are enamored of it. However, I never connected with the material, the story, the characters ... Yet, there is much to applaud here - the plotting of this novel is detailed and makes me dizzy just thinking about it! Perhaps that is part of what made the story feel like it slowed down in the middle. It was GREAT at first, meh in the middle and really good at the end. But, it was just not very consistent for me.
I loved the idea of this book but not the actual executed book. A friend's review described this as 'over-written' and that rings so true to me as well. It felt as if someone (Chee) spend a lot of time tweaking the story, the language, the details ... making them perfect. So, it didn't FEEL like much to me despite the fact that it was a good story (overall). I finished the book still not caring much for the world he created or the characters I followed.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. It wasn't a 5 star favorite for me but I am glad that I experienced it, particularly given how much praise it's gotten in the book world.
I loved the idea of this book but not the actual executed book. A friend's review described this as 'over-written' and that rings so true to me as well. It felt as if someone (Chee) spend a lot of time tweaking the story, the language, the details ... making them perfect. So, it didn't FEEL like much to me despite the fact that it was a good story (overall). I finished the book still not caring much for the world he created or the characters I followed.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. It wasn't a 5 star favorite for me but I am glad that I experienced it, particularly given how much praise it's gotten in the book world.
September 13, 2015
The Queen of the Night is a beautifully rich, curious, and seductive novel that reveals itself slowly, continuously until the very end. Lilliet Berne is a world-famous opera singer searching through her memories, unearthing the secrets and betrayals that made her. Anyone who adored Chee's first novel, Edinburgh (read: anyone who opened that book,) will be happy to find that in Queen of the Night, his taste and talent for detailed prose is still foremost. There are some incredibly beautiful and intelligent passages, especially, I thought, as Lilliet is just starting to find her voice. (Also interesting that Chee uses the allure of an angelic voice to such success in both his books.) But I was surprised and delighted to see that what drives this novel is plot -- this incredible mysterious unspooling, this great arcing story is what's pulling you along, one more page, and then another, and then you've finished the whole pot of tea! Pearls and shoes and brooches and dresses and furs, oh, and the circus! The Queen of the Night feels like a great feat, and every page is filled with alluring richness, and skillful care.
April 29, 2017
This story is an opera in the form of a novel. It is a beautifully written, sweeping epic, and reminds me of classic literature of the 19th century. The plot is complex and intricately woven. The main character is an orphan who loses her family tragically, travels to Europe as a stunt rider in a hippodrome, becomes a courtesan and a ladies’ maid, finds herself a pawn in a power struggle, and trains as an opera singer with an atypical soprano voice type. She interacts with many of the prominent real people of the era. This book is filled with political intrigue, liaisons, and betrayal. It explores the timeless themes of freedom (particularly for women during this time period) and the role of fate in life, i.e., how much of life is determined by actions (or lack thereof) versus chance. Highly recommended to fans of opera, classical music, historical fiction, 19th century European history, or those who enjoy classic literature.
February 9, 2018
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
An ambitious, sweeping novel with a surprising lack of emotional engagement.
The description for this book sounded utterly divine. A legendary soprano's life, and her journey from obscurity in a circus to nationwide fandom, thanks to her exquisite 'falcon soprano' voice. How could I resist such a sumptuous storyline?
However, for me, it fell rather flat, and I found myself struggling to get through it (my apologies to the author).
Lilliet Berne is from a humble background; scolded by her mother for taking too much pride in her voice. After her family dies, she joins a circus as a horse-rider / singer, where she sets the audience alight with her beautiful voice. Escaping once again, she befriends a prostitute and ends up in a similarly sordid life, which lands her in prison, until she's rescued by a man known only as The Tenor.
Sounds fast-paced, right? That's because it is, despite the sheer size of the book. Lilliet is seemingly bounced from situation to situation; as a whore, a secret lover, a kept woman and even the Empress's maid - and I think this is part of the problem. The movement of this book is relentless, and doesn't give the reader a chance to savour any moments, or indeed any characters. For all the rich descriptions (many of which were lovely), without the variation in pace, it felt like a breathless marathon of a book, and for me, that was a struggle.
However, there is much that is really good in it. The detail is impressive, and I felt like I really got to grips with opera (not something I know much about). I likewise appreciated many of the characters - but wished I'd had the opportunity to get to know them more. Their motivations, thoughts and emotions were often a mystery, and this had a strange, distancing effect.
To conclude - it's by no means a bad read, and if you love sweeping, epic novels, you'll probably get on with it well. I'll keep an eye out for further books from the author, because I suspect he's done other books that are much more my sort of thing.
An ambitious, sweeping novel with a surprising lack of emotional engagement.
The description for this book sounded utterly divine. A legendary soprano's life, and her journey from obscurity in a circus to nationwide fandom, thanks to her exquisite 'falcon soprano' voice. How could I resist such a sumptuous storyline?
However, for me, it fell rather flat, and I found myself struggling to get through it (my apologies to the author).
Lilliet Berne is from a humble background; scolded by her mother for taking too much pride in her voice. After her family dies, she joins a circus as a horse-rider / singer, where she sets the audience alight with her beautiful voice. Escaping once again, she befriends a prostitute and ends up in a similarly sordid life, which lands her in prison, until she's rescued by a man known only as The Tenor.
Sounds fast-paced, right? That's because it is, despite the sheer size of the book. Lilliet is seemingly bounced from situation to situation; as a whore, a secret lover, a kept woman and even the Empress's maid - and I think this is part of the problem. The movement of this book is relentless, and doesn't give the reader a chance to savour any moments, or indeed any characters. For all the rich descriptions (many of which were lovely), without the variation in pace, it felt like a breathless marathon of a book, and for me, that was a struggle.
However, there is much that is really good in it. The detail is impressive, and I felt like I really got to grips with opera (not something I know much about). I likewise appreciated many of the characters - but wished I'd had the opportunity to get to know them more. Their motivations, thoughts and emotions were often a mystery, and this had a strange, distancing effect.
To conclude - it's by no means a bad read, and if you love sweeping, epic novels, you'll probably get on with it well. I'll keep an eye out for further books from the author, because I suspect he's done other books that are much more my sort of thing.
February 22, 2016
My, what an odd book! I realized about a third of the way through that I had completely lost the thread of the plot, but I kept reading because I was captivated by how Alexander Chee elegantly revels in several of my very favorite arcane and glorious mid-19th century subjects.
One is the Empress Eugenie and her influence on fashion. Eugenie played a role quite like that of Princess Diana, but with more impact on foreign relations. As the Empress of France, everyone's eye was on her, and Eugenie and her ladies would change gowns five times a day, top to bottom, inside to out. Since all this changing could easily take up most of the Empress's day, there was an art do doing this speedily and perfectly. The main character has a job being in charge of these "toilettes"--mannequins of each dress, accessories, underclothes and hoops, and this is where the book is really addictive. Chee's descriptions are wonderful, rich and sensuous, and I ate it up with a spoon.
The other gloriously arcane topic is 19th century opera. The main character possesses a beautiful voice and trains with Pauline Viardot, a woman worth a book of her own. Pauline was the daughter of Manuel Garcia, whose development of vocal technique remains a direct line to the way voice is taught today. Pauline's career is over, but she is happily tucked away in a French country home with her husband and lover, the Russian novelist Ivan Turgenev, giving lessons. Friends like Georges Sand frequently drop by. Again, wonderful stuff.
You may be wondering why the main character is being referred to as just that in this review . She has a name she adopted--Lilliet Berne--but she is not up to her rich setting. It's hard to believe where she came from and what she goes through.She is detached. She seems to be floating through it all, worshiped by men, singing like a goddess or at least fastening myriad tiny pearl buttons up the back of a Worth gown like a whirlwind. What a novel this would have been with a heroine worthy of her world!
One is the Empress Eugenie and her influence on fashion. Eugenie played a role quite like that of Princess Diana, but with more impact on foreign relations. As the Empress of France, everyone's eye was on her, and Eugenie and her ladies would change gowns five times a day, top to bottom, inside to out. Since all this changing could easily take up most of the Empress's day, there was an art do doing this speedily and perfectly. The main character has a job being in charge of these "toilettes"--mannequins of each dress, accessories, underclothes and hoops, and this is where the book is really addictive. Chee's descriptions are wonderful, rich and sensuous, and I ate it up with a spoon.
The other gloriously arcane topic is 19th century opera. The main character possesses a beautiful voice and trains with Pauline Viardot, a woman worth a book of her own. Pauline was the daughter of Manuel Garcia, whose development of vocal technique remains a direct line to the way voice is taught today. Pauline's career is over, but she is happily tucked away in a French country home with her husband and lover, the Russian novelist Ivan Turgenev, giving lessons. Friends like Georges Sand frequently drop by. Again, wonderful stuff.
You may be wondering why the main character is being referred to as just that in this review . She has a name she adopted--Lilliet Berne--but she is not up to her rich setting. It's hard to believe where she came from and what she goes through.She is detached. She seems to be floating through it all, worshiped by men, singing like a goddess or at least fastening myriad tiny pearl buttons up the back of a Worth gown like a whirlwind. What a novel this would have been with a heroine worthy of her world!
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