Reviews for The Aspern Papers

The average rating for The Aspern Papers based on 2 reviews is 5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-11-03 00:00:00 APOSTOLOS katrantzis In the section of his Moral Discourses entitled How a person can preserve their proper character in any situation the Stoic philosopher Epictetus says "You are the one who knows yourself - which is to say, you know how much you are worth in your own estimation, and therefore at what price you will sell yourself; because people sell themselves at different rates. Taking account of the value of externals, you see, comes at some cost to the value of one's own character." I cite this quote since, in my reading of this Henry James novella, we are asked to ponder just this question as we follow the narrator's quest for papers and letters penned by the late, great poet Jeffrey Aspern. The first few chapters are like a work of fiction written in slow motion. But then through a series of revelations the story picks up serious momentum having the pace and timing of a detective novel, all the while suffused in the signature elegance of the author's language, as in this scene where the narrator takes middle age Miss Tina for a ride on a warm summer evening, "We floated long and far, and though my friend gave no high-pitched voice to her glee I was sure of her full surrender. She was more than pleased, she was transported; the whole thing was an immense liberation. The gondola moved with slow strokes, to give her time to enjoy it, and she listened to the splash of the oars, which grew louder and more musically liquid as we passed into the narrow canals, as if it were a revelation of Venice." For me, the real philosophic and psychological juice of this fine tale comes in the closing chapter. I wouldn't want to disclose any of the luscious details so as to spoil a reader's fresh experience. Highly recommended.

Review # 2 was written on 2013-10-16 00:00:00 Daniel Walton I generally do not like to discuss the plot in a review. And I will not in this one either. But apart from delighting in James' prose and in his superb ability to characterize and develop personalities, reading this novella has made me think about what makes a good story. For I was captured by the suspense James created out of a relatively simple situation. What makes a good plot? It certainly needs a structure, a kind of frame that gives it independence and self-sufficiency. That means it demands its own space. It also requires to move along time and to make the reader want to press on that sensation of progress, or rather, to want the waiting and the anxious curiosity disappear and time to evaporate. And for this, an illusion of necessity has to be created when the story unfolds for it has to surprise and satisfy him. James builds up the suspense by playing with the elasticity of time. He has us waiting. He makes us participants of the contained patience of the hunter who restlessly waits for his loot. But then monotony is woken up suddenly by a move from its prey. And everything is on the move again and acceleration presses on. Only to stop again when the chased turns around and faces us. This is just one such aspect of this wonderful novella, it seems this one was James' favourite. Another one would be the warning relevant to those of us who may be lured by the fascination of an artist and his deification. Relic-adoration can make one's mind, and morals, turn. Beware, Proust-ians... Beware, Shelley-ians...