Also known as the first modern thriller! There's a lot in The Collector you can discuss about, but I cant get into everything unfortunately.
I liked everything about this book especially the protagonist Frederick Clegg. He is the most interesting part of the book and I wish I understand him better because I dont fully understand him.
What are your thoughts on this book and should I read the Magus or any other books by John Fownles (and why)?
I loved The Magus, but it might not be for everyone. It’s definitely a more challenging read than The Collector. But, if you end up liking it, it’s amazing.
One word of advice… beware the waiting room.
I read the collector so long ago and then read everything else by John Fowles. The Magus is amazing but very different.
I read The Collector a few years ago. It's hard to verbalize, I read it, it propelled me along and I couldn't stop reading it, but I could never say that I "enjoyed" it. The protagonist, is awful, does awful things, but what is more uncomfortable is that you are put in his head for 75% of the novel. It is a horrible place to be, and you can't easily separate yourself from him. You are seeing his thought process and hearing his innermost desires and goals. And those desires and goals are so contrary to normal human life and decency.
Pair that with the portion of the novel that switches to the Miranda's perspective and seeing the events of the novel through her viewpoint. It just makes it so much worse to have to go through her suffering with her, but also to have been with her captor as he executed his plans. It is interesting that in most ways, both people agree on the particulars of the events, what they did, etc. It's not that one party is lying and the other is revealed to be being more truthful. There isn't some grand twist that grants greater understanding. This man does this shitty thing to this woman. That's it. And he will keep doing it.
I know there are deeper interpretations, which I haven't really delved that much into. For me it was a rough read.
Isn't this the book those two serial killers were really into?
not sure who those two serial killers are but possibly. if your question is, isn't this the book where the guy >!wins a huge lottery and spends most of the money building a dungeon so he can kidnap a young art student he's obsessed with, and hold her prisoner in it trying to get her to love him !< . . . . well, yes it is.
​
it's certainly a creepy and chilling book. and claustrophobic, not trying to be shallow or literal with that. the 'process' of the story is claustrophobic. very perceptive, although personally i've never wanted to read it again.
I looked it up and apparently it's actually half a dozen serial killers obsessed with this book. I was thinking of Lake and Ng, but apparently they were just one of many.
That's a review in itself right there. Some might say a good review, some might say bad, but definitely a review.
that's probably a fair indicator of what kind of story you'll be reading, but calling it a 'review' is a really shallow and limited attitude. a review takes some notice of a books literary and technical merit too.
i bet there are paedophiles out there who think lolita is a porno novel or a how-to. that doesn't make it any less exceptional as a work of literature.
>but calling it a 'review' is a really shallow and limited attitude.
Bet you're just a blast at parties
> that doesn't make it any less exceptional as a work of literature.
I think you'll find nobody said it did.
> Bet you're just a blast at parties
I am, thanks :D
>I think you'll find nobody said it did.
True, nobody mentioned lolita at all, until me. You said the fact that a set of sickos were obsessed with the collector was ”a review in itself." Which I think is narrow-minded, self-righteous nonsense.
> Which I think is narrow-minded, self-righteous nonsense.
Some people will get offended by anything, I litterally even said it could be a good review. Don't worry next time I make a joke I'll make sure that I don't abuse the word review, I know how sacred the definition of review is to you 🙄
I prefer The Magus over the Collector
buckmulligan61 t1_ixwx5ef wrote
Fowles is an author worthy of anyone's attention.