Aug 30, 2016 05:48 PM
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When I picked up Oscar and Lucinda, the story summary at the back of the book cover made it sound like some epic romance meets thriller, something like Titanic, two star crossed lovers and some action. But the real story is just a half baked idea that goes well till half of the book and rapidly loses speed after that. Haven't read anything else by Peter Carey so have no idea what his usual writing style is, but here he has started well and lost steam halfway.
Needless to say, the story is about Oscar and Lucinda, the two main characters and their romance, with a thrilling twist brought by a bet between them that affects both their lives. The characters are not likeable in the first place, despite their struggles the author fails to instill any kind of sympathy in our hearts for them. Add to that, their motivation and ego tussle is not cleverly explained. The bet that they make when they meet at a ship voyage seems silly to me and thereafter it feels like the author lost interest as we never really reach full conclusion of these characters' lives. In fact, some of the supporting characters such as Oscar's father have a better lasting effect on our memory! I would rather recommend the movie based on this book to any one interested!
