Customer Reviews

Larry's Party: A Novel

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Like so many of us, Larry Weller finds himself, on occasion, lost. Is that why he is drawn to the arcane profession of maze-making? Or is his fascination with mazes a reflection of his deepening intellect and development as a man?

In the course of fifteen carefully observed chapters, Carol Shields examines the maze-like Life of Larry. Each chapter is like a short film in which Shields refocuses her lens on a specific aspect of Larry's life: "Larry's Words," "Larry's Love," "Larry's Kid," etc. The end result is an in-depth portrait of a multi-dimensional guy, a compendium of details that elevates the seemingly ordinary Larry into someone utterly unique. She follows him through college (actually a trade school for florists), through the courtship of his first wife, through disillusionments and deaths, and finally to the party of the title, in which many of his life's loose ends are resolved.

This is deep, smart, resonant writing, a subtly cajoling book that satisfies and delights.

I thought this was one of the more refreshing books I've read in a while, due mainly to the fact that Larry is nothing special. I get so tired of reading novels where the protagonist is a billionaire or a stunningly handsome James Bond-type character. I really enjoyed the mundane descriptions of Larry growing up in Winnipeg, and how the events in his life just sort of happened to him. I found the ordinary characters to be much more believable and much more interesting than the usual hyped-up characters who populate modern fiction. The layout of the book actually had me wondering whether these chapters were originally written as short stories; I too found the repetition of background material in each chapter to be somewhat tedious. As a plot device it didn't really wash. Overall, though, this is another Bargain Bin treasure that I am going to recommend to others. I read "Stone Diaries" and must say that I liked this one better. Hoorah for the common man!

I've read most of Shields' books and taught a few, but this is my absolute favourite. It's a charming yet completely believable tale of one man's life. Read it if you need to have your faith restored in humanity.

Carol Shields has a way of writing about the ordinary that elevates it to the sublime. We follow Larry, an ordinary guy, through his life through jumps in time of several years at a leap. Through the chapters, we follow him through a callow youth, through a first marriage and parenthood, divorce, his parents and sister's relationships with him and each other, remarriage and re-divorce, and most central to the book, his mundane job and rise to stellar status in his field of maze designer, of all things. But of course the maze is a metaphor for the complexities of life, trying to find ones way in the world. The dinner party at the end is clearly meant to represent the 'goal,' the center of the maze, but it's left to the readers to decide if Larry is likely to find his way out again.
A lovely tour de force.

John Lennon once wrote "Life is what happens while you're making other plans." Lennon never met Larry Weller, a man drifting down the river of life with no rudder and no destination in mind.

Larry Weller is a male character dreamed up by a female author, and save for one passage on genital slang, Larry's interior monologues are about as interesting as two-day old Wonder Bread. Good thing men aren't really as dull as Shields makes out; I'd have to give up and move to Mars.

Only the final scenes -- Larry's Party -- give a glimmer of the talent this woman holds in reserve.

Like so many other people, I was annoyed and frustrated by the gimmicky structure of the book. There was no need to continually reintroduce background material. I wondered if the chapters were not in fact intended to be short stories. Certainly the Larry's Party chapter could stand on its own as a story.

A disappointing read.

LARRY'S PARTY has been made into a musical and is currently playing in Toronto, then Montreal,and Ottowa. This is a worthwhile read, especailly the beginning and end. At about p. 140 it gets limp until p.200 (of paperback edition). Those parts seem like writing exercises for Shields - but she can write. Note :P. 279 when "he knew himself to be in embrace of profound tenderness, that second cousin to passionate love." and her comments on "mistakes" p.12. I liked Larry from his white socks on p. 5.and his non-aMAZING life. How do you visualize him? I see him as a grown up Ralphy from THE CHRIRTMAS STORY movie.

An elderly friend recommended Carol Shields to me many years ago - I wish I'd listened earlier. This woman writes like I imagine angels sing.

While on their honeymoon trip to England with his wife Dorrie, Larry, a Canadian florist becomes inspired by the lush English hedges. During a visit Hampton Court Palace, Larry becomes totally besotted by mazes, and thus is born a life calling.

Besides being about mazes, this book is a maze. Each chapter jumps forward to a new point in Larry's life, but keeps twisting and turning and reflecting back on previous episodes; some that were life-shattering at the time, become mere asides when viewed from a different angle. As Larry meanders through life, two marriages, fatherhood, career changes, etc., he remains beset by same inadequacies, failings and fears of his youth. His life just seems to happen around him. But since this book is a maze, we know it must have a goal, and when achieved, it is surprising, poignant and triumphant. Then you realise he still has to get out of the maze.

I feel I might have some chance of understanding men better having read this book. Carol Shields has obviously studied men intensely to come up with his incredibly believable character, an ordinary man. All of the characters are well constructed and the dialogue is real. The words melt together into flawless storytelling; a gem of a book.

Larry Weller's twenty year examination by Carol Shields is a profound revelation. His life parrallels that of the average late twentieth century man who is constantly searching for meaning and grace. He finds it in his passion for mazes--a perfect metaphor for this twenty year journey.

Shields portrays Larry perfectly. His early choice of work by accident, his doomed first marriage, and the subsequent chances he later takes--Shields writes them in a matter of fact style that almost makes this novel seem like a documentary. Her description of places, and the details she sketches to every other character in the novel are no less than outstanding. The dialogue each brings to the novel is bracingly real. I found myself empathetic to Larry Weller, and hope that eventually Shields follows his story in future novels.

Larry Weller's twenty year examination by Carol Shields is a profound revelation. His life parrallels that of the average late twentieth century man who is constantly searching for meaning and grace. He finds it in his passion for mazes--a perfect metaphor for this twenty year journey.

Shields portrays Larry perfectly. His early choice of work by accident, his doomed first marriage, and the subsequent chances he later takes--Shields writes them in a matter of fact style that almost makes this novel seem like a documentary. Her description of places, and the details she sketches to every other character in the novel are no less than outstanding. The dialogue each brings to the novel is bracingly real. I found myself empathetic to Larry Weller, and hope that eventually Shields follows his story in future novels.

After reading "Stone Diaries" and "Happenstance" I finally got around to reading "Larry's Party." And I'm glad I am; really I am, it's just that this one didn't make it to "5" for me, and somehow it just missed being the most terrific book ever. In simpler terms, characters were alive and fully fleshed, plot was good, lots of interesting info on all aspects of hedge mazes, great interior monologue, BUT ... chapters started having the feel of short stories because so much information was repeated as if you, the reader, couldn't keep the facts straight.

This said, please read Carol Shields. She is wise beyond belief and writes honestly.