Classics Challenge: A Room with a View, by E.M. Forster

Oh, friends. There is only one word to describe my experience reading this book: delightful. But because you know I can't resist the opportunity to say more than one word, I won't stop there.

A Room with a View is deeply satirical, and yet the characters manage to be real people rather than one-dimensional conduits for the author's social criticisms. Forster's voice and humor are subtle without being sly, and he draws you into the inner lives of his characters in a way that feels so natural it's hardly noticeable. Forster truly sees his characters, and he makes you feel that you see and instantly comprehend them too, in spite of their complexity. It seemed like every paragraph I read, I wanted to post part or all of it somewhere for others to share and appreciate, but I was afraid that once started, I'd be unable to stop.

Even though it's short and sweet, Forster packs in fabulous scenery, murders, scandals and gossip, people getting comeuppances, characters you love and characters you hate, characters that you hate and then love, and vice versa. I warned you I'd gush over this book - I mean really. Every time I read just a little bit of it, I slip right back into that world and I'm tempted to just drop everything and read it again--and it's so short that it could easily be done. Gosh, I could go on and on, using any and all of these words: charming, insightful, effortless, fascinating, hilarious, clever, absorbing. So enjoyable that I just flew right through it. Oh, and romantic. Terribly, meltingly, giddily romantic.

So go read it already. Come on, it'll take you five minutes -- at least, it will feel that way. That, to me, makes A Room with a View just the best kind of book.

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The Classics Challenge is explained here. There's another Classics Challenge review here.