A Ladder to the Sky
Ratings44
Average rating4.1
A Ladder to the Sky – 4 stars
John Boyne is one of the most talented writers I’ve ever read. His command of language is exceptional, his plots are rich and vivid, and his characters fully formed—definitely a superior breed. That said, A Ladder to the Sky felt a bit too “commercial” at times—overly manipulative and melodramatic, leaning too hard on emotional beats. Still, there are plenty of memorable moments, and the book draws you in. I read it quickly and was thoroughly entertained, but I found it less honest and with less soul than some of Boyne’s other work.
I'm not sure a book that makes me think "oh, it looks like the Nazi was a pretty good guy, I guess!" is a timely and helpful book at this particular moment in history.
But here we are, and the book did what it did masterfully.
Fantastic read, absolutely knocked my socks off. The portion that is told from the point of view of Edith was really intense, it felt like I was holding my breath for the whole chapter. I love what the author did with the characters, the plot, the writing, every bit of it worked for me. Highly recommend.
This is what happens when you write about a sociopath and it's not a crime novel. This doesn't really have the comedy that The Heart's Invisible Furies has, but the premise is original and the characters interesting. I liked the format and enjoyed reading.
Found this novel, while interestingly dark and nasty, also simultaneously increasingly unbelievable and predictable. It was well written and deliciously witty at times, but on the whole slightly disappointing, compared to many of Boyne's other works.
I have enjoyed the narrative quite a bit, his style of writing is quite exquisite, albeit too flawless. I would have enjoyed more if he didn't go into such already exhausted themes as young artists exploiting other well-established artists to achieve fame, liars protecting their lies at any cost, sociopaths who are quite likeable and so on. It did keep me reading and at times I have been very impressed with his style of writing. I'm giving it 4+ and I'll definitely keep on reading the other works.
It's a literary, literary thriller with Boyne unleashing his inner tea-spilling, gay, bon-vivant writer. Maurice Swift is a careerist psychopath who will stop at nothing to become a revered part of the authorial pantheon. Trading on his good looks he manages to insinuate himself in the life of aging Erich Ackermann, who's enjoying a late career resurgence after winning a prestigious literary prize. But one doesn't get to the top without stepping on others and Erich is just the first of many victims sacrificed on the altar of Swift's ambition.
Boyne is having a blast and writes sneering snark better than anyone and even channels some Gore Vidal in the middle of the book. As with any thriller you're better off not knowing too much going in, just trust you're in good hands with Boyne.
John Boyne has said he based many of the characters on people he's run into after decades in the publishing industry. A place that tends to invite some outsized personalities... https://youtu.be/a8D3tBWmtB8
This novel was instantly engaging, exquisitely written, and utterly chilling. The historical detail was enjoyable, as was Boyne's rendering of the literary world over the past few decades. I loved meeting the various players along the way, seeing Maurice through new eyes every time. I can only hope I'll never meet anyone like Maurice Swift...
I couldn't put this book down. A shocking story which never ceased to surprise me even when I guessed where it was going. When a friend passed this book along she said that it is rare to read a book about writers writing and she was spot on - this will leave you heartbroken in the best possible way.
J'ai découvert John Boyne il y a quelques années avec son roman jeunesse The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (Le garçon en pyjama rayé en VF). Plus récemment, j'avais été emballé par The Heart's Invisible Furies, le magnifique récit de la vie d'un homosexuel irlandais, de son enfance jusqu'à la fin de sa vie. J'ai lu ce roman il y a un an environ et je m'étais dit que je surveillerai les prochaines publications de cet auteur talentueux.
Au début de l'année, j'ai appris la sortie prévue cet été de son nouveau roman A Ladder to the Sky, dont le synopsis m'a tout de suite donné envie de le lire :
A psychological drama of cat and mouse, A Ladder to the Sky shows how easy it is to achieve the world if you are prepared to sacrifice your soul.
If you look hard enough, you can find stories pretty much anywhere. They don't even have to be your own. Or so would-be writer Maurice Swift decides very early on in his career.
A chance encounter in a Berlin hotel with celebrated novelist Erich Ackermann gives him an opportunity to ingratiate himself with someone more powerful than him. For Erich is lonely, and he has a story to tell. Whether or not he should do so is another matter entirely.
Once Maurice has made his name, he sets off in pursuit of other people's stories. He doesn't care where he finds them – or to whom they belong – as long as they help him rise to the top.
Stories will make him famous but they will also make him beg, borrow and steal. They may even make him do worse.