This is one of those extremely rare cases where the movie far surpassed the book!

This book was truly very confusing. Firstly, there were an excessive number of characters, well over a hundred of them. It was incredibly hard to keep track of who was who. As a result, many of the characters were one-dimensional, making it difficult to develop any real caring for them. The author randomly introduced characters throughout the novel and then seemingly forgot about them as they were never mentioned again. For example, Willa was a significant character in the movie, but in the book, she was only featured on about 5 pages and then forgotten.

Secondly, the novel lacked a real plot. The story seemed to lose its way around page 350 and became just confusing after that. There were numerous storylines that had no connection to the plot, and I found myself having to constantly re-read sections to try and figure out what was happening. The plot spanned over a hundred years, yet it was challenging to determine where one was in this timescale at any given moment. It got to the point where I was only averaging a chapter a day on the Luas because I couldn't bear to read it otherwise. At the end, I was left wondering what the whole thing was about, and not in a good way. By the way, the plot in the book is completely different from the movie, so don't think watching it will help you understand the book.

Thirdly, it was way too long! This book had 768 pages but could easily have been condensed into about 250 pages. The story was far too drawn out. There were many subplots and irrelevant passages that did nothing to advance the plot and should have been cut out by the editor. For instance, the battle between the two newspapers was just boring to read, unnecessary to the plot, and went on for too long, a full 200 pages, and should have been removed from the book. The enormous length of this book simply made it a painful read.

The only thing I did like about it was the romance story between Peter and Beverly, which is where the two stars come from. However, that only lasted around 150 pages. I would have liked to read more of their love story, but the other subplots and characters got in the way.

I would not even recommend this book to my worst enemy! I don't think I'll ever read another book by Mark Helprin again. Two stars.

I made the mistake of setting this aside in favor of library books. I read about the last third in dribs & drabs, which really didn't do the story justice at all. It gets a bit metaphysical/woo-woo at the end for my tastes, but it's still quite a lovely read.

Previously, I had Winter's Tale on my to-read list for a while. I'd picked up a used copy of it a few months ago, and an online review reminded me to bump it to the top of the list.

The heart of the story is a fantastical New York that never was, spanning from the turn of the twentieth century through the turn of the twenty-first. It's filled with touches of magical realism and steampunk throughout. The main character is Peter Lake, an orphan, thief, and lover. We first meet him as he is running for his life from one of the most depraved gangs of Five Points, only to be saved by Athansor, a wondrous white horse who appears and disappears as needed in the story.

Peter actually disappears for the middle section of the story. During this time, we detour into the stories of Virginia Gamely and Hardesty Marrata. She is a country girl from the remote upstate village of Lake of the Coheeries, and he is a millionaire's son from San Francisco. They meet in the offices of The Sun, the premiere newspaper of the city. The various story threads intertwine into a mystical and spectacular finale, with some scarily prescient elements.

Be prepared to spend time with this book. Not only is it long (688 pages in my copy), but the prose can be very dense. It's lovely, lyrical, and at times downright sesquipedalian. Helprin shows a similar love of language as Gene Wolfe or Mervyn Peake. The story is engrossing, and the themes are intriguing, but the overarching spirituality sometimes fell a bit flat for me, almost as if Helprin were trying too hard. In that respect, I saw similarities to the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman.

Recommended to those interested in urban fantasy, with a love of the turn of the century and language that verges on the poetic.

In May 2006, the New York Times Book Review published an interesting list of American novels.

This list was compiled based on the responses to a short letter sent by the review to a couple of hundred prominent writers, critics, editors, and other literary sages.

The letter asked them to identify the single best work of American fiction published in the last 25 years.

Among the twenty-two books that received multiple votes was Helprin's Winter's Tale.

However, I am quite disappointed to hear this.

I am more inclined to agree with the reviewer on Amazon who said, "The moral and artistic equivalent of a Thomas Kincaide painting. A video game with very high production values, where you're forced to read long passages of turgid travel journaling before you can get to the next level and keep playing."

There are indeed acres of pretty passages and some truly lovely metaphors in the book.

The prose is always aware of its own gorgeousness, like a shellacked, stage-directed supermodel, scrupulously careful of its costume.

I constantly wished that something with a soul could break out from within, but a character with real complications would leave muddy shoeprints all over, distracting readers from the so-beautiful descriptions of fantasy landscapes, non-beings, and un-things.

In fact, I was really glad to finally reach the end of this book.

I had been on the waiting list for this book for weeks, and when I finally got my hands on a copy, I was over the moon with excitement.

However, as I started reading, it quickly became apparent that the book was filled with paragraphs and paragraphs of overly detailed descriptions. It seemed as if the author was determined to describe every little thing, from the snowflakes gently falling to the powerful muscles of a horse.

Take this paragraph, for example: "The heat ran around half a dozen logs that had become red cylinders of flame, changing their colors until they looked like six suns in a black universe of firebrick. Their glow was an invisible wind that irradiated the room..."

With over 700 pages of such flowery, picturesque, and, quite frankly, over-descriptive writing, the story soon became tiresome. It was a real struggle to get through each page.

To be fair, the author did manage to come up with a few beautiful quotes here and there, but that wasn't enough to save the overall experience. I found myself getting more and more detached from the book, and I actually fell asleep almost every time I tried to read it. In fact, I was so frustrated at times that I had to resist the urge to throw the book into the fireplace.

Despite all of this, I am still looking forward to seeing the movie adaptation. I have a feeling that it might just be better than the book. At least, I really hope so.

This book was truly HORRIBLE!

I guess it's a case of different strokes for different folks, but wow, this book was just BAD.

The first quarter of it showed some promise and was actually quite good. It had an engaging start that made me think it was going to be a great read. However, as I continued reading, things just got weirder and weirder.

It felt like I was listening to someone tell an epic fairy tale, but I was only catching half of it. There was so much going on, and I couldn't understand how or why certain things were happening. It seemed as if the author himself didn't have a clear vision of the story, so he was unable to convey it clearly to the reader. The magic in the book had no basis and made no sense. It was like a dream, incoherent and vague.

There were also events that seemed to have no purpose at all. For example, what was the point of Jesse Honey? He just seemed to be there to annoy the reader. I didn't see any real contribution he made to the story. And Asbury's reaction to losing his brother at sea was so lackluster. It was like he didn't really care.

Maybe I need to read it again and think about it more, but quite frankly, I don't care enough to do that. I've already read the end, and that was the worst part. No amount of rereading and trying to piece together some hidden meaning could make up for the disappointing ending.

In conclusion, I stand by my initial statement: this book is just BAD. If you're into flowery descriptions of snow and New York being alive, then you might like it. But if you're looking for a good story, there really isn't much here.

Wow. This book is truly magical. And I don't just mean that it is "magical" in the sense of being enjoyable to read, but rather that it literally contains magic.

Let me begin by emphasizing that this novel is specifically for dedicated READERS. It's not for those who claim to like reading but only do so sporadically or superficially. Nor is it for those who only delve into wonderful works when the circumstances are just right. This is a truly rewarding and amazing book for those who are willing to invest the time and really immerse themselves in it. If you're not that type of person, then perhaps you should choose something else because otherwise, you might grow bored, try to force your way through it, and end up missing the point, the wonder, and the magic. This book truly deserves more than that.

When I first started reading, I was a bit taken aback by the style and the story itself. However, it wasn't long before I was completely "caught inside" and it was a wonderful experience. I read frequently, and very, very rarely do I find myself so completely engrossed in a book, in a story that is so intense and incredible that I feel both protective and proud of the text, the characters, and everything about it.

In conclusion, I absolutely loved this book! It did an outstanding job of allowing the reader to lose themselves within its pages. It has a great story, great characters, unique writing, and it takes you on a great journey.

I didn't like this book at all!

In fact, when I was about two-thirds through it, I found myself asking, "Why? Why am I reading this?" I simply couldn't care less about any of the characters. As a result, I didn't finish it, which is really unusual for me. I absolutely adored the author's previous book, "A Soldier of the Great War." This one, however, was such a letdown.

I think the main reason I disliked it was that there was just too much fantasy in it for my taste. I need some element of truth to be interwoven into a story. I prefer stories where I can locate the cities where it takes place on a map, or where there is historical background that I can further explore on Wikipedia. This book had just too much fantasy for me.

Yes, the author is a good writer. The way he expresses things is something I do enjoy. However, that wasn't enough to keep me reading until the end. So, in fact, I am only giving it one star.

A sprawling epic fantasy is set in New York within a world that closely resembles ours yet is brimming with mystical and fantastical elements. Summarizing it is no easy feat due to the plethora of events and storylines. It commences with Peter Lake being rescued from a gang by a magical white horse. Then, it delves back to present Peter's origin story and how he ended up at the scene that initiates the novel. He is a mechanic and a petty criminal who has antagonized the local leader of the Short Tails gang. While burglarizing a mansion, he encounters a visionary young woman who is succumbing to consumption, and they promptly fall in love.

The storyline trails Peter Lake as he encounters a diverse range of eccentric characters and crosses otherworldly boundaries. There are non-human characters, a bridge engineer, an industrial heir, a single mother, and countless others that are impossible to describe in a brief review. It is akin to a parallel steampunk world of magical realism. A mysterious cloud wall encircles the city. Winter holds a crucial role in the narrative, as the city experiences a succession of winters. Time travel is also a part of the plot. It is penned in a lyrical style, which augments the ethereal quality of this fantasy world. It encompasses numerous universal themes, such as justice, time, free will, love, mortality, and hope. Additionally, there is a substantial amount of symbolism and beautiful prose for those who relish literary writing. The main drawback is its considerable length (approximately 750 pages), and I ultimately felt the burden of its size.

I couldn't bear to continue reading this book after coming across three disturbing accounts of children in sexual situations, and that was within just 40 pages!!

The first reference makes it seem almost normal when a 12-year-old boy has sex with a girl of the same age. Then, there's the 12-year-old boy witnessing a same-sex encounter between a 16-year-old girl and a pubescent girl who is described as "lacking in volume (curves/breasts) but making it up in freshness" and then having a threesome with them.

The third encounter involves a man sexually exploiting young boys while another man turns a blind eye. Hello!! Why on earth would they decide to make a movie based on a book like this? Why would people label this book as beautiful and breathtaking? What a messed-up world we live in!!!

If I could, I would have given this book zero stars. I simply don't understand why the author would write such things. Is he a pedophile? There should be absolutely zero tolerance for such content! This book makes me feel disgusted! I'm going to return the book and get my money back. There's no way I would support an author like this! Even though the movie might not include the child exploitation part, I will still boycott it. I will not support an author like this in any shape or form.

3 stars - It was good.

This book truly has enormous ambitions. It delves into profound, philosophical inquiries, with a generous sprinkle of magical realism throughout. The initial part featuring Peter and the baymen was truly remarkable, and I was certain that this book was going to be nothing short of spectacular. However, while it was indeed unique, the beginning unfortunately turned out to be the pinnacle of the book. From the very first time and character transition, it became less engaging. At times, it felt extremely disjointed, and it dragged on for far too long. Although I was still impressed by its originality, I found myself longing for it to end long before it actually did. There were simply an excessive number of characters, and on numerous occasions, the plot just seemed to plod along. Nevertheless, if the synopsis catches your interest, it is still worth a read. Just don't anticipate that it will maintain the same high caliber as the wonderful beginning.
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Favorite Quote: Peter Lake had no illusions about mortality. He knew that it made everyone perfectly equal, and that the treasures of the earth were movement, courage, laughter, and love. The wealthy could not buy these things. On the contrary, they were for the taking.

First Sentence: A great city is nothing more than a portrait of itself, and yet when all is said and done, its arsenals of scenes and images are part of a deeply moving plan.

I don't know that I've ever disliked a book so much before.

The writing and skill with words was truly beautiful. The author seemed to have a remarkable command of the language, crafting sentences that were almost poetic in their elegance.

However, the plot was an absolute disaster. It was so ridiculously bad and convoluted that even after immediately reading it, I couldn't give you a coherent timeline of events. It felt like a jumbled mess of random ideas and plot twists that made no sense.

And to make matters worse, I've never cared so little for the characters in my life. They were flat, uninteresting, and lacked any real depth or personality. I simply couldn't bring myself to invest in their stories or care about what happened to them.

In conclusion, this book was a horrible mess. I curse my compulsion to finish reading everything, as it made me endure this painful experience. I would not recommend this book to anyone.

Winter's Tale had the potential to be a book I would have adored. It was a fantastical novel set in a Belle Epoque New York City within an alternate universe of perpetual winters. With a large cast of characters and a central love story, I eagerly anticipated reading it. I was excited to immerse myself in the world Mark Helprin created and lose hours reading deep into the night. This year, when the novel was finally adapted into a movie, I couldn't wait any longer and dived in. Sadly, I was wrong. With each passing page, my initial enthusiasm waned, and by the end, it had disappeared completely.

Winter's Tale is a jumble. It's a long book (nearly 800 pages in its latest edition), and throughout its length, I struggled to find a coherent story. Ostensibly, it's the tale of Peter Lake, an orphan and professional thief with a mysterious past, and his whimsical and serious adventures in a magical New York City. But Peter is more of a caricature than a character. His charm is limitless, and he总能在最后一秒逃脱看似无法逃脱的困境，就像走鹃一样。他的死对头兼前老板珍珠·索姆斯也没好到哪里去，他就像大力水手布鲁托的文学版：体型庞大、愚蠢且一心要谋杀彼得·莱克以报复他从自己手中溜走。珍珠还是一个盗贼团伙的头目，彼得曾一度属于这个团伙，叫做“短尾巴”——以镀金时代在纽约下东区横行霸道的一个真实团伙命名，但在小说中仅仅是用来展示对珍珠和他巨大体力的恐惧的道具。

也许这部小说最大的罪过就是那个毫无意义的爱情故事。在小说的早期，彼得·莱克闯入了一套豪华公寓，毫无缘由地，一个女孩对他一见钟情（我称之为“莱克综合征”）。她叫贝弗利·彭恩，她是完美的——美得令人绝望，是一个有远见卓识的人，能够读懂宇宙并写下解释其机制的复杂方程式。当人们在她身边时，都会变得更好，甚至邪恶的恶棍也不再邪恶；而且她还是——你猜对了——一个处女！仍然是全新的，等待着她的白马王子。她也快要死了。但只是死于肺结核——不会太破坏她的美丽和完美。一个迷人、英俊、年轻的陌生人恰好闯入她的房子，让他们两人能立刻体验到真爱，这不是很好吗？

贝弗利最终在幕后死去，这本书失去了它原本就微弱的焦点。角色们来来去去，对正在发生的事情没有太大影响，随机的人爱上了随机的人，我们永远不确定这部小说到底是关于什么的。还有一匹真正会飞的马，名叫阿坦索尔，它除了让彼得·莱克摆脱完全不可能的困境之外，没有什么实际用途。更糟糕的是，马克·赫尔普林是那种喜欢听自己声音的作家，他无情地拉长每一个小描述，使其尽可能地富有感染力和诗意，随着小说的进展，他越来越没有意识到这种自我放纵。这本书迫切需要一个编辑，但不知何故却没有。或者更糟糕的是——这是一本经过编辑的书，而在宇宙的某个地方，仍然存在着《冬天的故事》的原始手稿，篇幅是现在的三倍。

这是一本清楚地意识到自己至少部分是一部奇幻小说，但又想超越这一点的书。通过让有着古怪名字的卡通人物参与不可能的冒险、风流韵事和冲突，它想用一种雄辩而诗意的风格传达一些伟大的真理；但在它这样做的尝试中，它变成了对自己的一种模仿，而且是一种糟糕的模仿，因为它是以完全严肃的态度写的。看看下面这段话：

“这怎么可能呢？如果没有什么是随机的，一切都是预先确定的，那怎么会有自由意志呢？答案很简单。没有什么是预先确定的；它是被确定的，或者曾经被确定，或者将会被确定。”

“然而，时间很容易被克服；不是通过追逐光明，而是通过站得足够远，一下子看到它的全部。宇宙是静止而完整的。曾经有过的一切，现在都有；将来会有的一切，现在都有——以此类推，在所有可能的组合中。虽然在感知它时，我们想象它是在运动的，而且是未完成的，但它实际上是完全完成的，而且非常美丽。最终，或者更确切地说，就事物的真实情况而言，任何事件，无论多么小，都与其他所有事件密切而明显地联系在一起。”

是只有我这样觉得，还是马克·赫尔普林一直在试图听起来深刻而不是真正有意义呢？这本书充满了这样独特的陈词滥调，试图用一连串无尽的雪和冬天的意象来蒙蔽读者，诱使他们相信自己正在经历一个真正抒情的时刻。但这种伎俩在这里变得很明显，因为赫尔普林开始陷入同义反复和听起来不错但实际上毫无意义的事情：

“所有的河流都奔向大海；分开的人被聚集在一起；迷失的人被救赎；死者复活；那些在金色的朦胧中开始和结束的完美蓝天继续存在，静止而可及；当一切都以一种消除时间的方式被感知时，正义就会显现出来，不是作为将要发生的事情，而是作为正在发生的事情。”

这是一种巴洛克式的写作，乍一看可能看起来强大而令人难忘，但仔细一看，却只是一个骗局，一个假货，一个由动词、名词和一些形容词随意拼凑而成的结构，其唯一的目的就是用空洞的闪光来吸引读者。就像人们在他们的豪宅里建造时尚的塔楼、大门和柱子一样——他们认为这样会让它们看起来很棒，但实际上只是很愚蠢。

书中从来没有真正到达某个地方并学到重要而独特的东西的感觉。这本书从未摆脱其内在的困惑，也没有决定它想成为什么以及想去哪里，最终未能留下任何印记。一位亚马逊评论者说得最好，他说：“这些角色不是也永远不会是我们，这个故事也没有阐明任何本质的东西”——我宁愿吃一桶雪也不愿再读一遍它。真是一个错失的机会。