Not exactly a how-to guide or a critique, Forster very basically explains different aspects of the novel through a series of lectures he gave in the late 1920s. A lot of the books that he refers to I’ve never read and probably never will (Les Faux Monnayeurs, not so much interested in), but he usually includes enough detail of the story or character that you get his point.
The tone is pretty casual, which makes it an easy read and while the aspects he covers are very basic - the story, the plot, what makes a character flat or round - it was compelling enough to keep me reading.
I particularly liked the last couple chapters. His point about what elevates a book beyond being preachy to being prophetic is perfectly highlighted by his example from Adam Bede and The Brothers Karamazov.
I love Forster's novels and I think in the final chapter, Pattern and Rhythm, when he writes of how music is like fiction, he really seems to sum up his idea of the novel:
“Expansion. That is the idea the novelist must cling to. Not completion. Not rounding off but opening out. When the symphony is over we feel that the notes and tunes composing it have been liberated, they have found in the rhythm of the whole their individual freedom. Cannot the novel be like that? “
Yes, cannot it?

يتضمن الكتاب مجموعة من المحاضرات التي تم تفريغها في كتاب، حيث يتناول فورستر جوانب الرواية أو القصة الطويلة مع الشرح باستخدام العديد من الأمثلة المستمدة من الأدب الكلاسيكي وخاصة الإنكليزي، الفرنسي والروسي.
تمنيت لو كان الكتاب أعمق لكنه جيد كبداية.

A surprisingly sprightly and fun read that made me laugh aloud a few times. I was especially interested in his takes on fantasy, prophecy, pattern and rhythm.

"No English Novelist is as great as Tolstoy"

...as if I couldn't love E.M. Forster even more!!!
That fact that one of my favorite authors (Forster) has also read and loved the same books as I have just makes my heart sing!

Going into this book, I thought it was going to be a type of "guide to writing fiction." Well, I can happily say that I was very wrong.
I did know I would love this book because it's a written transcript of his Cambridge lectures. What I didn't expect was for it to feel like a love letter to other classic books and authors!
Something that made me smile, was how humble E. M. Forster was! He honestly didn't consider himself a "great" writer, which makes me adore him even more. I wish I could travel back in time and tell him just how great he was and still is! His books have impacted so many people and have stood the test of time. In these lectures he spoke about Dickens, Austen, the Brontë sisters, and so many more classic authors. What he didn't realize then, is that he is now among them! If only I could have been one of the many lucky people sitting in on these lectures. My dream of being an Oxford student came alive while reading.
Instead of instructing "how to write fiction" or "the art of fiction," he chose to consider what made a novel "a novel." These lectures weren't a "how to" but a "what is." By picking apart these "aspects," he shows us the beauty of narrative storytelling. To accompany these aspects, he selected certain books and read excerpts to prove his point. By doing this, he was able to illustrate each aspect and give them backing.
I not only found this incredibly inspiring as an aspiring writer, but as an avid read! This book can also be looked at as a curated reading list from Forster himself. I have added so books to my TBR because of his wonderful words about them!
What's better than getting book recommendations from one of your favorite authors?
...
Well know that I think about it, it would be even better to talk with them face to face!

*contemplates time travel*