Customer Reviews

The Four Temperaments: A Novel

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I loved this book with a passion. The characters were so alive, so complex, that I felt I knew them. A provocative and absolutely compelling read!

I really enjoyed this book. It sat on my bookshelf for a long time before I picked it up, and then I was sorry I'd waited so long. It was a terrific read. Yes, it was uneven in places, but the characters were so well-drawn and so alive, I didn't care. I didn't even care that some of the plot points didn't work for me -- like Ruth taking off with Gabriel's child. I was just having too much fun reading. I really wanted to give this book 4 1/2 stars, but since I couldn't, and since I save 5 stars for books I wouldn't change at all, I had to settle for 4 in this case. I'd like to thank the author for the intimate glimpse into the world of ballet. I found it fascinating. I love it when a story is fun to read, plus I learn something. This book delivered on both counts.

I read but usually don't write reviews, but this book was so
great i had to share how I was really made to think and could
not put the book down.

I found this book in a used book shop in Mendocino 5 years ago and I couldn't put it down once I began reading it (and that is saying a lot from me). Its sophisticated, complicated (in terms of love triangles and such) and fascinating. I recommend completely. Don't be discouraged from the small number of ratings, I think its just a not known book. I had a hard time finding it, I dont even think Amazon picked it up until the last few years. Fun summer read.

This is a lovely story about family, love and lust. It is easy to read and covers, laughter, sadness and fun.

The author of this book was obviously talented--she has a way of grabbing my attention. Much of the book was filled with back stories of all the characters lives. As boring as this sounds, these were some of the most interesting parts of the book. THere were a few things about it I didn't like, however. I just didn't buy that Ruth would kidnap Isobel like that, and then rationalize her actions--that really annoyed me. I also annoyed me how everyone complained about Penelope; all this back story was built up about how she was cold and heartless and crazy, but as soon as she died, everyone was like "she was the perfect mother" and such...I understand she's dead, but that doesn't erase the way you feel about a person. I'm glad, though, that the author didn't put ginny and gabriel together in the end...how cliche would that be! But i didn't understand why isobel would start living with ruth and oscar "part time" (five days a week). That made me angry...maybe because i didn't like ruth.

Although parts of the story dragged (mostly the ones from ruth's perspective), the overall plot was good. Ginny Valentine was an extraordinary character, and as a dancer, I liked reading about her life in the NYC ballet. A good book, one that I would recomend.

Written in luminous, almost poetical prose and set against the glamour of the New York City Ballet, Yona Zeldis McDonough's debut novel THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS is an exotic and alluring story that examines how modern day love, marriage and fidelity are tested.
Alternating forward and backward in time, THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS is the story of the love triangle between Oscar Kornblatt, his son Gabriel and Ginny Valentine, the young, brazen dancer who changes both their lives forever.
Captivating and intensely emotional, THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS is an impressive debut.