Customer Reviews

Tilting At Windmills: a Novel of Cervantes and the Errant Knight

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This is a wonderful book, in so many respects. Even before I was drawn into the plot, I was struck by the beautiful language. Elegant, poetic, refined throughout. (Senor Cervantes must be very pleased with Mr Branston's work!) And then, I felt magically transported into 17th century Spain. The book is a dazzling evocation of Cervantes' life and times, a brilliant weave of facts, fiction and farce. One by one, I was introduced to finely portrayed characters, Cervantes himself, the Old Knight, the Duchess, among others. Then there's the incredible sense of humour. Sometimes it's just a little tickle in the background, at other times, I felt like I was in the middle of some 17th century Laurel and Hardy routine. Branston gives us complete mayhem, utter slapstick, in the most deadpan, elegant language possible. Madly funny. It's so deadpan, it's wonderful. But that's not all. A few moments later, Branston moves into a very different direction. There are delicate studies of interiors, of gardens, there are deeply touching psychological observations. Hilarious at times, deeply touching at other times. It feels as though Cervantes is alive again. And it all ends with a most unexpected twist. I loved it.

Some books put you to sleep, other ones awaken your most creative thoughts and visions.
I love books like this one that can show me things in a new, unpredictable way. Books that make me think and treat me with respect with their intelligent nature.
This novel is much more than just a "story". It is history, in its own way. And even with its ambitious aim of offering a new interpretation of such great characters, it never lets you down. It never disappoints you. Amusing and poetical, sometimes sad but always light in its wonderful truthful tone full of colors and music.

This book is like a finely woven textile of Julian Branston's poetic outlook; that of a writer who follows the literary of the Old Masters. Every scene and situation in this incredible story is crafted with feeling and filled with joy, so that the reader right from the beginning doesn't want to put the book down. One of those books that I will re-read many times.

I am definitely impressed with Branston's first foray into fiction. I picked this book up at a used book store simply because of the cover. Is this a bad way to choose books? Of course. Regardless of how you come across the story, it works on many, many levels.

Branston's style is engaging and entertaining. I wish I could tell you what was so funny about it, but I fear I could not do this tale justice. I laughed out loud at several junctures. The book starts off strong, drags for about 50 pages or so, and then takes off like a rocket towards high comedy.

Whether you're a fan of Cervantes and Don Quixote or not, this is definitely a book worth reading.

Not since Cervantes' original (of which I've been a fan since my teens), has a book captured the essence of Don Quixote de la Mancha as this one. It has also re-captured the spirit of the eccentric soul as well. Richly and originally written, it is by no means pedantic, but a joy to read. This wonderful novel will stretch the imagination and hopefully make the term "Quixotic" part of the vernacular; possibly recruiting a new legion of Cervantes fans. It has certainly inspired me to re-read the original.

This charming novel succeeds by a clever tension between the hilarity we expect from the world of Don Quixote -- and there is an abundance of that hilarity -- and Branston's ability to anatomize the psyches of his characters. The book moves delightfully back and forth between magical buffoonery and exquisite psychological insight.
In terms of event and character population, the story satisfies without overfeeding. Every character, major and minor, has a critical and precise role to play in a context that has been keenly researched without a belaboring weight of history. Cervantes himself is a character, but he has reached a stage in life in which, though still struggling and ambitious an an author, he has a wise and patient illumination that backlights the whole novel and supports a tone, rare in a comedy, of deep compassion. The Tempest comes to mind.
Branston's style is a resolving force in the book. It is relaxed enough to accomodate the ridiculous and lapidary in its examination of the heart. One might call him a poetic psychologist, and his story would appeal to anyone with the ability to simultaneously let go of life and cherish it.

When I picked up this book, I was very excited to get lost in the world of the author of Don Quixote. Julian Branston does a wonderful job creating a lively, colorful historical world. His characters are very believable, and come alive off of the page. Branston also has an excellent way with words, and manages to create comedy mixed with drama in a way that Cervantes would envy.

Despite the many excellent small details of this story, I was unable to get drawn into the plot of the story. The disjointed way that the story was told made it a book I kept picking up and putting down. I would read a chapter or two at a time, and then put it down. This story didn't draw me in, and keep me waiting to read the next part of the story. It wasn't able capture my attention and excitement in a way that I expect a great book to do. I would love to give the author another chance, if he writes any more fiction, because I adore his writing style. In small pieces, this book is excellent. It just lacks a certain thread that draws all of the characters together into a forward moving, exciting plot.